Lane County to award $3 million in ARPA funding
Since the first case of coronavirus was discovered in the United States, the pandemic has caused severe, intertwined public health and economic crises. The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was signed into law in March 2021 to provide economic relief to nonprofits and local governments struggling to get back on their feet. This month, Lane County will award $3 million in grants to assist nonprofits and public agencies that did not receive direct American Rescue Plan (ARPA) allocations as they recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Lane County recently released a Request for Applications (RFA) that outlines how nonprofits and public agencies can apply. Awards will range from a minimum award of $10,000 and maximum award of $500,000 (limit one award per organization). Final awards will be determined by the Board of County Commissioners. To date, Lane County has allocated over $110 million in ARPA funding: housing ($22 million); homelessness ($13.8 million); aid to nonprofits ($9.1 million); public health ($8.3 million); public safety ($17.5 million); COVID response and government services ($19.7 million); and infrastructure ($19.7 million). Areas that will be prioritized for funding arose from community input, including the more than 1,800 responses from a community survey. Areas of focus include affordable housing, mental health services (especially for youth), projects that serve rural Lane County residents who live outside Eugene-Springfield, and projects that demonstrate innovation. Lane County is prioritizing communities hardest hit by the COVID-19 public health emergency for ARPA-funded investments. Applications eligible for ARPA funding will be evaluated using different criteria, one of which is equity. An information session for interested parties will be held virtually on Monday, May 23, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. (visit www.LaneCounty.org/ARPA for more information). Applications for American Rescue Plan Community grants will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. PST on Wednesday, July 6, 2022. For more information, visit www.LaneCounty.org/ARPA.
Bling your bike at the library
SPRINGFIELD – What is better than a craft party? A bike reflectoration party! Teens, come by the Fountain Plaza in front of the Springfield Public Library from 4:30-6 p.m., on Tuesday, May 24 and make your transportation both safer and more stylish! This event is free, for teens ages 12+. Grab your bike, scooter, helmet and come on down to the Springfield Public Library for an evening of crafting with reflective stickers. Shift Community Cycles mobile repair will be on site for FREE bike safety checks and minor repairs. Free bike lights and helmets while supplies last.
This is a free “May Is Bike Month” event. For a full list of Bike Month events visit WeBikeLane.org.
Lane Transit District conducting survey
Lane Transit District (LTD) is on the move, asking the public and its private partners for input on how best to expand or modify the public transportation network and deliver new public transportation options and services to the region. Interested community members can respond to the survey posted on the project webpage. The information gathered will inform LTD’s Mobility Management Strategy (MMS) to provide public transportation to the community in the future. The purpose of the MMS is to understand needs and gaps in transportation services, determine the best role for LTD to play in supporting new transportation services and programs, define a process for making decisions about LTD’s role in new transportation options and identify a list of potential transportation projects to consider for implementation in the future. Interested members of the public, including LTD’s private-sector partners, can learn more about the MMS process and sign up for project updates by visiting the LTD website.
