In 1997, invitations to apply for Weed and Seed funds were sent to twenty Virginia localities that were classified as having the greatest need. Localities with the greatest need were determined by identifying those with the highest combined violent crime and drug arrest rate, averaged over a three-year period. Thirteen of the twenty eligible localities applied for these funds. Although the original solicitation for Weed and Seed funds indicated that four sites would receive funding, five recipients were ultimately selected in 1997: Lynchburg, Norfolk, Petersburg, Portsmouth, and Winchester.

Grant Requirements

Localities were required to commit a minimum 10% local cash match during the first year, 35% in the second year, and 50% in the third year of the grant program. In addition, all funded localities were required to create a local Virginia Weed and Seed Committee to advise the effort. Each Committee was required to include, at minimum, the chief administrative officer of the jurisdiction, the chief law enforcement officer, the Commonwealth’s Attorney, a citizen representative of the target neighborhood(s), an education official, and the chief human services official of the local government. Weed and Seed programs were required to submit progress reports to DCJS to document grant activities, as well as quarterly financial reports to document expenditures. During the second and third grant years, localities were also required to submit information to support the evaluation effort.

Review of Awards

Communities who received funding were granted significant flexibility in developing local initiatives to meet local needs. However, in the first and second years, a minimum of 60% of the funding request was required to be set aside for Weed and Community-Oriented Policing activities. No requirements were imposed during the third year regarding the distribution of funds between program elements.

During the 1997-1998 grant cycle, administrative and funding support for the local Weed and Seed sites were provided by DCJS and the Department of Social Services (DSS). DCJS provided approximately $700,000 of the available funds from the state’s Intensified Drug Enforcement Assistance (IDEA) grant funds, which are allocated at the discretion of the Secretary of Public Safety. DSS supplied an additional $300,000 in available funds. Weed monies were extracted from the DCJS contribution while Seed monies were provided by DSS. Funding and administrative support for the second and third years were provided solely by DCJS.

All five sites submitted applications to request second-year funding. This request was denied in the Portsmouth site due to program non-compliance. Although program expansion was originally anticipated, no additional program sites were funded in the second or third grant years. All five sites also submitted applications to request third-year funding which was again restricted to the five existing Weed and Seed sites. Localities were also not permitted to expand or alter the boundaries of target areas during the second or third years. A summary of state-funded Weed and Seed awards for each grant cycle is displayed in Table 1.

* Figures represent state funds only. Local matching funds are not included.

** Third year figures for expenditures are based on amounts the locality had expended and obligated to be expended as of September 1, 2000.

A review of expended State award funds in each program site indicates that over the three-year grant period, Lynchburg spent an average of 95% its award, Norfolk spent 91%, Winchester spent 74%, and Petersburg spent 67%.

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