ARPA Community Recovery Bank

In April 2022, the City of Napa conducted an online survey to gather input from the community regarding Community Recovery Bank funding priorities. Specifically, the survey asked respondents to rank the following areas:

•    Housing Assistance

•    Addressing Homelessness

•    Childcare

•    Support for Local Businesses

•    Workforce Development

Housing Assistance received the top ranking as a priority area for funding, with 33% of respondents ranking it as “most important,” with Homelessness as a close second, with 30% of respondents ranking it as a top priority for funding. Rental Assistance was the most highly rated program associated with both areas, with Food Needs, Support for Accessory Dwelling Unit Development, and Housing Location and Barrier Removal Services being identified as helpful programs.

Childcare ranked third out of the five potential funding areas, with Financial Assistance for Local Families and Support to Local Childcare Providers as assistance programs receiving the most interest.  Support for Local Business and Workforce Development were two additional areas the survey inquired about, and the program of most interest to survey respondents was Small Business Grants.

See below for more detailed information regarding the survey and the results:

Community Recovery Bank Survey Results (English Survey Respondents)

Community Recovery Bank Survey Results (Spanish Survey Respondents)

The City’s Community Recovery Bank program is designed to support organizations, programs, and activities that benefit City of Napa residents and small businesses. Organizations eligible to apply include nonprofits that are corporations, associations, agencies, or faith-based organizations with a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) nonprofit status under the Internal Revenue Service Code. 

Additionally, for-profit small businesses that meet the following eligibility requirements may also apply:

•    Operate a small business, having 2-10 full-time equivalent employees, from a commercial location or home-based location within the city limits of Napa on or before January 1, 2020

•    Possess an active (not expired) City of Napa Business License for the years 2020 – 2021

•    Have filed or completed tax returns for 2020 and 2021 in the business name

•     Be recognized as a domestic corporation in good standing in the State of California

Eligible organizations shall also meet the requirements below: 

•    Serve City of Napa residents or businesses. 

•    Be in good standing with the California Secretary of State and the California Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts, if required by law to be registered.

•    Provide proof of insurance to the satisfaction of the City's Auditor prior to the receipt of any funding. 

•    Organizations that received other COVID-19 funding assistance such as, but not limited to, Federal CARES Act funding; Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans; Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL); or Community Development Block Grant – Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) funds are eligible to apply for ARPA funding. 

A total of $1,150,000 is available for eligible nonprofits. A minimum of $5,000 and a maximum of $350,000 is available per organization.

Funding is intended for new or existing programs designed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and/or programs designed to serve a population disparately impacted by the public health emergency and its economic impacts, such as lower-income households and small businesses. Ideally, proposals for funding will be responsive to the input received via the Community Recovery Bank Funding Survey as priority funding areas. Applications should highlight how the proposed program or services is aligned with community feedback regarding use of these funds.

•    Contributions to rainy day funds, financial reserves, or similar funds.

•    Payment of interest or principal on outstanding debt instruments.

•    Inherently religious activities, such as worship, religious instruction, or proselytization and/or those

•    that promote or inhibit religious interest.

•    Lobbying, support of candidates for public office, or other political activities. 

•    Past infrastructure projects that did not comply with California Labor Code Section 1770 et seq., regarding the payment of prevailing wage.

•    Funding for programs or organizations that do not serve Napa residents.

•    Expenses reimbursed or eligible for reimbursement through any other contract or agreement with the City, including but not limited to Community Service Grant, Community Development Block Grant, and CARES grants. 

The application period has closed.

The application period has closed.

The Community Recovery Bank application will be available through the City’s website here from September 15, 2022 through October 19, 2022. Applications must be submitted electronically; hard copies will not be accepted. 

Staff is available to answer questions about the application requirements, eligible activities, or the funding process once the application is posted through the deadline. Please contact Anne Cardwell [email protected] with questions.

City staff will review grant applications for completeness and eligibility. Applicants may be asked to revise proposals or provide additional information. 

Complete and eligible applications will then be reviewed by a review panel, and applicants may be invited to present their application to the review panel. The panel will discuss the applications and make a recommendation for funding to the City Manager.  

Ultimately, the City Council will consider the final recommendations from the City Manager and make final award determinations in February 2023. 

Award allocations will be based on total number of applicants, completeness of applications, expense eligibility, organizational need, community benefit, and organizational operating budget size. No cash match is required.

Review panel members may consider the following factors in their evaluation:

•    Impact of other Federal or City assistance received

•    Program description and impact of program on communities and populations most disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, i.e., low income and socially vulnerable communities.

•    Alignment with feedback from Community Recovery Bank Funding Survey.

•    Ability to expend funds by June 30, 2025.

•    Fiscal and administrative capacity to administer the funding in compliance with requirements.

•    Grant budget is provided, reasonable, and aligns with eligible expense categories.

•    Other factors as deemed appropriate by the panel members.

The City anticipates the following schedule for reviewing submitted applications and determining funding awards:

September 15, 2022:  Release of application

EXTENDED! October 19, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. PT: Deadline for application submissions

October 16 – November 15, 2022: Application review period

February 2023: City Council Meeting (award determinations)

Early 2023: City staff begin drafting grant agreements

Unless otherwise exempt under applicable law, applications and application materials are public records. All information received from an applicant, whether received in connection with a grant application or in connection with any grant-funded activities performed, are subject to disclosure pursuant to the California Public Records Act, unless otherwise exempt. 

All applicants offered a grant who choose to accept the grant will be required to sign a non-negotiable affidavit, waiver, and release form prior to payment being made. The affidavit will require the applicant to declare that all information contained in the application is true and correct and can be used as admissible evidence in any legal proceeding against the company if the City attempted to recoup any grant funds provided under false pretenses.

Grant awards will be made in the form of an agreement executed between the applicant and the City. The grant period, scope, allowable budget, and reporting requirements will be outlined in a contract between the applicant organization and the City. All Community Recovery Bank awarded funds must be completely expended no later than June 30, 2025.