MARSHALL — Organizations that provide crime victim services in Minnesota are bracing for a potential 20% cut in available state funding.

“It is concerning. These are essential services,” said Carrie Buddy, executive director of New Horizons Crisis Center.

Becci ten Bensel, executive director of WoMen’s Rural Advocacy Programs, said crime victim service programs across Minnesota learned in February that there would be about $12 million less in funds available through the Minnesota Office of Justice Programs in its next funding cycle. That’s about a 20% reduction in available state grant funding, ten Bensel said.

“This is going to impact a lot of programs,” ten Bensel said.

“It’s not like it’s 20% across the board” for all organizations supporting victims of crime, Buddy said. Instead, it means a smaller pot of grant funding that organizations can apply for.

Ten Bensel said the reductions in Office of Justice Programs funding are affected by decreasing funding from the federal Victims of Crime Act. VOCA gets revenue from fines and fees from federal lawsuits, and that funding is passed on to states, she said.

Buddy and ten Bensel said this week it wasn’t certain exactly how funding cuts would impact area services and victims advocates.

“We’re kind of in a holding pattern,” ten Bensel said. However, there was a concern that WRAP and other organizations would not have the same capacity to help crime victims.

“If one program feels it, we’re all going to feel it,” ten Bensel said.

WRAP advocates work to provide services like crisis response, emergency shelter and transportation, courtroom advocacy, and ongoing support for people who have experienced domestic violence, sexual assault and trafficking. The organization serves Lincoln, Lyon, Redwood and Yellow Medicine Counties.

Buddy said that for New Horizons Crisis Center, a reduction in Office of Justice Programs funding could mean less funds for supplies, direct client assistance, or the number of staff or advocates who can respond to clients’ needs.

New Horizons provides support services for people who have been the victims of crime or sexual assault, and also has a safe parenting time program for children to spend time with a non-custodial parent. The organization has offices in Lyon, Redwood and Murray Counties.

“I’m not 100% sure how this will shake out,” Buddy said.

In the meantime, New Horizons was looking at other grant funding possibilities. In addition to Office of Justice Programs funding, New Horizons Crisis Center receives funding from sources like United Way of Southwest Minnesota, Southwest Health and Human Services and donations.

Buddy and ten Bensel said cutting resources for victim services and advocacy can also put additional strain on other parts of the public safety system.

“Victim advocacy programs are a critical part of the safety net in our communities,” ten Bensel said. “When funding is reduced, it doesn’t just affect our programs, it affects the safety and support available to survivors during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.”

Victim advocacy groups in Minnesota are trying to find solutions with state and federal lawmakers, ten Bensel said. Buddy said that while New Horizons Crisis Center wasn’t able to do lobbying, state coalitions of service providers from across Minnesota were working together to ask legislators for a solution.

“They are trying to make a collective ask,” she said.

Ten Bensel said last week, advocates from across Minnesota went to St. Paul to raise awareness about the potential impact of reducing funds for victim services. Ten Bensel said she met with area legislators, including Reps. Chris Swedzinski and Paul Torkelson, and Sens. Gary Dahms and Bill Weber.

Ten Bensel said advocacy groups were asking federal lawmakers to support a bill to stabilize crime victim funds from VOCA. At the state level, she said, “We are asking the state to help backfill that $12 million.”