What Is HVBAT?
The Home Visiting Budget Assistance Tool (HVBAT) is a webbased calculator designed to help states, local agencies, and program managers estimate the costs of providing highquality homevisiting services. By inputting program characteristics, staffing models, and service intensity, users can generate realistic budget scenarios, compare funding options, and make datadriven decisions about resource allocation.
Why It Matters
- Evidencebased planning: HVBAT aligns with the Federal Home Visiting EvidenceBased Practices (HBE) framework, ensuring that cost estimates reflect proven models.
- Transparency: Stakeholders can see how each lineitem contributes to the total budget, supporting clear communication with funders and policymakers.
- Scalability: The tool works for pilot projects, statewide expansions, and largescale implementations, adapting to different population sizes and service intensities.
- Financial sustainability: By identifying cost drivers early, agencies can design strategies that keep programs affordable over the long term.
Key Features
1. Customizable Staffing Models
Select from a library of typical homevisiting roleshome visitors, supervisors, data analysts, and support staff. Adjust fulltime equivalents (FTEs), salary scales, and benefit rates to reflect local labor markets.
2. Service Intensity Options
Choose the number of visits per family per month, average visit length, and the total duration of service (e.g., prenatal through childs third birthday). The calculator automatically adjusts labor costs based on these parameters.
3. Overhead & Indirect Costs
Enter percentages for travel, supplies, training, and administrative overhead. HVBAT computes both direct and indirect expenses, providing a total cost of ownership.
4. Funding Scenarios
Compare federal, state, and private funding streams. The tool can allocate costs across multiple sources and display any gaps that require additional resources.
5. Exportable Reports
Generate printable PDFs or Excel spreadsheets that summarize assumptions, lineitem costs, and total budget. Reports are formatted for inclusion in grant applications and legislative briefings.
How to Use HVBAT
- Define your target population. Input the number of families you plan to serve and the demographic characteristics that may affect service intensity.
- Select a homevisiting model. Choose from evidencebased models such as MIECHV, NurseFamily Partnership, or Early Head Start.
- Configure staffing. Add staff types, set salaries, and specify benefit rates. The tool will calculate total personnel costs.
- Set service parameters. Determine average visits per family, visit length, and total program months.
- Enter overhead percentages. Include travel, training, supplies, and administrative overhead.
- Allocate funding. Assign portions of the total cost to federal, state, or private sources.
- Review and export. Examine the summary table, adjust inputs as needed, then download a report.
Best Practices for Accurate Estimates
- Use uptodate salary data from local labor statistics.
- Include realistic travel time based on geography (urban vs. rural).
- Account for turnover by adding a modest recruitment & training buffer (usually 510%).
- Validate assumptions with field staff who understand daytoday operations.
- Periodically revisit the budget as program scope changes or new funding becomes available.
Success Stories
State A Scaling Up: By using HVBAT, State A projected a 12percent increase in personnel costs when expanding from 500 to 1,200 families. The tool helped secure an additional $3.2million in state appropriations, avoiding a service gap.
County B Grant Application: A county health department used HVBAT to produce a detailed budget for a competitive federal grant. The clear lineitem breakdown was highlighted in reviewer comments as a strength of the application.
Nonprofit C Sustainability Planning: After piloting a homevisiting program, Nonprofit C used HVBAT to model three funding scenarios. The analysis revealed that a modest increase in private donations could cover 40percent of overhead, allowing the organization to transition to a selfsustaining model.
Technical Requirements
HVBAT runs in modern browsers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari) and requires no special plugins. For optimal performance, ensure JavaScript is enabled and the device has a stable internet connection.
Support & Resources
Need help? Visit the Help Center for tutorials, FAQs, and contact information for technical assistance. A community forum also allows users to share tips and bestpractice templates.
Take the Next Step
Accurate budgeting is the foundation of effective homevisiting programs. Whether you are launching a new initiative or scaling an existing one, HVBAT provides the data you need to make informed decisions and secure sustainable funding.
Start Your Budget Now
