The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners American Rescue Plan (ARP) Committee voted during a meeting Thursday, Jan. 25, to reopen the County’s Nonprofit Assistance Program to allow additional nonprofit organizations to apply for assistance.

County Chief of Staff Tye Vaught informed Committee members that of the $3.5 million designated for the Nonprofit Assistance Program from the County’s $65.1 million American Rescue Plan allocation, only $1,749,644 has been awarded to nonprofit organizations, leaving $1,750,356 remaining in the program.

The Cumberland County Nonprofit Assistance Program allows nonprofit organizations in Cumberland County to apply for up to $50,000 in direct assistance to reimburse organization expenses related to Payroll, which includes wages and associated payroll taxes; Occupancy, which includes rental lease payments, mortgage (for organization property) and utilities; Programmatic, Direct Services; Training and Travel; Advertising, Printing, and Publication; Interpretation, Accessibility, Equity Items; and Other Operating Expenses.

The ARP Committee voted to reopen the Nonprofit Assistance Program to accept applications from Feb. 1 through Feb. 29. Once the application period closes, staff will review submissions and make funding recommendations to the Committee for a final recommendation to the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners.

In addition to reopening the Nonprofit Assistance Program, the Committee voted unanimously to approve the following items of business, which will be recommended for approval by the Board of Commissioners.

• Consideration of Matching Funds for the CAB Program and Associated Budget Ordinance Amendment B#240911 – This request would reallocate $3 million of the County’s ARPA award that was allocated to renovate the courtroom in the Historic Courthouse to serve as a new Board of Commissioners meeting room towards the category of Rehiring Public Sector Staff, which will create additional General Fund capacity that can be used for other projects. Staff recommends using $2.8 million of the funding to provide the County’s 35 percent required match for the Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) Program. The remaining $200,000 would be transferred as unallocated within ARP freed-up capacity to be used for additional projects.
• Consideration of Request to Transfer FiscalYear 2023 ARPA Interest Earnings to General Fund and Associated Budget Ordinance Amendment B#240224 – This request would transfer $667,743 in interest earnings from the County’s ARPA funds for FY 2023 to the County’s General Fund in accordance with the Board of Commissioners’ Financial Policies.
• Consideration of Gray's Creek Water and Sewer District Water Main Extension Capital Project Phase I – Staff requests the designation of $10 million in ARPA funding currently allocated to the Gray's Creek Water & Sewer District in the ARPA Grant Project Ordinance as revenue for the Gray's Creek Water and Sewer District Water Main Extension Capital Project Phase I. The purpose of the project is to bring public water to the Gray’s Creek community to serve residents with contaminated wells. 

The Committee also directed staff to revise contracts with small businesses awarded funding through the Small Business Economic Assistance Program to allow the County to provide reimbursement in a lump sum for any qualifying expenses for which the small businesses can provide required documentation for during the award period. Currently, reimbursements are capped on a monthly basis based on the total funding award. Small businesses will also be able to receive payments through direct deposit rather than by check.

For more information on the ARP Committee and Cumberland County’s ARP allocation and programs, go to cumberlandcountync.gov/arp.