How to access funds from the federal stimulus package

President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) into law on February 17, 2009. Depending upon the individual federal program, we can expect to see the funds in Washington state within the next few weeks—an estimated $6.7 billion for our state, of which approximately $2 billion is dedicated for Hanford nuclear reservation.

Our state legislature is acting quickly to either administer the state transportation funds, or enable state agencies to institute emergency rules to accommodate ARRA funding. Some of the ARRA programs require the state to obligate at least one-half of the funds within 120 days and the second half within a year. Local pass through funds tend to be more flexible in terms of obligation time lines.

However, the Governor and the Legislature have made it very clear that the goal is to obligate the federal funds as quickly as possible and put people to work. If a project does not get obligated within a designated time frame, the funds revert back to the federal government for redistribution to other states.

There are many questions about what projects are eligible and how cities can access funds from the ARRA. While we do not have all the answers, we do have some information and important resources to share with you.

The three primary means of accessing funds:

1. Through state agencies, e.g. Surface Transportation Program.
2. Through federal agency formula programs, e.g. Community Development Block Grant Program.
3. Through federal agency discretionary grant programs, e.g. Community Oriented Policing Services Program.

Do I have a project that might be eligible for funding?

The funding in the ARRA will primarily be distributed through state agencies who have established programs to distribute federal funding. Please see www.recovery.wa.gov/programcontacts.asp for a list of these programs with contact information and dollar amounts Washington is expected to receive from the federal government. The site includes contact information on direct formula and federal discretionary grants. If you know you have a project that may be eligible for funding, please contact the person listed.

In addition to providing information to help local governments understand the recovery package and find the right place to apply for funding; recovery.wa.gov will serve as a "one-stop" location for accountability information so Washington citizens can access how the recovery money is being spent. Please note: This website is being updated daily as new information becomes available.

What if I have already submitted project information to AWC or directly to the Governor’s Office?

As noted in previous Bulletins, all project information AWC has received has been forwarded to the Governor’s Office. Because most of the dollars will flow through the state agency that normally handles each type of funding, if you have submitted a proposal to AWC, OFM or the Governor’s office, you will need to re-submit your application materials directly to the state agency that deals with that kind of project.

Contact information for each state agency can be found on recovery.wa.gov. Cities who have submitted proposals will receive a letter from OFM outlining the application process. A copy of this letter can be found at the following link www.awcnet.org/documents/OFMARRALetter.pdf. Resources are tight and timely response and application are critical.

AWC will keep you posted as we receive additional information. Keep your eyes open for email alerts from our staff, informing you of time sensitive opportunities to apply for funds!

[ return to top ] [ next article ]