Tri-County Safe Harbor closes administrative office

State and federal funding cuts continue to hit domestic violence agencies

ESCANABA -- To preserve free life-saving services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking throughout Delta, Menominee and Schoolcraft counties, Tri-County Safe Harbor is closing its administrative office on Ludington Street in Escanaba.

The organization’s administrative office, within the Ludington Centre at 1100 Ludington St, will be closed by Aug. 31. However, services to survivors will remain unchanged, and their main location at 905 1st Ave S will continue to support survivors.

Tri-County Safe Harbor provides free and confidential services and support for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. The organization's shelter is located in Delta County, and two outreach offices are located in Menominee and Manistique.

Services provided by the organization include temporary emergency housing, crisis advocacy and support, peer support groups, a 24-hour sexual assault response team, assistance with personal protection orders and other court support, transportation, referrals and more.

According to Executive Director Liz Reed, the closure of the administrative office is part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce administrative costs while preserving various services that are threatened by consistent state and federal funding cuts.

“These are exactly the kinds of decisions the public doesn’t always see,” Tri-County Safe Harbor's Executive Director Liz Reed said. “We’ve examined insurance, office space, mileage reimbursement, administrative operations and virtually every expense we reasonably can before considering anything that could affect survivor services.”

Reed also said she was the only employee working from the Ludington Street office and will continue serving the organization remotely and working from the shelter.

While the closure of the administrative office may seem significant, it is not unprecedented.

When the organization was known as the Alliance Against Violence and Abuse, leadership made the difficult decision in the early 2000s to close its administrative office because of fiscal realities.

Domestic violence agencies throughout Michigan continue to face declining federal and state victim service funding and are making similar decisions by consolidating operations, reducing overhead and closing leased office space in order to preserve direct services.

The closure of the Ludington Street administrative office, along with the closure of the organization’s Manistique outreach office at the end of May, will save Tri-County Safe Harbor more than $11,000 annually in rent and utility expenses.

The organization has also identified more than $6,000 in annual savings by obtaining comparable cybersecurity insurance coverage while maintaining the same level of protection.

The decision follows nearly a year of analysis, research and consultation by the organization’s board of directors and Reed in response to continued reductions in state and federal funding for domestic violence agencies.

“This wasn’t a decision that happened overnight, nor was it made in a silo,” said Reed. “For nearly a year, the board and I have been evaluating every aspect of our operations, researching best practices, consulting with nonprofit operational experts and identifying responsible ways to reduce expenses while protecting services for survivors. Anyone who has worked with me knows I believe in doing the homework before making decisions.”

At the beginning of the current fiscal year, Tri-County Safe Harbor experienced a $70,000 reduction in federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding.

Since that time, staffing has decreased from 14 employees to eight through a combination of funding reductions, a retirement and employee attrition.

The State of Michigan has also advised domestic violence agencies to prepare for an additional 20 percent reduction in VOCA funding beginning Oct. 1.

If implemented, Tri-County Safe Harbor anticipates losing another $34,582 in federal funding.

Over the past year, the organization has implemented numerous operational improvements designed to strengthen the organization’s financial position while protecting direct services.

Those efforts include:

-- Closing leased office space.

-- Identifying more than $6,000 in annual savings through comparable cybersecurity insurance coverage.

-- Revising the organization’s mileage reimbursement policy from 70 cents to 60 cents per mile after reviewing prior practices and comparing reimbursement rates among domestic violence agencies throughout Michigan. Even after the adjustment, Tri-County Safe Harbor’s reimbursement rate remains higher than some peer organizations.

-- Evaluating administrative and operational expenses to ensure taxpayer dollars, grant funding and community donations are used responsibly.

Reed added, “Reducing costs is only one part of our long-term strategy. We are equally committed to identifying new funding opportunities that allow us to expand services to survivors who often face significant barriers because of where they live. Rural communities deserve the same access to advocacy, safety planning and support as anyone else.”

According to Reed, one of the greatest misconceptions about nonprofit organizations is grant funding pays for everything needed to run the organization.

Domestic violence agencies operate under strict state and federal grant regulations that identify allowable and unallowable expenses.

If one of the organization’s employees were researching and writing grant applications for private foundations or other government funding opportunities, those activities generally cannot be charged to many victim service grants and must instead be supported through unrestricted local funding.

Likewise, many private foundations support programs or equipment but do not allow grant funds to be used for salaries and operational costs.

“Without trained advocates and administration staff, there wouldn’t be a shelter,” Reed said. “There wouldn’t be someone answering the helpline, processing payments to our vendors, submitting required grant reports, accompanying survivors to court, helping obtain personal protection orders or developing safety plans. Our employees are our greatest investment because they are the people providing the services every single day.”

While the organization's financial outlook remains uncertain, area partnerships continue to contribute to their success. Their partnership with the Community Foundation for Delta County, for example, helps strengthen the organization's fiscal management through the Community Foundation's financial administration and oversight.

“The Community Foundation for Delta County has an outstanding reputation for financial oversight and administration. Their expertise strengthens our financial operations and allows us to remain focused on what matters most -- serving survivors," Reed added.

While Tri-County Safe Harbor's Board of Directors continues to identify responsible operational efficiencies, they are also investing in future opportunities to expand services.

Last week, Tri-County Safe Harbor partnered with The Caring House in Iron Mountain to submit an application for the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Fiscal Year 2026 Rural Grant Program.

If awarded, the grant will allow both organizations to hire additional staff dedicated to providing direct services to individuals living in rural and remote communities throughout Menominee, Delta, Schoolcraft, Dickinson and Iron counties, as well as Florence, Wisconsin.

“The partnership between Tri-County Safe Harbor and The Caring House reflects what can happen when organizations collaborate instead of compete. By working together, we strengthen our grant applications, leverage resources, and expand services for survivors across our rural communities.”

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Sophie Vogelmann can be reached at 906-786-2021 or svogelmann@dailypress.net.