Guilford County is excited to open a Growth & Recovery Request for Ideas (RFI) process for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, designed for collaborative project proposals to assist the community with both near and long-term growth and recovery and response to COVID-19 and its negative economic impacts. Submissions will be accepted beginning Monday, February 14, 2022 at 8 a.m.
This process builds on deep community engagement work done to date on community values and priorities, experiences of COVID-19 and its effects, and access to resources, which started in September 2021. The process intends to align community feedback and submissions with Board priorities. The criteria and more information on submitting an idea is now available on the county’s website.
Guilford County has been allocated $104 million from the federal government through the ARPA’s Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (CSLFRF). The U.S. Department of Treasury identified five focus areas for use of ARPA funding. Within these broad categories, applicants have flexibility to decide how to best use funding to meet the unique needs of our community. Ideas must align with an already-identified eligible use.
- Support the public health response and/or expenditures
- Address negative economic impacts caused by the public health emergency
- Replace lost public sector revenue
- Provide premium pay for essential workers
- Invest in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure
Submissions through the Growth & Recovery RFI process will be accepted from non-profit and other tax-exempt organizations, as well as municipal corporations and other public bodies. Acceptance of ideas begins Monday, February 14 at 8 a.m. and will continue through Sunday, March 13 at 11:59 p.m.
Information regarding eligibility and the documents needed for the form is available on the County’s website at arpaRFI.guilfordcountync.gov. Organizations will be able to ask questions before completing an online form during an RFI virtual workshop on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 at 4 p.m. or by contacting ARPA_RFI@guilfordcountync.gov.
