At their Feb. 15 meeting, the Benton County Board of Commissioners approved a Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) towards recovery from the impacts of the pandemic to individuals, businesses, and families throughout the county.
The board approved funding of up to $2.4 million in grants from Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery (CSLFR) Funds.
Through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021, CSLFR Funds were allocated by the U.S. Treasury to state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments for assistance with responding to and recovering from the impacts of COVID-19. Benton County received an $18.1 million funding award in May 2021, according to a release from the county.
The remaining $7.3 million will go towards additional proposals from governmental, community-based, and non-profit organizations. The process will be administered through three separate funding rounds over the course of a three-year period.
The amount of funding for each round is subject to change, but based on current estimates, the first round will be approximately $2.4 million, which was the amount approved by the board. The application for the first cycle of funding was released on Feb. 18.
“It’s critical we recognize the impacts the pandemic has had on our families, communities and local businesses,” said Board Chair Nancy Wyse. “We must do what we can to provide support and assistance to help with recovery, and the many challenges and impacts endured across Benton County particularly to those disproportionately impacted.”
During the meeting, the Board said the approximately $10.8 million would be allocated towards programs, projects, and addressing critical infrastructure needs throughout the county. The remaining funds will go towards individuals, families and businesses directly impacted by the pandemic.
Residents throughout Benton County can submit an application for the NOFO funding through an online application process, which will be made available to interested applicants by request. The NOFO is available on the county website here.
By: Jennifer Williams
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