July 8th, 2009: New Guidelines to Help ARRA Fund Recipients with Reporting Requirements
Starting in October 2009, all recipients of Recovery Act funds (including grants, loans and other forms of assistance) will be required to submit detailed reports about their use of the funds. On June 22, 2009, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) published guidance for those reporting requirements.
While the requirements apply only to fund and prime sub-recipients, the reports will contain information that is useful to all employers interested in getting work either directly or indirectly from the Recovery Act. Information that must be included in each report (much of which will be released to the public) covers the following topics that will help improve transparency and accountability of funds:
- Who is receiving Recovery Act dollars and in what amounts?
- What projects or activities are being funded with Recovery Act dollars?
- What is the completion status of such projects or activities and what impact have they had on job creation and retention?
This information can be used by employers to find subcontract and other work opportunities in their area and to identify specific projects within a particular area of expertise.
July 8th, 2009: $2.7 Billion in Education Funds Made Available Early for Education and Building Projects
More money will be flowing to local school districts in the coming weeks and months after the Department of Education announced that it was releasing the final third of the government services fund earlier than planned. The government services fund can be used for a wide variety of projects, including educational programs, school modernization, public safety or other government services. Employers who provide products or services for the education industry should continue to cultivate relationships with school districts in their area because it’s likely that many districts will initiate new projects in the coming months.
July 8th. 2009: Department of Energy Grant Opportunities Available for Bid
Employers in the energy, construction “green innovations” and housing industries should be aware of a number of grant opportunities from the Department of Energy. The DOE posts all of its available grants and contacts in a single location on its website, organized by subagency for easy access. The list includes both competitive grant opportunities as well as descriptions of formula grants that will be distributed to state energy agencies for specific purposes.
Upcoming grant opportunities will focus on energy efficiency, particularly in homes and commercial buildings. Find specific information about current and upcoming opportunities for energy efficiency research, development and building projects.
July 2, 2009: Opportunities for Developers, Builders and Construction Firms in Ohio
The Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) is accepting applications for firms to build or create affordable housing throughout the state. OHFA will receive over $100 million -- $83 million from the Tax Credit Assistance Program (TCAP) and $21 million as part of the Tax Credit Exchange (TCE) program -- under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Ohio will offer low-interest loans or grants to developers to construct affordable housing units. Interested parties must apply by October 14, 2009. For complete details on how to apply for these funds, visit OHFA’s website. All applicants for ARRA funding must also submit a proposal on the State of Ohio’s Federal Stimulus Initiative website.
Find more ARRA information for the state of Ohio.
July 1, 2009: HHS Website Shows Recovery Act Funding for Community Health Centers by State
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced the release of $850 million of Recovery Act grants for capital improvements to more than 1,500 Community Health Centers nationwide. A list of all Community Health Center Recovery Act Funding by State and Grantee is available on the HHS website. Interested employers should watch the HHS grants and contracts page and grants.gov for more information.
Find more ARRA funding opportunities for The Department of Health and Human Services.
June 30, 2009: Department of Commerce Announces $167 Million for Coastal Restoration Projects
The Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration received $167 million for marine and coastal habitat restoration. The Commerce Department announced 50 new habitat restoration projects will be funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to restore damaged wetlands, shellfish beds, coral reefs and reopen fish passages. The 50 projects were selected from a pool of 814 proposals totaling more than $3 billion in requests. The projects are in 22 states (and two territories).
These projects will require laborers, nursery workers, design engineers, restoration ecologists, landscape architects, hydrologists, and specialized botanists. These projects will also benefit those that supply materials and provide administrative, clerical, and managerial services.
June 29, 2009: Construction Job Training Funding in Ohio
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) announced it will use $4 million in ARRA funds for pre-apprenticeship training in construction occupations. To be considered for funding, programs must teach basic skills that prepare trainees for enrollment and success in Registered Apprenticeship programs. Applicants must demonstrate that they have support for their programs from sources other than these grants. Support must be equivalent to 100 percent or more of the grant amount. Interested partnerships can apply for the funds and application details from the Constructing Futures Request for Proposal (RFP). Applicants should select the category "Poverty, Work and Opportunity" and the subcategory "Workforce Investment Act Apprenticeship Programs" on the website application. Applicants also must submit a proposal in Recovery Act funds form. Expressions of interest in Recovery Act funds must be received by July 24, 2009 and proposals must be received by 3 p.m. on July 27, 2009.
Find more ARRA information for the state of Ohio.
June 22, 2009: HUD and USDA Launch Cutting Edge Web Mapping Tool
The Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that it has joined the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to launch a new geospatial web mapping tool to update the public on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) spending. The USDA developed the tool and has had more than 1.5 million hits since its late April launch. HUD will allocate $13.61 billion in ARRA funds. This tool will allow users to see where the money is going. Users can easily navigate the U.S. map and view HUD and USDA ARRA projects by state nationwide. Users can also see the total amount of ARRA funds going to each state and how many grants and/or contracts will be signed under specific programs. Users can also search by agency, state or amount of money obligated to grantees.
Find more ARRA funding opportunities for Department of Housing and Urban Development.