City of Topeka Official Website > Finance > ARPA Funds Grant

ARPA Funds Grant

ARPA Update: The deadline for the City of Topeka’s ARPA Funds Grant Application has passed. More than 80 applications were received. The City Council’s Policy & Finance Committee will meet in August to begin reviewing applications. Please check the Public Meeting Calendar for information once a meeting date is set. https://www.topeka.org/calendar/

For any questions regarding ARPA Application please email: arpa@topeka.org

ARPA Approved Applications

On October 28th, 2022, the Policy and Finance Committee finished their ARPA selection process and developed a list of recommended projects. The following document compiles the materials of all approved applications. Materials include the initial application and responses to any follow-up questions. These applications will go to the full Governing Body for approval in November.

FAQ

Organizations must have a primary office or location within the city limits of Topeka in order to apply.
We will be contacting you via email should we need additional documentation.
Community organizations, non-profits, and for-profit entities are encouraged to apply.
Yes, religious organizations can apply.
Organizations may fill out the online printable version and deliver it to City Hall or email the grant application to ARPA@topeka.org
We are anticipating a large volume of grant applications. As such, only organizations who receive funding will be notified. You can follow the status of grant funds at https://www.topeka.org/finance/arpa-funds-grant/.
Because these grants come from federal funding, organizations who receive grants will receive additional follow up guidelines for reporting how funds are used.
Letters of Support are not required and will not increase chances of receiving funding.
No, we will not be able to provide individual explanations as to why or why not an organization received funding given the anticipated high volume of applications.
No, organizations will not be disqualified from applying if they have received other COVID relief funding.
It is anticipated that final recommendations of grant recipients will be presented to the full Governing Body sometime in October 2022 and recipients will be announcements will be shortly thereafter. However, this is susceptible to change.
Yes, you will be able to save progress and return to it at a later date.
Applications will be due no later than July 31st 11:59pm, 2022
No match is required, these are one-time grant awards.
Paper copies of grant applications can be mailed or delivered to:
Kalea Pauole
Sr. Grants Program Administrator
RE: ARPA Application
215 SE 7th St, Room 358
Topeka, KS, 66603
According to the U.S. Department of The Treasury, ARPA funds must be obligated by December 31, 2024 and spent by December 31, 2026.
Please consult your accountant or tax professional to understand more about your particular tax situation.
A non-federal entity that expends $750,000 or more during the non-federal entity’s fiscal year in federal awards must have a single or program-specific audit conducted for that year in accordance with federal tax law.
Grants will be paid out by ACH Transfer or by check.
No, in order to have the time and resources to get through all of the applications, we are asking that organizations stick to the question-specific character limit.
For paper copies, please attach additional answers to questions on a separate page. Please be sure to include the question at the top.
Please visit Kansas Secretary of State | Certificates of Good Standing (ks.gov) or call 785-296-4564 to request your certificate. There is a $10 dollar fee for electronic copies and a $15 fee for paper copies.
It is prohibited for funds to be used to offset property tax payments, pay interest or principal on outstanding debt, to be loaned to other individuals or organizations, pay into any pension funds, replenish rainy day funds/financial reserves, satisfaction of settlement or judgement, or any practices that undermine COVID-19 mitigation practices in line with CDC guidance and recommendations.
No. If you are selected to receive funding under this grant, you will need a SAM.GOV registration but this does not need to be done until after receipt of the award.
The questions is intended to identify who the project that has requested funding for will serve.
Primarily the City of Topeka, as that is where the program is intended to assist people. Any additional information can also be provided.
The organization itself must have been established for a minimum of 3 years. If the program they are creating is new, but being done by an established organization, then that would meet the criteria.
There is no established time limit on how long the program must be in operation or serve citizens.
No
Yes, as long as they are for different programs. Do not submit multiple applications for the same program, as it will not increase chances of receiving funds.
If any organization wants to assist another in filling out the application for their program, that is OK. However, if an organization plans to give the money to another organization for their program, that must be disclosed in the application. No organization will receive funds that does not outline how the funds are to be used and to whom they will be given.
Yes, as discussed by the Governing Body at its June 12 meeting, an organization can apply for funds to assist with infrastructure costs of the organization.
Both, as the organization is assisting both demographics in providing childcare. Should they choose, they can provide additional information that breaks down the categories.
After the Contract is signed grant recipients will receive 50% of their grant funds. The remaining 50% will be disbursed upon ARPA Grants staff receiving an invoice or draw request.
Any budget change requests that need to be made can be sent to ARPA@topeka.org and will need to be approved by the Policy and Finance Committee and subject to the discretion of the Governing Body.
Recipients will be paid by ACH Electronic Transfer
Once ARPA Grants staff have approved the invoice or draw request, the City’s Accounts Payable will issue the payment in the next available payment cycle. The City issues payments weekly on Friday.
Invoices are given after funds have been spent. Draw requests are plans to spend the money based on quotes or contracts to receive goods and services.
A draw request can include but not limited to quotes, design plans and other affidavits and supporting documentation on the intended use of the funding.
All requests are to be sent to ARPA@topeka.org, please include the amount of ARPA funds you are requesting, and a one paragraph description about the invoice or draw request.
Subsequent draw requests or invoices can be submitted in any amount as long as the supporting documentation supports the approved grant funding and does not exceed the total grant award amount.
All recipients are assigned to one of two groups. Group 1 will submit reports April 30th and October 30th. Group 2 will submit reports on January 30th and June 30th. Please see your contract for additional details.
Once it is live, the reporting form will be available on the City of Topeka’s website. https://www.topeka.org/finance/arpa-funds-grant
Recipients will need to provide a 1 page description of the activities they have started using grant funds, a project status, location information on where grant funds were used, project budget, and information on people served. Additionally, the City of Topeka reserves the right to ask for any other reporting information.
Reports must be sent from 2023 until April 2027.
Yes. This is because the impacts of the grant funds can be felt after the grant funds have been spent.