Grant Funding Opportunity
The City of York has allocated a portion of its ARPA funds toward the negative economic recovery for eligible non-profits (beneficiaries) operating within the City. These grants are intended to help support 501(c)3 and 501(c)19 non-profit organizations that have faced negative economic hardship resulting from or exacerbated by the COVID-19 public health emergency. The grants will assist these nonprofits in recovering from the impacts so they may continue to effectively and efficiently provide ongoing services to the York community.
Beneficiaries are entities that receive funds for the purpose of directly benefitting from the funds. For this program, eligible non-profit entities will apply as beneficiaries. They will not be subject to the same monitoring and reporting requirements as a recipient or subrecipient of funds.
Program Guidelines
In accordance with the City of York ARPA mission, the City is seeking applications from Non-Profit organizations that 1) have experienced negative economic impacts due to the pandemic and 2) are able to clearly demonstrate and provide evidence of that impact and/or financial hardship. Financial impacts and hardships may include, but are not limited to, decreased revenue (e.g., from donations and fees), increased financial insecurity, increased costs (e.g., uncompensated increases in service need directly related to the pandemic), reduced capacity to weather financial hardship, and/or challenges covering rent, mortgage, or other operating costs.
Examples of these impacts will need to be supported by financial documentation and evidence as part of the application process. Entities will need to provide a copy of their 990 Tax Forms, which will allow the city to analyze changes in the organization’s revenue and expenses over the course of the pandemic. Additionally, organizations may also provide evidence of reduced fundraising or donations, limited operations during the pandemic due to public health orders that directly resulted in a loss in revenue or evidence of COVID-related expenditures. COVID-related expenditures may include costs incurred for personal protective equipment (PPE), social distancing measures or barriers, COVID-related communications or signage, additional cleaning/sanitization costs, and the need for other health and safety investments/upgrades created by the pandemic.
Intended Applicants: Non-Profits with a 501(c)3 or 501(c)19 status
Types of Awards: Direct Beneficiary Awards
Total City Allocation Amount to the Program: $246,970
Award Amounts Available: Up to $45,000 or to an amount of need that is clearly demonstrated by applicants.
Eligibility Requirements
Below are the general eligibility requirements that all organizations must meet for this grant program:
- Organization must be physically located in York City OR provide evidence that the organization directly serves the residents of York City.
- Must be a non-profit with a current 501(c)(3) or 501(c)19 status.
- Must be licensed to provide service in the county and/or city.
- Must have no current unpaid code enforcement liens or violations of any State, Federal or Local laws.
- Must be in compliance with all applicable Federal, State, and/or Local Laws.
- No owners, including all managing members and/or officers, have been convicted of financial crimes within the past three (3) years.
- Provide proof of insurance to the satisfaction of the city prior to the receipt of any funding.
- Applicant must demonstrate through the application process and its financial documentation that it has sustained a negative financial impact directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- During the period beginning on March 1, 2020 and ending at the time of application submission, the applicant has not received alternate Federal, State, or Local grant funding to cover the same costs or impacts identified in its grant application to the City.
Note: Organizations that received other COVID-19 funding assistance such as, but not limited to, Federal CARES Act funding; Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans; Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL); or Community Development Block Grant – Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) funds are still eligible to apply for this program, so long as benefits are not duplicated.
Required Documentation
In general, all applicants shall provide evidence they have experienced negative economic impacts due to COVID-19, or that COVID-19 has created an economic impact that makes this grant request necessary to support the ongoing operations of the organization. Documents that are required to be submitted with your application include:
-
Copy of 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 990 Forms.
-
If your organization was not operating prior to 2019, please provide forms for all years your organization has been in operations.
-
If your 2023 990 Forms have not been completed or filed, you may provide your FY 2023 Profit and Loss Statements
-
-
Copy of the Statement of Activities for years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
-
If your organization was not operating prior to 2019, please provide the Statement of Activities for all years your organization has been in operations.
-
-
Copy of IRS letter or certificate verifying tax-exempt status.
-
Copy of current IRS W-9 Tax Form.
-
Copy of the organization’s certificate of incorporation (or “Charter document”, or “Articles of Organization”).
-
Completed Duplication of Benefit verification worksheet.
-
Completed Conflict of Interest Form.
-
Completed Debarment/Suspension Certification Form.
-
Completed Financial Certification Statement.
