July 13, 2022 - Mayor Tom Henry’s Administration today announced that information sessions will be held to highlight American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant opportunities.
Overview of information sessions:
*Monday, July 18 at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. in the Omni Room on the garden level of Citizens Square, 200 E. Berry St. The sessions are expected to last at least an hour, but attendees may leave early if necessary. No preregistration is required.
*The sessions are free and will include an overview of the four subgrant programs that were approved by City Council last month. Those are non-profit, public health, small business, and tourism/arts. The topics that will be covered in both sessions include eligibility requirements, compliance and reporting, application overview, and a general overview of federal grants.
Applications for the four subgrant programs will be accepted via email beginning Monday, July 18. All complete applications and supporting documents are due no later than Sunday, Aug. 14 at 11:59 p.m. No applications will be accepted after that time. Beginning Monday, July 18, the applications will be accessible at https://www.cityoffortwayne.org/american-rescue-plan-act.html.
Virtual meetings may be announced at a later date.
The City of Fort Wayne has received $50.8 million in ARPA funds. Of that total, $5.35 million will go toward grant opportunities for the four subgrant programs.
The overall City of Fort Wayne ARPA/State & Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Plan was developed with participation from the City Administration, City government division and department leaders, City Council, and community members. The City of Fort Wayne engaged Crowe as a consultant to provide professional expertise and lead the preparation of the plan.
Like many municipalities across the country, City leaders have been deliberate and thoughtful on this process in order to adhere to federal rules and eligibility criteria while providing an opportunity to meet the biggest needs in Fort Wayne using areas of focus.
Eligible uses:
*To make necessary investments in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure
*To respond to the public health emergency or its negative economic impacts, including assistance to households, small businesses, and nonprofits, or aid to impacted industries such as tourism, travel, and hospitality
*For the provision of government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue due to the COVID-19 public health emergency relative to revenues collected in the most recent full fiscal year prior to the emergency
Areas of focus:
*Build strong and healthy communities - $13 million – Improve the mental and physical health of Fort Wayne community and its residents
*Strengthen neighborhoods - $18.2 million – Invest in vital infrastructure to support our community and help it thrive
*Reenergize our City - $6.3 million – Support efforts to raise the community’s profile and boost the local economy
*Secure resilient City operations - $13.3 million – Provide continuity and drive excellence in the provision of government services to achieve maximum benefit for residents