The Parkersburg Area Community Foundation (PACF) and the Bernard McDonough Foundation (BMF) announce the opportunity for nonprofit organizations located in the City of Parkersburg to apply for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Recovery Grants. The PACF and BMF have been allocated $500,000 in ARPA funds from the City of Parkersburg to distribute through this grant program. Letters of inquiry from interested applicants are due April 29.

The City of Parkersburg ARPA Recovery Grant Program seeks to invest in projects, led by nonprofit organizations, that respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency and its negative impact on residents of the City of Parkersburg. This program will support projects that build a strong, resilient, and equitable recovery; that are transformational, resulting in long-term growth and impact; and/or that address financial hardships experienced by nonprofit organizations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

To be eligible to apply, organizations must have IRS 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) status; have a physical address in the city limits of Parkersburg; have been open and operating no later than January 1, 2020; and document how the proposed project addresses negative impacts from COVID-19 while strengthening and transforming the community to improve the ongoing quality of life for residents. Eligibility criteria are based on compliance with ARPA funding requirements.

Funds may be used for capital projects, program development and delivery, and/or operating support. This grantmaking program is specifically focused on transformational community change designed to: address economic impacts spurred or exacerbated by the pandemic; stabilize and build resiliency for individuals, families, and households; address systemic community challenges through improved service delivery; plan and prepare for future events that may cause disruption in services; address financial hardships experienced by nonprofit organizations; build a stronger and more resilient community. The program has a strong interest in supporting projects that address the needs of children and youth and/or projects that address the needs of low to moderate income individuals.

Applicants may request between $10,000 and $50,000. The application will be a two-part process. Organizations interested in seeking support must first submit a letter of inquiry, due April 29. Upon review of the letter of inquiry, applicants may be invited to submit a full proposal. The application process will be competitive, and a limited number of projects will be invited to proceed to full application. The letter of inquiry form, along with program guidelines and a list of frequently asked questions, can be accessed through the PACF website: www.pacfwv.com/city-of-parkersburg-arpa.

For questions or more information, contact Marian Clowes at the PACF or Bob Boone at the BMF (rboone@mcdonoughfoundation.org, 304.424.6280).