Bastrop County Government: Bastrop County Announces Public Needs Program- American Rescue Plan Act Funds Made Available As Grants To Non ...

Press release from the Bastrop County Government:

03/14/2022

Bastrop County Announces Public Needs Program
American Rescue Plan Act Funds made available as grants to Non-Profits facing hardships due to public health emergency

Bastrop — March 14, 2022 — At the February 28 Commissioner’s Court meeting, Bastrop County Commissioners approved a portion of their American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding be made available as grants to non-profit organizations that have faced economic hardship resulting from or exacerbated by the public health emergency, or to non-profits that provide services to impacted individuals or households. The County’s ARPA Public Needs Program is designed to support organizations, programs, and activities that primarily benefit Bastrop County residents. Organizations eligible to apply for funds include nonprofit corporations, associations, agencies, or faith-based organizations with a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) nonprofit status under the Internal Revenue Service Code. For-profit entities and individuals are not eligible to apply for this type of funding. Eligible organizations must:
• Primarily serve Bastrop County residents or businesses
• Be a non-profit organization
• Demonstrate financial impacts directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Perform all functions and services in accordance with the regulatory requirements of 31 CFR Part 35 and Compliance Provisions identified in the ARPA Terms and Conditions
• Have proof of insurance
The grants could include funds to cover a loss of earnings, decline in revenues, or impacts of canceled fundraising events during periods of closure or limited operations due to public health orders; unexpected expenses related to an increased demand for services or mitigation efforts to contain the spread of COVID; and/or other necessary expenditures related to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

BACKGROUND

On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) into law. The $1.9 trillion Fiscal Recovery Funds package is intended to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, including public health and economic impacts. Bastrop County is scheduled to receive a total of $17,207,279.49 to respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency and its economic impacts. Eligible uses of the funds that are being considered by the County for funding include infrastructure projects (i.e., water and wastewater improvements, broadband), enhanced emergency operations, communication improvements, and other projects that benefit the public. Additionally, Bastrop County Commissioner’s Court approved a portion of the ARPA funding be made available as grants to non-profit organizations. Through these grants, it is the intent of Bastrop County to fund programs that provide services to address priority public health needs in the County.

GRANT AWARDS

Award amounts will be based on the priority need for the service, the demonstrated need of the organization requesting funding, the number of households served, the cost per recipient, the capacity of the organization to deliver the service, and the status of non-profit or historically underutilized business.

Funds anticipated to be awarded by the Commissioner’s Court on May 23, 2021. It is the County’s preference that the contracts will be established to reimburse Agencies for eligible expenditures or to pay expenditures directly to vendors. The County will consider requests for other funding arrangements on a case-by-case basis.

HOW TO APPLY

  Applications and supporting documents will be available online beginning March 15, 2022. All submissions will be electronic, and are due before 5:00 PM on Friday, April 15.

For an application, contact:

Jerri Gauntt, 254-340-0034
BastropCountyARPquestions@grantworks.net

This press release was produced by the Bastrop County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.