The Committee Against Spouse Abuse in Pine Bluff is facing a severe financial crisis after the denial of its 2025-2026 Victims of Crime Act grant application. The news, delivered Sept. 24 by the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration’s Office of Intergovernmental Services, has left the organization scrambling to maintain critical services for women and children in their shelter.
Dr. Simmie Armstrong, board president of CASA, received the letter from Brian Lawson, grants supervisor/expert, stating that the proposal was “not selected for funding” due to “available funding.” This decision comes despite CASA completing a previous repayment with VOCA.
Tamela Garth, executive director of CASA, expressed disappointment and concern over the denial. “The only grants we had were United Way and VOCA,” Garth stated. “We were in repayment with VOCA and successfully completed the payment. I applied for the new VOCA grant, but last week we were told they would not fund us, with no reason stated why.”
Garth believes this is attributed to an ongoing Arkansas State Police investigation into the shelter’s reported misappropriation of funds, which predates her tenure as executive director.
The immediate impact of the grant denial has been devastating, according to Garth. With only $47,000 remaining from United Way funding, CASA has been forced to lay off 11 employees. Despite these drastic measures, the shelter continues to house women and children, highlighting the urgent need for financial support.
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“We still have women and children in the shelter,” Garth said. “We are trying to find money and taking it one day at a time. We are asking the community to give because there are no new grants to apply for at the moment. The board is working on what we can tap into to keep us afloat.”
Garth said the Committee Against Spouse Abuse plays a vital role in supporting survivors of crime in Arkansas and the loss of this critical funding jeopardizes their ability to continue their essential work.
“Being denied funding puts us in a difficult position, especially since we are one of the largest shelters in Arkansas,” she said.
The organization is now appealing to the community for donations to help bridge the funding gap and ensure the continued operation of its shelter.