At its Sept. 27 meeting, the Concord City Council received a report from the ad hoc committee responsible for making recommendations about how to allocate the remaining $19 million of Concord's one-time federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). ARPA provides federal stimulus funds intended to address the ongoing economic recovery following substantial financial losses suffered during the pandemic.
Council approved the following allocations:
- $7 million: City Projects, Public Safety and Special Events
- $7 million: Support for Nonprofit Organizations (grant application period to open Sept. 30)
- $3 million: Support for the Unhoused
- $2 million: Support for Small Businesses (grant application period to open in November)
The funding for nonprofit organizations will be provided in amounts between $50,000 and $2 million. Eligibility information and the application will be linked to the City's ARPA web page when the grant opens on Sept. 30.
The funding for small businesses will be distributed in two rounds -- one in fall 2022 and one in spring 2023. The $5,000 grants will be offered to businesses with 25 or fewer employees and can be used to reimburse select operating costs such as rent, utilities, and payroll. More information will soon be posted to www.concordfirst.com.
The funding for the unhoused will be added to the $2.4 million that Council previously allocated in spring 2022, for a total of $5.4 million, and will be used for funding projects and priorities following the completion of the City's strategic plan on addressing homelessness, which will commence in early 2023.
The funding for City projects, public safety and special events will be more specifically allocated following a report to Council with staff recommendations on funding priorities, set to occur prior to the end of the calendar year.
The City's ARPA web page will be updated as new information becomes available.
|