Wise County American Rescue Plan Act Fund

Introduction

On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act ("ARPA") was signed into law. ARPA is a $1.9 trillion package that includes direct relief to states, counties, cities, and towns, as well as public utilities, libraries, and transit agencies.

Wise County, Virginia will receive approximately $7.26 million in two separate tranches. The County received the first distribution of approximately $3.63 million in June, 2021. The second distribution is expected in June 2022.

Fund Eligible Uses

The American Rescue Plan’s State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) provides financial support for specific projects and programs, to for-profit and non-profit organizations, that were impacted by COVID-19. Wise County is authorized to use these funds to:

  1. Support public health expenditures, by, for example, funding COVID-19 mitigation efforts, medical expenses, behavioral healthcare, and certain public health and safety staff
  2. Address negative economic impacts caused by the public health emergency, including economic harms to workers, households, small businesses, impacted industries, and the public sector
  3. Replace lost public sector revenue, using this funding to provide government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue experienced due to the pandemic
  4. Provide premium pay for essential workers, offering additional support to those who have and will bear the greatest health risks because of their service in critical infrastructure sectors
  5. Invest in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure, making necessary investments to improve access to clean drinking water, support vital wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, and to expand access to broadband internet

Wise County has broad flexibility to decide how best to use this funding to meet the needs of its communities.

Fund Distribution Process

Wise County has established the Wise County American Rescue Plan Fund Program to disperse its relief funds. A formal application process has been developed to evaluate projects/programs for eligibility, need, and impact and to collect data for reporting purposes.

Applications will be accepted and reviewed electronically on a rolling basis until funds are fully obligated. 

Evaluation Criteria

A review committee consisting of Wise County senior staff and citizen member(s) will review and score applications based on the following:

  • Funding Prioritization (40 points)
  • Demonstration of Need (50 points)
  • Budget (10 points)

Application Process

The intent is to make the application as short as possible while gathering enough information to help reviewers make informed recommendations for funding. The County also must ensure applicants meet the minimum federal requirements. The application is divided into six sections: 

  1. Organization Information 
  2. Eligibility Certification 
  3. Expenditure Classification & Prioritization
  4. Demonstration of Need Questions 
  5. Project Budget 
  6. Grant Agreement

To begin the application process, visit Wise County’s Amplifund applicant portal and create an account. Once you begin an application, you may save it and return to it as needed. Applicants affiliated with Wise County (employees, sub-units of government, etc.), or applicants who prefer a physical application, should download a hard copy application and complete via Microsoft Word or by hand. Completed hard copy applications should be returned to the Wise County Administrator's Office via email (arpafund@wisecounty.edu) or by drop off to the County Administrator's Office located at 206 E Main Street, Wise, VA 24293, Suite 223.

 Please direct any questions to the County Administrator's office by emailing arpafund@wisecounty.edu or by calling 276-328-2321.

For more information on how ARPA funds can be used, please refer to the US Treasury Department's Interim Final Rule, Treasury's List of FAQs on the Interim Final Rule, and the National Association of Counties - State and Local Coronavirus Fiscal Recovery Funds webpage.