Merced announces awards for groups from $1.5M federal stimulus. Here’s who’s benefiting
The Merced City Council voted this week 7-1 to allocate $1.5 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money to several Merced County nonprofits and charities.
City officials put out a request for proposals earlier this year so local groups that were interested could apply for a portion of the funds, according to city documents.
Each organization could propose a project that would help alleviate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the community. The deadline for those proposals was March 4.
With Fernando Echevarria the only council member to cast the dissenting vote, council members awarded:
- $500,000 to the Kiwanis Club’s Kiddie Land
- $212,300 towards the Merced County Food Bank
- $200,000 towards the Kids Discovery Station
- $150,000 towards Community Foundation of Merced County
$100,000 to Boys & Girls Club of Merced County
$100,000 towards Merced Lao Family Community
- $92,900 towards Gateway EduCare
- $50,000 to United Way of Merced’s city stewardship program
- $50,000 to United Way’s Mountain Valley 211 program
$25,000 to Friends of the Merced County Library
$12,800 to the Merced County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
$7,000 to the League of United African American Citizens
“They’re all really good proposals,” said Councilmember Jesse Ornelas. “I feel comfortable with how we divvied up the money.”
Some representatives of the organizations that were awarded ARPA funds on Monday night talked about what they could do with the money, and how much their allocations could help the communities they serve.
“We truly have a desire to meet the accessibility needs of children,” said Kendra Singer, who represented Gateway EduCare on Monday night. “We’re excited to see the expanded community opportunities this grant might also provide to us.”
The uses for ARPA money allocated to the various organizations that applied include household assistance, addressing socioeconomic disparities, providing services to the homeless, purchasing personal protective equipment and paying for medical expenses, among other uses.
Some of the barred uses for the money included providing utilities assistance, affordable housing, vaccine programs, small business support, food and rental assistance and community violence prevention.
The city was allotted more than $27 million from the federal government last year to provide relief from the worst effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first half of Merced’s ARPA money allocation was released on June 28, 2021 and the second half this year.
The money can be spent to cover costs incurred through December 2024 and has to be entirely spent by 2026.
There are some restrictions on how city officials can use the funds. The money cannot go toward city’s fiscal reserves, pension deposits and paying off outstanding debt, among other uses.