At its March 7 meeting, the Concord City Council allocated $7 million in one-time federal funds to 22 local nonprofits serving the Concord community. The funds come from the overall $27 million that Concord received as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
“As a City that benefits from the contributions of so many wonderful nonprofit organizations, we are grateful for this unique, one-time opportunity to make a significant investment in their work,” said Concord Mayor Laura Hoffmeister.
“Selecting the 22 recipients and allocating the $7 million was not an easy task,” she said. “There are many worthy organizations who make a big difference in the lives of our residents.”
The City received 70 eligible grant applications, with a combined funding request of $34.4 million.
In September 2022, Council appointed an ad hoc committee consisting of then-Mayor Dominic Aliano and Hoffmeister. The two reviewed all applications, which were submitted by Oct. 28, 2022. All applicants were then invited to participate in interviews with the ad hoc committee. Each ad hoc committee member scored each application based on a 100-point rubric, with 200 total points possible when scoring sheets were combined.
The 22 organizations selected for funding will receive grants ranging from $50,000 to $1.5 million; 80% will be distributed initially, with the remaining 20% at a later date. Funds must be spent by December 2024, and the City will require documentation and follow up to ensure the funds were spent as intended.
Read the full press release, which includes the list of recipients.