Earlier this week, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget released the Obama Administration’s proposed budget for the 2012 fiscal year. I was curious about changes in funding that may impact programs that serve local women and girls, so I skimmed parts of the budget to see if anything jumped out.
Please keep in mind that I have not read the budget in its entirety. Also, the research that I did to find out if any programs in the D.C. metro region might be impacted was very brief and, at this point, it’s impossible to know whether the following changes may have an impact once the budget is finalized. With those caveats out of the way, here’s what I found out:
Terminations – Programs that will not be funded in FY2012
Adolescent Family Life Program – The new budget proposes to address issues of teen pregnancy prevention and prenatal care for teen mothers through the Pregnancy Assistance Fund rather than the Adolescent Family Life program. There are currently multiple organizations in the District that are grantees of the AFL program.
Career Pathways Innovation Fund – This program awards grants to community colleges that are developing or expanding career pathway programs in partnership with education and training providers, employers and the workforce investment system. According to the budget, the same services can be provided by the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Program.
Legal Assistance Loan Repayment Program – This program forgives law school loans for graduates who serve in specified “areas of national need” such as public defense and legal advocacy in low-income communities at a nonprofit.
Women’s Educational Equity promotes education equity for women and girls through competitive grants. According to the budget: “in place of this small, narrowly targeted program, the Administration’s reauthorization proposal of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act includes a number of broader programs with more robust funding that would provide continued educational support for women and could include activities currently funded.”
Reductions
The budget proposes that the Community Development Block Grant be reduced by $299 million to $3.7 billion. The grants are used to help strengthen communities by expanding affordable housing opportunities, creating jobs, stabilizing neighborhoods and improving overall quality of life, particularly for residents with low to moderate incomes. Parts of D.C., Montgomery County and Prince George’s County have all been eligible for these grants in the past.
Community Economic Development Grants have provided technical and financial assistance for economic development activities designed to address the economic needs of low-income individuals and families by creating employment and business development opportunities. The budget proposes a $16 million reduction bringing the 2012 allocation to $20 million. There are three local organizations — all east of the Anacostia River — that are currently participating in this program.
The Community Services Block Grant addresses the causes of poverty by implementing programs and services that empower low-income families and individuals, revitalize low-income communities and improve the economic self-sufficiency of low-income customers. Nonprofits in D.C., Northern Virginia and Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties have all received grants from this program. The budget proposes that this program be cut in half to $350 million.
Finally, the budget proposes a $17 million decrease in funding for Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Special Projects of National Significance (SPRANS). This program supports research on and training in such areas as genetic services, newborn screening, sickle cell disease and hemophilia. The funds will be redirected to other programs leaving MCH SPRANS with $75 million.
Programs that could see increases or continued funding include:
- a “significant increase” for K-12 education
- more money for programs like the Affordable Care Act and Head Start
- $35 billion for discretionary HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment activities
- $250 million to improve public housing and revitalize surrounding high-poverty neighborhoods
- $35 billion to preserve rental housing assistance to 4.7 million low-income families
You can read the entire budget by clicking here. After you check it out, please let us know how you feel about it. Are there any programs the Administration should definitely keep or cut? Is there any particular funding you’re worried about?
Photo credit: iChaz via Creative Commons