SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. – This afternoon, the Spokane County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution directing $5,000,000 from the Federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act through the Economic Impact Assistance sub-category (2.37).
RFPs were received from numerous firms with multiple proposed areas of funding. The submitted proposals were evaluated in accordance with Spokane County established ARP policy for solicitation, selection, and allocation. The proposals voted on by the Commissioners scored the highest on the matrix published with the RFP. They are:
• Women and Children’s Free Restaurant & Community Kitchen (WCFR) for $200,000 to expand their services
• Spokane Workforce Council for $2,200,000 to provide individuals in the workforce the ability to access childcare assistance
• Spokane Valley Partners for $1,700,000 to help with capital costs of their new facility
• Project id in an amount for $100,000 to expand their work with the intellectually disabled
• Frame Your Future for $800,000 to enhance its job training program
Mary Kuney, Chair of the Spokane County Board of Commissioners stated, “These funds will provide critical support to many people in our community. I am especially excited about the award to Spokane Workforce Council, as $2 million of those funds will be used to provide much needed childcare assistance for individuals gaining new skills at our local colleges or starting new jobs. This brings the county’s investment in childcare services to $5.2 million since the pandemic started.”
Spokane County Commissioner Al French added, “I am pleased to see the Board allocate funding to support individuals trying to return to work with childcare assistance. This funding coupled with funding for the Women and Children’s Free Restaurant & Community Kitchen provides much needed aid to those entering or returning to the workforce.”
Spokane County’s ARP website serves as a one-stop shop for all things ARP related. Visit the ARP website to learn more information about ARP funds, view Spokane County’s funding priorities, view Requests for Proposals to fulfill funding priorities, view surveys, submit informal idea funding requests, and to view current Federal compliance and reporting guidelines.