The City of Grand Junction received a direct allocation of State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). In order to make decisions about how to spend the funds, City Council appointed an American Rescue Plan Advisory Committee to provide funding recommendations. After several months of deliberation, ARPA Committee members determined that the funds should be directed to the policy areas of housing, homelessness, and mental/behavioral health. The ARPA Committee has opened a letter of interest application which is available online or can be picked up in person at City Hall in the City Manager’s office. The application process will close on Monday, August 15, 2022, at 5 p.m. Applications selected by the ARPA Committee will then be recommended to City Council for final selection and funding approval. To apply
Eligible projects for consideration include:
- Housing: Programs and/or services intended to increase affordable housing for low-income persons/households. Low-income households are defined as individuals and families at or below 80% of the Mesa County Area Median Income (AMI). Programs, services, or projects may include land-banking, community land trusts, affordable housing acquisition, preservation, rehabilitation, or development.
- Homelessness: Programs and/or services intended to address homelessness in the community and/or provide services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness (abbreviated as experiencing homelessness or PEH). PEH include people who are temporarily unsheltered, residing in encampments or shelters, or chronically homeless. Services and programs may include crisis response, recovery support, employment services or projects that enhance existing service capacity. Proposals may also include the creation of new programs that mitigate homelessness in the community or provide resources and services to those experiencing homelessness.
- Mental/Behavioral Health: Programs and/or services intended to help individuals experiencing mental health issues, substance abuse disorders and/or related challenges. Programs and/or services may include counseling, treatment, recovery, intervention, or other support services. Proposals for programs and/or services should address gaps in service availability, increase capacity in existing programs or develop new programs and services.
Applications will be evaluated by City staff and the ARPA Committee based on five criteria as follows:
- Community Impact and how the project will address the city’s needs
- Readiness to include a timeline, whether the project is dependent on other grant funding or entitlements and whether any other uncertainties exist for the project
- Capacity to perform and implement the proposed project
- Project Budget and Leverage of Funds A full project budget is not required for the proposal submission
- Long-term Sustainability for continuing this project, program, or service into the future.
ARPA funds provided to local governments are intended to provide support in responding to the economic and public health impacts of COVID-19 alongside efforts to contain impacts to communities, residents, and businesses. There is a total of $9 million in available funding following allocation of $1.4 million earlier this year to Visit Grand Junction, the Air Alliance and the Sports Commission to offset impacts of COVID on lodging industry.
Questions? Contact Assistant to the City Manager Johnny McFarland at 970-244-1505 or johnnym@gjcity.org.
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Contact: Sara Spaulding, Communications & Engagement Director | 970-985-8180 or saras@gjcity.org