In what Chairwoman Cupid described as a “pivotal moment in this county,” the Board of Commissioners approved $98 million in projects from the county’s federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocation.

“These funds will be transformational,” Chairwoman Cupid said.  “I’m proud of this board for being uniquely thoughtful in engaging with a consultant to see how we can be strategic in setting up our county for success in the many years and generations to come.”

The appropriation approved Tuesday comprises most of the county’s $147 million allocation from the federal government.  Congress approved ARPA in 2021 to help local governments recover from the pandemic and to stimulate the economy.  Cobb County worked with a consultant to engage residents, nonprofits, and community groups in how best to distribute these funds.  Of the 261 applications received by the county, 85 received funding after extensive vetting through a committee process.

The ARPA funds will be distributed in five categories:

1. Community Health ($24M)
   • Mental health programs for youth and adults
   • Public Health disparities include newborn health programs, Vision to Learn, and veterans’ programs.
   • Substance abuse programs, including opioid treatment and recovery initiatives, accountability court support, and Cobb County Board of Health’s Opioid Use Reduction Project.
   • Healthcare capacity includes support for the Good Samaritan Health Center and CDPH Community Health.
   • COVID-19 mitigation includes support for the Cobb Medical Examiner and Cobb Emergency Management Agency.
      
2. Support Services ($23M)
   • Affordable Housing programs, including Habitat for Humanity.
   • Programs to combat homelessness and to support the homeless.
   • Rental and mortgage assistance programs.
      
3. Economic Development ($22M)
   • Workforce programs, assistance for young professional development.
   • Small and minority business programs
   • Child care learning center grant program
      
4. Public Safety ($10M)
   • Co-responder program for behavioral health emergencies
   • 911 clinician program
   • Case backlog court project
   • Cardiac monitors for first responders
      
5. County Infrastructure ($19M)
   • CDPH South Cobb Public Health Center
   • Healthy county building initiative
   • Stormwater management project funding
   • Water pump station projects.

Click the links below to view the complete list of projects, project descriptions, and goals.

Check out the projects approved and what they hope to achieve in Cobb County.

• Community Health projects approved
• Support Services projects approved
• Public Safety projects approved
• Economic Development projects approved
• County Infrastructure projects approved

Nonprofits and entities selected for ARPA funding are being briefed on program reporting requirements and guidelines.
 

Subrecipient Agreement FAQs
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)
State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF)

To increase compliance with applicable regulations, Cobb County has developed a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help clarify aspects of the subrecipient agreement. The following FAQs address subaward agreement completion and workflow.

1. What is the County ARPA Contract No.?
   1. The ARPA Contract No. is the number of your individual sub-award. This number will be provided to you in your award notification email.
2. When will my application be approved by the Board of Commissioners?
   1. The Board of Commissioners (BOC) will review applications on a rolling basis. Applications are added to the BOC agenda after the subcommittee and compliance review processes are completed.
3. Where can I find more information about 2 CFR Part 200?
   1. The code of federal regulations (CFR) can be viewed online by visiting ecfr.gov (2 CFR Part 200).
4. What is the difference between the term of agreement and the dates the funds can be spent?
   1. The “Term of Agreement” begins when the agreement is fully executed by both parties and concludes on October 31, 2026. Subrecipients shall use the funds solely for the purpose stated in the application and during the covered period, consistent with the budget and timeline submitted with the application. The “covered period” begins on March 3, 2021 and ends on October 31, 2026.
5. As a subrecipient, can I be reimbursed for administrative costs?
   1. Subrecipients may use funds for administering their program and should be included in the proposed budget as a separate line item. Further, costs shall be reasonable and allocable as outlined in 2 CFR 200.404 and 2 CFR 200.405. Pursuant to the SLFRF Award Terms and Conditions, subrecipients are permitted to charge both direct and indirect costs to their SLFRF award as administrative costs if they are accorded consistent treatment per 2 CFR 200.403. Direct costs are identified specifically as costs of implementing the SLFRF program objectives, such as contract support, materials, and supplies for a project. Indirect costs are general overhead costs of an organization where a portion of such costs are allocable to the SLFRF award, such as the cost of facilities or administrative functions like a director’s office.
6. It is difficult for me to start a program with few funds due to COVID-19. Is there a way to receive advance funds to implement my approved program?
   1. Yes, you may contact the County to request an advance payment. Please see the ARPA Funds Disbursement Overview for more information.
7. I do not have an E-Verify registration and I am not registered in SAM.gov. Is this required?
   1. Yes, all subrecipients should be registered with both entities. Subrecipients cannot participate in ARPA-SLFRF funded programs without a Unique Entity ID (UEI), which indicates the subrecipient is registered to do business with the federal government. Please note the County will verify if the Subrecipient has an active registration with E-Verify on https://e-verify.gov and SAM.gov on https://www.SAM.gov.
8. Will I be subject to a Single Audit?
   1. Subrecipients that spend $750,000 or more in federal awards from all sources (including SLFRF funds) during a fiscal year are subject to a Single Audit.
9. What is the required length of time to retain records?
   1. Subrecipients shall keep all records of the project for a minimum of seven (7) years from the close of your program. The County and federal government may request access to all financial records and statements pertaining to the project(s). All records are subject to an audit.
10. How will I know if the County will conduct site visits?
    1. Site Visits may be conducted by the County. Subrecipients shall submit a monthly fiscal and performance report detailing the distribution and impact of the financial aid to the subrecipient. The reports shall be received within thirty (30) days after the close of each month. The reports shall consist of a line-item breakdown of expenditures and indicate the amount of funds remaining to be disbursed, if any, and a detailed breakdown of agreed upon performance metrics. Required reporting metrics are subject to change monthly. The County reserves the right to request additional project information at any given time.
11. What type of reporting will I have to complete and how often?
    1. In brief, applicants designated as subrecipients and contractors would submit a monthly report to include planned and actual expenses, milestones reached, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), outcomes achieved, any barriers to project implementation, stakeholder engagement, a brief narrative on upcoming phases, and any technical assistance needs. Included with the information would be all supporting documentation to support costs, e.g., receipts, invoices, etc. Your designation is determined after your initial application review. Please see the Reporting Requirements One-Pager and Reporting Requirements recording for more information.

