Boone County issues final round of ARPA dollars. Here are the top awards

Charles Dunlap, Columbia Daily Tribune
·2 min read
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Boone County Presiding Commissioner Kip Kendrick, right, speaks in July 2023, at a ceremony awarding Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds toward a welcome center. The Boone County Commission this week awarded the final $6 million of its $35 million pot it could award to local organizations.
Boone County Presiding Commissioner Kip Kendrick, right, speaks in July 2023, at a ceremony awarding Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds toward a welcome center. The Boone County Commission this week awarded the final $6 million of its $35 million pot it could award to local organizations.

Roughly a year after the first round American Rescue Plan Act funds were awarded, the Boone County Commission has finalized its final round allocations.

The county was awarded about $35 million in ARPA funds. Following allocations for county services, that left the commission with about $18 million to distribute. The first round distribution provided about $12 million, leaving about $6 million for this year.

While awards this year did not exceed the $1 million mark, there still were significant awards, mostly going toward affordable housing efforts. Money also was allocated toward workforce development, sewer and stormwater infrastructure, parks and school infrastructure, public health, child care, and other service delivery.

The county received more than 100 funding applications that were whittled to the ultimate 19 awards. The applications totaled more than $53 million in requests.

Organizations receiving the greatest awards were Welcome Inn at $850,000, Columbia Housing Authority with $835,000 for its Bear Creek expansion and renovation, Central Missouri Community Action at $750,000 and Show-Me Central Habitat for Humanity with $560,000. All these allocations are affordable housing related.

Other awards nearing, but not exceeding the $500,000 mark went to Boone Health for patient care monitors, and the county's juvenile justice center for facility accommodations.

A 20-person panel of Boone County staff across a wide variety of departments made funding determinations.

"Each application was vetted for adherence to the established regulations for eligibility as set forth by the U.S. Department of the Treasury; feasibility and sustainability of the project; and fulfilment of the mission of improving lives and creating transformative change in Boone County through the use of the one-time funds," the county said in a news release.

The next step is for the county to issue contracts with each awardee so that funds are distributed.

More: One-time American Rescue Plan awards give organizations growth opportunities in Boone County

Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on Twitter. Subscribe to support vital local journalism.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Boone County makes final ARPA funding allocations. Where it's going