Non-Profit Grant Program

Purpose

The purpose of this temporary emergency program is to assist not-for-profit entities who serve Ridgefield residents. The Ridgefield City Council has committed a portion of the Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (CLFRF) as approved through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to the COVID-19 Ridgefield Non-Profit Grant Fund, an emergency fund that provides grants to qualifying organizations that provide services consistent with the City’s mission and goals.

Funding

The City Council has allocated funding for grants under this Program.  Grants will be provided to cover expenses incurred between November 1, 2021 thru December 31, 2022.  Applications can be submitted between November 5, 2021 and November 16, 2021 and must be received by 5:00 PM to be considered for assistance.   The Program may be extended in the event total allocated funding is not awarded or additional funding is allocated.

Organization Criteria

• Organization must be a non-profit organization.
• Organization may not be suspended, debarred, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in federal transactions.
• Organization must provide services for the Ridgefield community.
• Organization must be current on all state licensing and other regulatory requirements, as applicable.
• Organization services must be consistent with City mission and Council goals.

Uses of Program Grant Funds:

1. Eligible Uses of Program Grant Funds
2. Expenditures involved in typical operating costs, as otherwise set forth on an income statement as a regular, ongoing cost of operating the organization.
3. Expenses for compliance with COVID-19-related public health measures, including personal protective equipment and supplies, plexiglass barriers or other similar equipment and expenses reasonably necessary for the protection of public health and the health of organization owners and employees.

Ineligible Uses of Program Grant Funds.

1. Programs or activities that do not serve Ridgefield residents.
2. Political campaign contributions or donations.
3. Charitable contributions or gifts, excluding food, clothing, and personal items provided to clients in need.
4. Bonus payments to Recipient owners, officers or employees.
5. Payment of wages to any member of the Recipient owner’s family who is not a bona fide employee.
6. Draws or salary to Recipient owner that exceeds the amount paid over a corresponding interval, quarter, or year in 2019.
7. Paydown or payoff of debt by more than the monthly amount required by the underlying debt instrument.
8. Payroll and other employee- or business-associated costs for which the Recipient has received or expects to receive reimbursement from other federal, state or regional funds (e.g. Payroll Protection Program or unemployment insurance).
9. Damages covered by insurance.
10. Reimbursement to donors for donated items or services.
11. Severance pay.
12. Legal settlements.
13. Any expenses not considered an eligible business expense by the Department of the Treasury or Internal Revenue Service.

Application process and award process

• November 5, 2021: Application period opens.
• November 16, 2021: Applicants must complete and submit a grant application to the City’s Finance Department no later than 5PM. Only one application per non-profit organization. All required supporting documentation MUST be submitted with completed application in order to be considered for grant funding.
• November 17, 2021:  Application Review.
• November 18, 2021: Award Determination
• November 19, 2021: Payments issued pending a signed grant agreement. Amount of funding awarded to a business will be based on eligibility.

To receive the award, the Applicant must enter into an Agreement with the City governing the use of the funds.  [See Exhibit B—Grant Award Agreement]

Administration and internal control measures

The City will receive completed applications through online submittal at this link.  The City will review each application for completeness and for organization eligibility and expense eligibility.  The City will document each review and notify the applicant of their eligibility or ineligibility and the amount of the grant to be funded, if any.  Upon notification, the applicant must execute an agreement with the City prior to receiving the funds.

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All promotional materials must contain the following: “This program was supported by a grant awarded by the US Department of Treasury.  Points of view in this document are those of the City and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the US Department of the Treasury.  ”