The Greene County Commission approved $345,093 in payments to 12 nonprofit organizations that applied for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
The awards represent the first phase of about $5.9 million in COVID-19 economic recovery funding marked specifically for nonprofit organizations in Greene County.
Recipients include Pitts Chapel United Methodist Church, the Ozarks Literary Council and Leadership Springfield (jump to full list). More applications are under review, including a request from one of Springfield’s major LGBTQ advocacy organizations, the GLO Center of Springfield.
The funded organizations range from community centers and fatherhood programs to those providing assistance for medical patients and persons affected by domestic violence.
“We thank and commend these organizations in our communities for the tremendous work they have done to help address the pandemic and to move beyond it into recovery,” Greene County Presiding Commissioner Bob Dixon said.
Applications underwent review from the Greene County ARPA Advisory Committee, formed on Jan. 19, 2022. Nonprofit organizations had a deadline of Sept. 14 to apply for funding.
The committee and the county commission used federal ARPA guidelines specified in the law to determine award eligibility. Nonprofits must be located and serve citizens in Greene County, and must demonstrate that they experienced negative funding impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The advisory council recommended 13 funding awards for action on Oct. 11, with the possibility of conducting additional reviews and funding recommendations for other nonprofit groups in Greene County.
A funding request and award for the GLO Center was tabled back to a later date. Second District Commissioner John C. Russell moved to table the GLO Center request for further review. He said the request to table the vote was to have time to review the recommendation.
On its website, the GLO Center states its mission is to “serve the LGBTQIA community in the Ozarks through support, resources, education and advocacy, to create a more inclusive and welcoming community where all can thrive.” The Daily Citizen’s efforts to contact a representative of the GLO Center by phone and by email on Oct. 12 and 13 were not successful. According to its website, the GLO Center was founded in 1996 and is the oldest operating community center for members of the LGBTQ community in Missouri.
A clause found in the ARPA funding requirements for nonprofit organizations states, “The organization must have a physical presence in Greene County, Missouri, and provide services for Greene County residents.” It goes on to say, in part, “grant dollars may only be requested for work completed in Greene County for Greene County residents.”
“I was looking through the applications, and it looked like most had 100-percent participation in Greene County — those that they serve had 100 percent,” Russell said. “There were a few that were in the 90s, and I think one was in the 70s.”
Russell said his request to table the GLO Center funding request was because he had questions that were not yet answered.
“I reviewed all applications prior to the meeting, which prompted a couple of questions about this request for ARPA funds,” Russell said in an email to the Daily Citizen. “I did not have time to get those answers prior to the meeting, so I made a motion to table in order to further inquire.”
Dr. Lyle Foster, Greene County’s ARPA Grant and Equity Specialist clarified the percentage clause as it relates to funding for Greene County at the commission meeting.
“What the advisory council also noted is that they do have a line that says they would make sure that the funds were used 100 percent for Greene County residents,” Foster said. “There was a situation where it wasn’t recommended for full funding; they just felt like some of the services they proposed — they wanted to make sure that the pandemic connection was really apropos.”
Russell and First District Commissioner Rusty MacLachlan voted to table the GLO Center’s funding request for additional review. Presiding Commissioner Bob Dixon abstained from the vote. Then all three commissioners voted to approve 12 other nonprofits’ funding requests.
Greene County received a total of $56.9 million in ARPA funds to support recovery efforts from the pandemic. Dozens of small businesses have received economic recovery funding through a similar application and review process.
According to the federal law, all ARPA funds must be allocated by Dec. 31, 2024, and all projects funded through local government allocations must be complete by Dec. 31, 2026.
Funding awarded Oct. 11
The following is a list of the approved ARPA funding requests for Greene County nonprofit organizations:
$16,500 to Be a Jewel Inc. to provide services for children placed in emergency care
$35,490 to Doula Foundation of Mid-America, Inc. for the training and certification of community-based doulas
$45,253 to Good Dads, Inc. to update a fatherhood curriculum that reaches at-risk youth and underserved fathers
$36,000 to Leadership Springfield Inc. to launch a virtual leadership development and community engagement program
$30,000 to Ozarks Literacy Council to purchase new books and literacy materials for the Reading Resource Program
$40,000 to Pitts Chapel United Methodist Church for community outreach and restorations to the historic church’s structure
$40,000 to Rebound Foundation Inc. to purchase a transitional home for victims of domestic violence
$25,000 to Schuyler Community Center for new siding, guttering, landscaping, and soffit for their schoolhouse
$20,000 to Sister Cities Association of Springfield to maintain the Kite and Pinata Festival, Japanese Fall Festival and the Taste of Tlaquepaque Festival
$14,400 to Smitty’s Midwest Boxing Gym and Youth Center, Inc. to offset increased occupancy costs through rental assistance
$10,000 to Ujima Language and Literacy for a new playground
$32,450 to Women’s Medical Respite to expand a housing project that includes more beds, privacy, and quarantine space