Please monitor this page for the latest information on the approval process for those who have applied and further information about Cobb County's efforts to allocate our share of the American Rescue Plan Act funding.

Cobb County opened the online portal from June 6 through September 9 for organizations wishing to apply for grants through the federal government’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The federal government allocated $147 million to Cobb County as part of the program. The Board of Commissioners recently approved ARPA investment guidance that divides federal funds into five priority areas:

• Community Health – To enhance mental, physical, and behavioral healthcare services.
• Support Services – To enhance programming and services for vulnerable and disadvantaged members of the community.
• Economic Development – To aid economic recovery through the business sector and workforce opportunities.
• County Infrastructure – To enhance its physical and/or structural capacity to meet operational responsibilities.
• Public Safety – To assist in keeping Cobb County residents safe

Interested groups can click here to access the application for project funding. Individuals that would like to submit project ideas for the county to consider can do so using the same application.

Applications are due by September 9, 2022, and will be reviewed on a rolling basis before the Board of Commissioners considers the allocations.

Interested applicants are encouraged to read the application thoroughly before starting the process. Detailed instructions and “frequently asked questions” are included in the online application. Paper copies of the application will also be available for those who need them at the county building at 100 Cherokee Street, Marietta. 
 

This application is the next step in the County’s process to maximize the impact of its ARPA dollars, address equity, and facilitate a strategic recovery from the pandemic. This process has been informed by a community needs survey, focus groups, listening sessions, interviews with leaders from the community, and public Board of Commissioner meetings. Future opportunities for public input will be shared through this webpage.

Please note that this program is not designed to accept individual or direct business grant applications.

Click HERE for a downloadable version of our "Frequently Asked Questions"

President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act on March 11, 2021.  The $1.9 trillion economic relief package delivers aid to American states, counties, and cities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts “on the economy, public health, State and local governments, individuals, and businesses.”

The Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF), established through ARPA, delivers targeted assistance to state and local governments, and offers immediate assistance to struggling individuals, households, and industries, as well as driving transformational growth to deliver meaningful impacts within communities. SLFRF funds are to be allocated with a focus on equity and transparency and have the following eligible uses:

• Respond to the public health emergency or its negative economic impacts
• Provide premium pay for essential workers
• Replace lost public sector revenue
• Make necessary investments in water, sewer, and stormwater infrastructure

The law allocated nearly $5 billion to the Georgia state government and $3.5 billion to local governments in the state. More than $2 billion in relief was allocated to Georgia counties with more than $1.4 billion allocated to Georgia cities.  Cobb County will receive more than $147 million in federal relief funding through the SLFRF program. Please see below for additional funding, allocation, and community engagement information.

For more on the American Rescue Plan Act in Georgia please click here.

Links to ARPA Guidance:

• Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Treasury Information
• Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund Final Rule
• Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund Overview of the Final Rule
• Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund Compliance and Reporting Guidance
• Driving Equity with State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds

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March 22, 2022 - Cobb's Board of Commissioners held a work session to hear the work done to help gauge the interests of members of the community and stakeholders when it comes to distributing ARPA funds.  Deloitte Consulting has been hired by the county to help survey stakeholders and formulate a plan for spending Cobb County's allocation.

Watch the video above and download their presentation here:

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Engaging the community: How Cobb should spend our allocation

On October 29, 2021, Cobb County announced the launch of its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Community Needs Survey. The online survey was designed to gather community input on how Cobb County should prioritize its $147M allocation of federal ARPA funding. 

This American Rescue Plan Act was passed by the U.S. Congress in March 2021. It set aside funding for local and state governments to support public health, essential workers, and infrastructure measures and to lessen the negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey will help the county to reflect the community’s priorities in its plan for investing the funds between these eligible uses.

Cobb County is working with Deloitte Consulting to meet with community groups and stakeholders to get a picture of how the county feels these funds should best be used.

Cobb officials invited small businesses and nonprofit businesses to join a virtual listening session to learn more about the American Rescue Plan Act and how money can be allocated for Cobb. The listening sessions provided the opportunity to:

• Hear an overview of ARPA and eligible uses of the funding
• Ask questions to learn what ARPA means for you and other small businesses in Cobb County
• Share your perspectives on the needs and opportunities for this funding