The Victim Outreach Intervention Center will not receive the $200,000 state grant that annually pays for attorneys to represent victims of abuse in Butler County Court.

Last year alone, the grant covered legal representation for 390 county residents.

“We’re the only game in town to help these people,” said VOICe director Heidi Artman. “These people are often isolated by their circumstances and have no access to income. They cannot afford to hire a private attorney.”

Since 2001, the nonprofit agency has received $200,000 each year from the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence. That money has paid two attorneys.

One receives just under $40,000 a year, and the other gets about $50,000. The remainder of the grant money covers paralegal, administrative and court costs.

The grant paid 100 percent of VOICe’s legal program budget “so it’s a 100 percent loss,” Artman said.

In the past, VOICe simply submitted a letter of renewal and got the grant.

Peg J. Dierkers, executive director of the coalition, in a statement Wednesday said it funded 12 domestic violence centers that have been awarded yearly grants since 2002, but this year, the group accepted grant bids from all 57 domestic violence centers throughout the state.

“After evaluation by independent external reviewers, 20, including VOICe, were deemed eligible to be funded. However, available state grant funds limited funding to only the top 12 scoring proposals — and nine of those 12 could not be funded for the full amounts requested,” Dierkers said.

Some of the criteria of the program did not match up with the needs of Butler County, Artman said.

As examples, she said, there were grant components asking for the use of law school interns and providing assistance to people for immigration issues.

“There’s no law school in Butler County, and we really don’t have immigration issues. The money was awarded to more urban organizations,” Artman said, noting that in Butler County, the attorneys mainly assist in protection from abuse and custody hearings. “We did not lose this grant because of noncompliance.”

Artman said since there no longer is a Neighborhood Legal Services branch in this county, VOICe is the only place these people can get free legal help.

Because this year’s grant money runs out June 30, Artman said, officials are contacting numerous other agencies for grant help and asking private donations be sent to VOICe at 111 S. Cliff St., Suite 1A, Butler 16001.

Or donations can be made on the Day of Giving between 8 a.m. and midnight May 5 to pittsburghgives.org. There will be a link on the website specifically for VOICe and money donated that day will be matched by Pittsburgh Gives.

Artman also is asking people to contact state legislators. She said if the state budget passes as Gov. Tom Wolf has proposed it, the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence would get a funding increase and it’s likely some of the money would come to this county.

However, Dierkers’ statement said the state coalition may receive another $400,000 from the state for the grant, but it would need $700,000 to fund all eligible agencies in the state.

She added, “Civil legal assistance is one of the most needed and sought-after services by domestic violence survivors. Without competent legal representation, victims of domestic violence often forfeit their rights, settle for less relief than the law allows, or give up the struggle to live in safety and freedom from an abuser’s control.”