Douglas County has been allocated $23.7 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. These funds can be used for qualifying expenditures that occur between March 3, 2021, and Dec. 31, 2024.

The Board of County Commissioners is seeking project or program information from agencies interested in receiving funding through a letter of interest form. The form does not guarantee funding, but will help Commissioners further establish program parameters, guidelines and spending priorities. The deadline to complete the form is 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 31, 2022.

Projects and programs should meet one of the following categories:

• Public health – Vaccination, testing, contract tracing, prevention in congregate settings, payroll for health and medical staff, mental health and substance use services.
• Negative economic impacts – Household assistance, unemployment assistance, job training and aid to impacted industries.
• Services to disproportionately impacted communities – Education, early childhood environments and housing support.
• Premium pay – Premium pay for workers in both public and private sector performing essential work.
• Infrastructure – Investments in water, sewer or broadband structure.

Additional resources for determining if an expenditure is an allowable use of the fund can be found here: https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/SLFRPFAQ.pdf

Submitting a letter of interest is highly encouraged, but not required. Agencies that fill out a form will be notified directly if and when a grant application becomes available for the funding.

To view letter of interest details and eligibility criteria, visit: http://dgcoks.org/arpainterest.