El Paso County opens additional round of American Rescue Plan Act grants for organizations supporting tourism | Business
El Paso County is accepting applications for another round of American Rescue Plan Act funding grants to help alleviate financial burdens and workforce challenges faced by local organizations that support local businesses and tourism.
“A healthy and thriving small business and nonprofit sector are vital to the economic recovery of our region,” said Board of El Paso County Commissioners Chairman Stan VanderWerf in a county news release Monday. The funds will offer not only “a lifeline but an investment in their long-term and sustainable economic growth. Businesses, including tourism, drive the economy of our region,” he said.
Chambers of commerce, business league organizations focused on regional tourism efforts and 501(c)(4) non-lobbying organizations with missions driven by economic development are eligible to receive funds, according to the release.
Recipients may use the grants to implement COVID-19 mitigation and prevention measures to safely resume chamber or business league activities, including improvements to ventilation, physical barriers or partitions, signage to facilitate social distancing, masks and other personal protective equipment, and consulting with health professionals to develop safe reopening plans. Recipients can also use the funds to cover rent, utilities and employee payroll, as well as increased marketing costs related to economic recovery.
Recipients will not have to repay the funds and past grant recipients are eligible to participate in this round of grants, El Paso County spokeswoman Natalie Sosa said. Recipients must use the money by Nov. 30, 2022.
The county is still determining the amount of the grant awards, Sosa said. Officials “will consider revenue loss as well as new innovative programming costs” when evaluating each application, she said.
The funds come from nearly $140 million the county will receive under President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act, passed in March to foster recovery from the pandemic.
The application period is now open through 5 p.m. Oct. 15. Applicants can apply online on the county’s American Rescue Plan Act Funding webpage, admin.elpasoco.com/arpa. The application is also online at forms.office.com/g/WC6vjQW4ZU.
Grant awards will be announced in November.
The county previously spent $1.4 million in the first round of grants for chambers, business league and non-lobbying organizations to aid in their COVID-19 response and pandemic-related expenses.
El Paso County has also spent about $24 million through its Regional Business Relief Fund to alleviate pandemic-related financial burdens on local businesses and nonprofits, designated $1 million in COVID emergency funds in a partnership with Pikes Peak United Way to help nonprofits pay COVID-19 expenses, and spent more than $866,000 to help stabilize about 130 small Pikes Peak-area businesses.
