Deadline Nears for Proposals to Spend Mobile County’s $80 Million in Federal Relief Funds
Mobile County set Oct. 25 as the priority deadline for proposals to spend its $80.14 million in American Rescue Plan Act relief funds.
Agencies, nonprofits, private entities and local governments hoping for a share of Mobile County’s $80.14 million in American Rescue Plan Act money are running up against a key deadline.
October 25 is the priority date for proposals seeking funding from the county’s Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds allocation. County leaders said proposals submitted by that date will get first consideration.
County Commissioners Merceria Ludgood, Connie Hudson and Randall Dueitt are seeking projects that continue Mobile County’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic while investing in a strong economic recovery and reducing the demand on state taxpayer dollars.
To qualify, proposed projects must be focused on or located in Mobile County and must qualify as an allowable use under federal ARPA guidance. The county will review submissions for fiscal impact, eligibility and alignment with county priorities.
Ludgood, the commission president, called the allocation a rare chance to tackle long-standing problems during an October 8 webinar on the process.
“It represents a once in a generation opportunity to address those chronic needs that we’ve seen in our community for which the resources were simply not available,” Ludgood said.
Because funding is limited, interested parties were urged to submit proposals by October 25 and no later than November 30, 2021. The county planned to keep accepting proposals after those dates and consider them while money remains available.
How the Federal Money Can Be Used
The money comes from the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds created by the American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law in March 2021. Under U.S. Treasury rules, the funds can be used to respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency and its economic effects, provide premium pay to essential workers, replace lost public-sector revenue, and invest in water, sewer and broadband infrastructure.
Recipients must obligate the money by Dec. 31, 2024, and spend it by Dec. 31, 2026. In Mobile County, spending decisions rest with the three-member County Commission.
