Last chance to tell Fresno County how you want them to spend millions fighting COVID
Want a say in how Fresno County spends nearly $200 million in stimulus funds?
Members of the public can submit feedback to the county by Dec. 24 through an online survey. Additionally, community groups with eligible projects can submit Statements of Interest to the county.
Fresno County is earmarked to receive $194 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding, which must be used on pandemic-related health and economic recovery, public sector revenue loss, essential workers, and infrastructure.
Since the county received the first half of its $194 million in June, local advocacy groups have urged the county to engage the community on how to spend the funds.
The county is still collecting feedback from the public until Christmas Eve. Community groups have until early January to submit statements of interest.
Public, community groups invited to share feedback
Members of the general public can complete the Fresno County ARPA spending survey online by following this link.
The survey will ask respondents to prioritize funding areas:
- On-going COVID-19 Public Health Response/Economic Recovery
- Homelessness
- Community Wellness
- Broadband
- Infrastructure
Hard copies in English, Spanish, Hmong, and Punjabi are available at all Fresno County libraries. Completed hard copy paper forms may be submitted via email to ARPA@fresnocountyca.gov or hand-delivered or mailed to County Administrative Office, ARPA 2021, 2281 Tulare Street, Room 304, Fresno, CA 93721 by December 24.
For community groups interested in submitting a statement of interest for how ARPA funds should be spent, the County is holding a webinar on Wednesday, Dec. 22 at 6 pm via Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/94927704749.
The purpose of the statement of interest process is to solicit and gauge interest in potential ARPA funding, but does not represent a commitment to fund any specific projects or organizations at this time.
Projects should demonstrate how they will “promote strong, equitable growth, including racial equity, among groups and communities in Fresno County” and how they will positively impact disadvantaged or under-served communities.
Potential eligible recipients include community service districts, community-based nonprofits, waterworks districts, mutual water districts, irrigation districts, and recreational and park districts. Potential eligible projects vary from community water projects to community park improvements to revenue loss assistance for nonprofits.
While statements of interest will be selected on a rolling basis, the county encourages organizations to submit their ideas by Jan. 11.
Organizations that don’t participate in this initial phase of the process will still be able to participate in the county’s forthcoming competitive selection process.
How will Fresno County decide on ARPA spending?
In March, the Board of Supervisors set up an ad-hoc committee led by Chairman Steve Brandau and Supervisor Nathan Magsig to work with the county administrative office and department heads to develop principles and plan for the expenditures of the funds.
A competitive process is anticipated to run between mid-February through March 2022 for eligible projects.
A decision on recommended projects is anticipated to take place May 2022.
Additional information on the county’s timeline and funding priorities can be found on the county’s American Rescue Plan website at http://www.fresnocountyca.gov/ARPA.
