Grant Funding Available
Here is County Government we are still working to improve the lives of everyone who calls our beautiful county home. Earlier this month we announced two grant programs that will utilize $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to support local businesses and nonprofits.
We know that people have struggled more than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a recent Consumer Reports survey, 19 percent of American grocery shoppers have used a food pantry, food bank, or community food distribution at some point since the pandemic began with about half of them saying they didn’t use these food programs in the year leading up to the start of the pandemic.
The “Food Security Grant Program” will reimburse organizations that distributed food to communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic between $5,000 and $25,000 for qualifying past expenses. Eligible entities include food pantries, food banks, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, and non-profit organizations.
Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to:
- Barriers/Partitions
- Cleaning Supplies
- Food distribution space/pantry rental
- Vehicle rental
Our local restaurants have also faced many difficulties during the pandemic such as periods of closure, reduced capacity or declining revenues when customers were unable or unwilling to dine-in. These challenges had significant negative impacts on restaurant employment and the economy.
The “Reviving Rockland Restaurants Grant Program” will reimburse businesses between $5,000 and $25,000 for past expenses or fund future expenses for eligible outdoor dining COVID-19 mitigation equipment. Eligible entities include restaurants, food stands, food trucks, bars, saloons, lounges, taverns, bakeries, delis, cafes, breweries, wineries, and other similar places of business.
Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to:
- Tents
- Heat Lamps or other electric heating equipment
- Additional tables and chairs for outdoor dining
- Market Umbrellas
- Plexiglass Shields
- Tarps
- Patio Fencing
We have made great progress in recovering from the economic damage of the COVID-19 pandemic with our November 2021, unemployment rate reaching 3.3% down from a high of 13.4% during the worst of the pandemic in April of 2020.
But we must continue to support the local organizations that ensure every Rockland family has food to put on their table and the local businesses that are the lifeblood of our economy. These programs will help ensure our economic recovery stays on track.
I ask that you please share this information with your favorite restaurants and with non-profits you may volunteer with or donate to. We’re utilizing every avenue available to raise awareness of this funding.
Applications for these grant programs are available right now. For more information and to download an application visit: https://rocklandgov.com/departments/county-executive/reviving-and-rebuilding-rockland/grants/
