ARPA Nonprofit Services Grant Program

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Awards have been announced. Please see https://engagekingston.com/arpa-nonprofit-grant-award

The City of Kingston is no longer accepting applications, as the window for accepting applications is now CLOSED (deadline, Friday, June 2, 2023). Mayor Noble announced the award recipients here.

The City of Kingston has allocated more than $1.2 million of its federal American Rescue Plan Act award to fund a local Nonprofit Services Grant Program. This program is intended to respond to the negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 public health emergency by focusing on Kingston’s nonprofit organizations, many of which played an outsized role providing services during the pandemic or were unable to provide services to constituents due to school or other closures. The nonprofit sector of Kingston’s economy – particularly entities that provided human services – were severely stressed by the pandemic, being forced to “do more with less.”

Grant awards of up to $25,000 each will help Kingston-based nonprofit or not-for-profit organizations recover from the negative financial impacts caused by the pandemic. This is a reimbursement program; award payments will be made following execution of a City/Grantee contract and the City’s receipt, review, and acceptance of expense documentation. The City is looking to fund programs and services that can start from the time grants are awarded through next year. Grantees will be reimbursed for eligible expenses with appropriate documentation in an amount of up to $25,000. Expenses must have been incurred between March 3, 2021 (the date ARPA became law), and September 27, 2024.

Evidence of expenditures must include sufficient information for the City to determine what the expense was for, to whom it was paid, and when it was paid. Supporting documentation may include copies of detailed payroll reports, cancelled checks, bank statements, credit card statements, and/or vendor receipts.

Applicant Eligibility

To be eligible for an award, an organization must:

  • Be a nonprofit or not-for-profit entity within City of Kingston limits or outside the city that provides services to city residents (preference will be given to city-based organizations)
  • Be registered as a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) nonprofit or not-for-profit in the State of New York
  • Have been operating in the City of Kingston or providing services prior to October 1, 2021
  • Not be facing any pending litigation or legal action
  • Not have any principals, including all managing members and/or officers, who have been convicted of financial crimes within the past three years
  • Not be suspended or debarred from the use of federal funds

Grant awards will be up to $25,000 to cover expenses for program delivery, defined as the items below that support the organization’s mission. Grant funds may be used to support nonprofit program delivery to those in need in the City of Kingston. Program activity examples include but may not be limited to: food distribution to low-income residents, shelter for the homeless, medical assistance, mental health services, and other basic needs services. Out-of-school and visiting in-school arts, culture, and other types of education programs are also eligible. Costs of physical improvements to facilities of entities located outside of the City of Kingston will not be funded.

Expenses incurred between March 3, 2021 and September 27, 2024 are eligible for reimbursement.

Eligible expenses include:

  • Payroll for program staff
  • Program-related inventory/supplies/equipment
  • Improvements to ventilation in program spaces
  • Personal protective equipment (PPE)
  • Other physical improvements to processes or location to comply with social distancing or other directives issued by the County or State due to the pandemic IF your organization is physically located in the City of Kingston
  • Other costs related to the direct provision of services
  • Guest educator fees

Ineligible uses of funds include:

  • Costs incurred prior to March 3, 2021
  • Loss that bears no relation or is grossly disproportionate to the type or extent of harm experienced due to the pandemic
  • Payment of personal expenses (e.g., personal credit cards, family car, home repairs, non-business travel)
  • Direct financing to political activities
  • Religious activities, such as worship, religious instruction, or proselytization and/or those that promote or inhibit religious interest
  • Economic hardship incurred for reasons other than the pandemic
  • Costs previously covered by alternate federal, state, or local grant funding
  • Payment of fines
  • Purchase of drugs, tobacco, or alcohol
  • Food and entertainment
  • Bonus pay
  • Indirect costs such as rent or utilities
  • Physical improvements to real property located outside of the City of Kingston

Application Materials/Submission

Instructions and the grant application are available at Engage Kingston. Please note: the application form is a fillable pdf; applicants may download and type directly into the form.

A completed digitized application package must include:

  1. Grant Application Form
  2. Applicant Certification Form
  3. Copy of IRS W9 Tax Form
  4. Copy of completed and signed IRS 990 and/or 990N form
  5. Copy of 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) letter
  6. Budget for your project/program, using the template to the right of this page
  7. Most recent bank statement where reimbursements would be deposited

Application packets should be emailed to: arpa-grants@kingston-ny.gov (A confirmation email will be sent to you upon receipt.)

Application Review Process

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

Important Notes

No person or organization will be excluded from participation in, denied the benefit of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity funded in whole or in part with the City’s funds on the basis of race, color, religion, sex including pregnancy (childbirth, and related medical conditions), sex stereotyping, transgender status and gender identity, national origin (including limited English proficiency), age, disability, or political affiliation or belief.

PLEASE NOTE: Only digital, electronically transmitted copies of applications will be accepted.

Organizations may want to consult with a tax professional when applying. Recipients found to have expended grant funds on expenses previously covered by another federal, state, or local program or on ineligible expenses will be required to repay all grant funding awarded by this program.

For questions about the application, eligibility, or other concerns, please contact:

Bill Reynolds, Program Manager

breynolds@kingston-ny.gov or 845-334-3986.