Additional Evidence – (Optional) to further support the review of your application
- Additional Evidence to demonstrate a negative economic impact was sustained may include the following:
- Past-due Mortgage/Rent Statements
- Past-due utility bills
- Evidence of reduced or inhibited fund-raising activities due to COVID-19
- Copies of invoices or evidence of COVID-19 related expenses incurred
- Evidence or statements of lost funds or income due to COVID-19 (if applicable – must be certified by the organization’s president, treasurer, or owner).
Ineligible Costs
Applicants may not apply for or use any awarded funding to cover the following ineligible activities or costs:
- Loss that bears no relation or is grossly disproportionate to the type or extent of harm experienced due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
- Contributions to rainy day funds, financial reserves, or similar funds.
- Payment of interest or principal on outstanding debt instruments.
- Inherently religious activities, such as worship, religious instruction, or proselytization, and/or those that promote or inhibit religious interest.
- Lobbying, support of candidates for public office, or other political activities.
- Economic hardship incurred for reasons other than the pandemic.
- Direct reimbursement for invoices, receipts, or expenditures dated prior to March 3, 2021.
Application Process
Program applications will be available through the City’s website at www.yorkcity.org/grants starting on Monday, January 22nd, 2024.
If an applicant does not have computer access, a hard copy application can be requested by sending an email request to NPgrantsupport@yorkcity.org or picked up from the City’s Department of Economic and Community Development located at City Hall, 101 South George Street, York, PA. When complete, hard copy applications must be submitted back to the City’s Community Development Office. Hard copy applications must be legible. All applications must be submitted by Monday, February 26th, 2024, at 3PM EST. Late submissions will not be accepted.
The application packet must include the information listed below:
- Completed Application.
- Completed Beneficiary Documentation Checklist.
Staff is available to answer questions about the application requirements, eligible activities, or the funding process. Please contact NPgrantsupport@yorkcity.org with questions you may have. A team member will respond to your message within 3- 5 business days.
City staff will review grant applications for completeness and eligibility. Applicants may be asked to revise proposals or provide additional information or clarifications, if needed.
Complete and eligible applications will then be reviewed by a review panel. The panel will meet to discuss the applications and make a recommendation for funding to the Mayor and City Council. The Mayor and Council will consider the panel’s recommendations and make final award determinations.
Application Review Criteria
Award allocations will be based on the total number of applicants, completeness of applications, expense eligibility, organizational need, community benefit, and organizational operating budget size. No cash match is required.
Review panel members may consider the following factors in their evaluation:
- Alignment of the request with the City’s mission and vision.
- Organization is a qualifying and eligible entity.
- Grant narrative clearly defines the financial hardship incurred and can be supported through the financial documentation made available.
- Organization’s good standing with the city and compliance with local, state, and federal laws.
- Organization is located within a Qualified Census Tract and primarily provides service to low- or moderate-income populations or the following traditionally underserved minority groups within the city:
- Black or African American
- American Indian or Alaskan Native
- Asian
- Hispanic/Latino
- Other non-white races
- Anticipated impact to the community based on estimated number of residents/households the organization serves.
- Other factors as deemed appropriate by the panel.
Program Timeline
The city anticipates the following schedule for reviewing submitted applications and determining funding awards:
Monday, Jan 22nd, 2024 Open application
Jan 22nd – Feb 26th, 2024 Application assistance (must email)
Monday, Feb 26th, 2024 @ 3PM EST Deadline for application submissions
Feb 27th – Mar 7th, 2024 Application eligibility review period
Mar 11th – Mar 29th, 2024 Application scoring period
April 2024 Announce Awards
May 2024 City staff begin drafting grant agreements
-
Additional Disclosures
PUBLIC RECORD
Unless otherwise exempt under applicable law, applications and application materials are public records. All information received from an applicant, whether received in connection with a grant application or in connection with any grant-funded activities performed, are subject to disclosure pursuant to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public Records Law unless otherwise exempt.
AFFIDAVIT, WAIVER, AND RELEASE FORM
All nonprofit organizations offered a grant who choose to accept the grant will be required to sign a non-negotiable affidavit, waiver, and release form prior to payment being made. The affidavit will require the applicant to declare that all information contained in the application is true and correct and can be used as admissible evidence in any legal proceeding against the company if the city attempted to recoup any grant funds provided under false pretenses.
AGREEMENT REQUIREMENT
Grant awards will be made in the form of an agreement executed between the applicant and the city. Any additional grant requirements will be outlined in the grant agreement. Failure to comply with the requirements may result in disqualification from future grant cycles. Additional information may be required at the city’s discretion, based on the usage of funds.
