Hunterdon County Nonprofit Grant Application Now Live: “$1 Million Available in Grant Funding”

The Board of Commissioners announced at the October 17th meeting, their desire to create a $1,000,000 grant program for local nonprofits through monies received from the American Rescue Plan.

The grant application period is now open and interested nonprofits can the application and instructions on the County’s homepage at https://www.hunterdon-rescue-fund-resources.com/non-profit

The application period runs from November 13, 2023, until 5 pm on December 8, 2023. Questions about the application can be directed to arf@co.hunterdon.nj.us and Hunterdon County will also offer an online grant information session on November 20, 2023.

Grant funding will be targeted to support local nonprofits who were on the front lines of responding to the COVID-19 Public Emergency Health Crisis and those that have experienced negative economic impacts as a result of the crisis.

The minimum amount awarded to a given organization is $5,000 and the maximum amount is $100,000.

Recipients will be required to submit financial reports and other supporting documentation to meet the Federal reporting requirements for these dollars. Funding decisions will be made in the first quarter of 2024, and it is likely that applications may exceed funding availability.

Hunterdon County to Host American Rescue Fund Virtual Community Outreach Sessions

At the September 7th Hunterdon County Board of County Commissioners Meeting the Hunterdon County Board of Commissioners discussed the funding received from American Rescue and the upcoming outreach session.

Commissioner Shaun Van Doren gave a report that touched on many important subjects including the upcoming outreach sessions:

“As a member of the American Rescue Fund Committee, I can report that outreach sessions are now being conducted soliciting suggestions for uses of the Funds received by the County. The Human Services Department held a virtual outreach session last week soliciting recommendations from the social services community.

There will be an economic recovery outreach session for the business community, conducted virtually by the County’s Economic Development office, on Thursday.

And the Administrator and Chief of Staff will host a virtual outreach session on September 14th at 5:30 pm that is open to the public.

Those interested can sign up through the County website or by going to hunterdon-rescue-fund-resources.com, where there is also information on the federal regulations governing the funds’ use.

There is a great deal of money involved, $12 million this year and another $12 million next year. I believe it is very important for the County to have public input on potential uses of the funds and I look forward to the reports from those who are conducting the sessions.”

Commissioner Matt Holt who is also a member of the American Rescue Fund Committee; continued:

“I am looking forward to the reports on the various Community Outreach sessions we directed to be held.

I also encourage all interested parties to sign up for the September 14th public outreach session.

For those interested in the details behind the federal grant funds, the rescue fund website provides valuable information.

As I have noted previously, there are a substantial amount of funds involved with this grant, $24 million over two years, and the Board will treat these monies in exactly the same conservative, fiscally prudent manner we approach all county finances.

I believe we should be looking to strategic use of the funds to establish long term recovery from the pandemic. I will look with interest at the public responses.

We have reached out to various authorities on the potential uses for the funds and it has been determined that the most recent storm related damage does not qualify for the use of American Rescue monies."

Commissioners Plan Conservative Fiscal Approach And Community Outreach For American Rescue Grant

While Hunterdon County’s Board of Commissioners await finalized U.S. Treasury rules providing direction for the use of American Rescue Funds (ARF), the County has banked the $12 million grant from the federal government, has the financial controls in place to manage the grant, and is developing a community outreach plan for input on the uses of the funds, County Commissioner Matt Holt has reported.

The Board of Commissioners, at the July 20th Board meeting, acted to establish a mechanism for the expenditure of the funds under New Jersey Budget Law, approving a ‘Chapter 159’ resolution. “As I have previously stated, we take the responsibility for the use of these funds most seriously and will apply our high standard of fiscal integrity to the process,” Commissioner Holt, a member of the ARF Committee, stated.