The City of Kingston is no longer accepting applications, as the window for accepting applications is now CLOSED (deadline, Friday, June 2, 2023). Mayor Noble announced the award recipients here.

The City of Kingston has allocated more than $1.2 million of its federal American Rescue Plan Act award to fund a local Nonprofit Services Grant Program. This program is intended to respond to the negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 public health emergency by focusing on Kingston’s nonprofit organizations, many of which played an outsized role providing services during the pandemic or were unable to provide services to constituents due to school or other closures. The nonprofit sector of Kingston’s economy – particularly entities that provided human services – were severely stressed by the pandemic, being forced to “do more with less.”

Grant awards of up to $25,000 each will help Kingston-based nonprofit or not-for-profit organizations recover from the negative financial impacts caused by the pandemic. This is a reimbursement program; award payments will be made following execution of a City/Grantee contract and the City’s receipt, review, and acceptance of expense documentation. The City is looking to fund programs and services that can start from the time grants are awarded through next year. Grantees will be reimbursed for eligible expenses with appropriate documentation in an amount of up to $25,000. Expenses must have been incurred between March 3, 2021 (the date ARPA became law), and September 27, 2024.

Evidence of expenditures must include sufficient information for the City to determine what the expense was for, to whom it was paid, and when it was paid. Supporting documentation may include copies of detailed payroll reports, cancelled checks, bank statements, credit card statements, and/or vendor receipts.

Applicant Eligibility

To be eligible for an award, an organization must:

  • Be a nonprofit or not-for-profit entity within City of Kingston limits or outside the city that provides services to city residents (preference will be given to city-based organizations)
  • Be registered as a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) nonprofit or not-for-profit in the State of New York
  • Have been operating in the City of Kingston or providing services prior to October 1, 2021
  • Not be facing any pending litigation or legal action
  • Not have any principals, including all managing members and/or officers, who have been convicted of financial crimes within the past three years
  • Not be suspended or debarred from the use of federal funds

Grant awards will be up to $25,000 to cover expenses for program delivery, defined as the items below that support the organization’s mission. Grant funds may be used to support nonprofit program delivery to those in need in the City of Kingston. Program activity examples include but may not be limited to: food distribution to low-income residents, shelter for the homeless, medical assistance, mental health services, and other basic needs services. Out-of-school and visiting in-school arts, culture, and other types of education programs are also eligible. Costs of physical improvements to facilities of entities located outside of the City of Kingston will not be funded.

Expenses incurred between March 3, 2021 and September 27, 2024 are eligible for reimbursement.

Eligible expenses include:

  • Payroll for program staff
  • Program-related inventory/supplies/equipment
  • Improvements to ventilation in program spaces
  • Personal protective equipment (PPE)
  • Other physical improvements to processes or location to comply with social distancing or other directives issued by the County or State due to the pandemic IF your organization is physically located in the City of Kingston
  • Other costs related to the direct provision of services
  • Guest educator fees

Ineligible uses of funds include:

  • Costs incurred prior to March 3, 2021
  • Loss that bears no relation or is grossly disproportionate to the type or extent of harm experienced due to the pandemic
  • Payment of personal expenses (e.g., personal credit cards, family car, home repairs, non-business travel)
  • Direct financing to political activities
  • Religious activities, such as worship, religious instruction, or proselytization and/or those that promote or inhibit religious interest
  • Economic hardship incurred for reasons other than the pandemic
  • Costs previously covered by alternate federal, state, or local grant funding
  • Payment of fines
  • Purchase of drugs, tobacco, or alcohol
  • Food and entertainment
  • Bonus pay
  • Indirect costs such as rent or utilities
  • Physical improvements to real property located outside of the City of Kingston

Application Materials/Submission

Instructions and the grant application are available at Engage Kingston. Please note: the application form is a fillable pdf; applicants may download and type directly into the form.

A completed digitized application package must include:

  1. Grant Application Form
  2. Applicant Certification Form
  3. Copy of IRS W9 Tax Form
  4. Copy of completed and signed IRS 990 and/or 990N form
  5. Copy of 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) letter
  6. Budget for your project/program, using the template to the right of this page
  7. Most recent bank statement where reimbursements would be deposited

Application packets should be emailed to: arpa-grants@kingston-ny.gov (A confirmation email will be sent to you upon receipt.)

Application Review Process

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

Important Notes

No person or organization will be excluded from participation in, denied the benefit of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity funded in whole or in part with the City’s funds on the basis of race, color, religion, sex including pregnancy (childbirth, and related medical conditions), sex stereotyping, transgender status and gender identity, national origin (including limited English proficiency), age, disability, or political affiliation or belief.

PLEASE NOTE: Only digital, electronically transmitted copies of applications will be accepted.

Organizations may want to consult with a tax professional when applying. Recipients found to have expended grant funds on expenses previously covered by another federal, state, or local program or on ineligible expenses will be required to repay all grant funding awarded by this program.

For questions about the application, eligibility, or other concerns, please contact:

Bill Reynolds, Program Manager

breynolds@kingston-ny.gov or 845-334-3986.