FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino County Board of Supervisors (Board) unanimously approved 19 community funding proposals submitted by organizations within the County to receive American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.
The funds, totaling approximately $5 million, were specifically set aside by the Board to fund community services and projects outside the scope of the County’s capacity.
The Board’s decision is the culmination of a process that began in July when the County published a request for proposals (RFP) from organizations that need additional funding to benefit the Coconino County community.
The Board of Supervisors’ priority areas for investment included behavioral health, housing, business supports, workforce development and education, support for vulnerable populations, and COVID-19 support for local government.
“There were over thirty excellent responses to the Community Funding RFP. All proposals had merits and we would have liked to fully fund every request,” commented Siri Mullaney, Coconino County Finance Director. “The committee had a difficult task to evaluate each proposal, but we are proud to recommend funding that reaches so many members of the Coconino County community and addresses such a wide breadth of community need. We believe the recommendations for funding adopted by the Board of Supervisors will provide meaningful impact throughout Coconino County.”
Over the past few months, the evaluation committee reviewed all qualified requests for funding based on the specific criteria of the organization’s location, project scope and populations served, proposed budget and accounting requirements, and the priority of services offered to the community. The Board’s decision now enables the County Manager’s office to draft contracts with the recipients.
“When the Board of Supervisors agreed to set aside these funds for community services and projects, it was with the importance of our local non-profits in mind, and their ability to provide services and outreach that our County does not have the capacity to do,” added Chair of the Board and District 1 Supervisor, Patrice Horstman. “I also want to thank county staff for taking the initiative to direct these funds to organizations that will serve the most immediate needs here in Coconino County.”
The American Rescue Plan Act is a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill passed by Congress in 2021 to speed up the country’s recovery from the economic and public health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, over $21 million has been allocated to projects focused on economic recovery and job creation in Coconino County.
A full list of ARPA funding recipients in Coconino County is available at bit.ly/ARPAFundsCoconinoCounty.