The Hendricks County Community Foundation (HCCF) is pleased to announce that it has entered a Memorandum of Understanding with the Hendricks County Commissioners to assist with the distribution of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to nonprofits working in Hendricks County. Working with the county’s ARPA Planning Committee, the Community Foundation will design and conduct a process to distribute up to $6.6 million.
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, also called the COVID-19 Stimulus Package, is a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill passed by Congress and signed by President Biden to speed up the country’s recovery from the economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing recession. The funding Hendricks County received is part of the $350 billion to help state, local, and tribal governments bridge budget shortfalls and mitigate the fiscal shock of the pandemic. Per the final ruling from the US Treasury, all ARPA funds must be allocated by December 31, 2024, and expended by December 31, 2026.
Both competitive and noncompetitive grants will be offered, and all grants will be subject to final approval by the Hendricks County Commissioners and the Hendricks County Council. Noncompetitive grants of approximately $5 million will be made to community organizations that, along with their clients, were most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Competitive grants will be offered through an annual application for the next three years, with the first application period starting August 1, 2022. Approximately $1.5 million will be available through the three-year competitive grants, $500,000 each year.
Hendricks County Auditor Nancy Marsh commented, “I am excited that Hendricks County is able to help the not-for-profits who carried on during the pandemic helping our citizens in need. Hendricks County has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make transformative changes and improvements in the lives of our citizens through the American Rescue Plan Fiscal Recovery Funds and I am proud of Hendricks County for recognizing the important service these organizations provide.”
“We are honored and excited to be collaborating with our county officials on this important work,” said William Rhodehamel, President & CEO of the Community Foundation. “The Board of Commissioners, County Council and AAPR Planning Committee are farsighted to recommend this funding for essential nonprofits in our community. This will be a gamechanger for organizations and the clients they serve, many of our most vulnerable neighbors who were severely impacted by the pandemic.” The Community Foundation’s regular grant programs include both competitive and noncompetitive grants, with over $2 million in total grants awarded in 2021. HCCF distributed over $600,000 in COVID-response dollars through a similar process during 2020 and 2021. “Nonprofit organizations in Hendricks County serve a critical role in our community and worked during the pandemic to assist many of our neighbors. These services from the social sector could not have been provided by business or government,” Rhodehamel said.
