The Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, has funds available from the American Rescue Act Plan for nonprofit organizations and UG departments.
According to an announcement, the grant program will be open to all Wyandotte County nonprofit organizations and UG departments.
Funds will be used for projects for the betterment of Wyandotte County’s residents and communities as part of the pandemic recovery, the UG announcement stated.
“We know that many organizations in Wyandotte County are prepared to offer vital services and suggest creative solutions to the challenges brought on or intensified by the pandemic,” ARPA Subcommittee Chair Commissioner Angela Markley, 6th District, stated in a news release. “We are excited to offer all of those partners the opportunity to share their ideas and programs through this application, and we look forward to providing financial resources through a fair and transparent process.”
The Unified Government launched the ARPA Subcommittee in November 2021 to develop recommendations for the full governing body on how to allocate the local recovery funds and balance prioritization with other federal grant funding opportunities for maximum effect, according to the announcement.
The Unified Government will receive $87.5 million in federal aid over two years with $55.4 million allocated to the City of Kansas City, Kansas, and $32.1 million for Wyandotte County. Half of the funding is already available to the Unified Government and the remainder will be available in May 2022.
To view a UG grant information session held on YouTube, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ur6TD5jrKw.
Eligible expenses
The UG Board of Commissioners has identified four core values to guide the pandemic recovery: equity, collaboration, innovation and resiliency.
Through several workshops in fall 2021, the commissioners requested that money be spent to reflect these values while creating a sustainable effect on the community, according to a spokesman. The American Rescue Plan Act local recovery funds have specified eligible uses, including:
• Awardee staff salaries, benefits and supplies that are directly associated with implementing the proposed program;
• Enhancement, installation and fortification of digital infrastructure to respond to increased needs due to the COVID-19 public health emergency;
• Technical and life skills training, including support services to assist unemployed or underemployed workers’ increased needs due to the COVID-19 public health emergency;
• Creation or expansion of childcare services with special considerations to enable compliance with COVID-19 public health precautions;
• Emergency assistance initiatives;
• Food security, including delivery to residents, senior citizens and other vulnerable populations to enable compliance with COVID-19 public health precautions;
• Mental health, human services and similar employees whose services are substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency; and,
• Other measures to respond to or mitigate the impact of COVID-19.
Applications will be accepted through May 27, 2022, according to the announcement. More information about the American Rescue Plan Act can be found on the UG’s website at wycokck.org/ARPA.