Original News Post

Monroe County Executive Adam Bello, along with members of the Monroe County Legislature and other community partners, today announced the community organizations and vendors who will receive a share of the county’s $144 million federal American Rescue Plan Act allocation. The initiatives funded will bring positive change in high-priority areas: workforce development and economic recovery; public health and wellness; public safety; and infrastructure along with sustainability.

“The initiatives I’m announcing today align perfectly with the four focus areas my administration is targeting to Bring Monroe Back: public safety, public health, economic/workforce development and infrastructure. These initiatives will help us lay the foundation for a long-term, collaborative recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, positioning Monroe County for a safer, more equitable and more prosperous future,” said County Executive Bello. “By actively participating in multiple outreach sessions held over the course of a year, the residents of Monroe County told us how to prioritize these vital ARPA funds: with thoughtful, deliberate investments that will inspire transformative change in our community.”

ARPA was signed into law on March 11, 2021 and allocated $1.9 trillion in federal emergency relief and recovery funds, of which $350 billion was designated to support state, local, territorial and Tribal governments. Through the efforts of Congressman Joseph D. Morelle, and Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, Monroe County is the recipient of $144,080,127 in local fiscal recovery funds.

“As lead negotiator of the American Rescue Plan Act, I was proud we delivered over $144 million to Monroe County to lift up residents, institutions, small businesses, and more to recover and build for the future, and I applaud County Executive Bello for ensuring these funds are being used to directly target the needs of the community,” said Sen. Schumer. “From job training and a fund for small businesses, to mental health clinics, a program to prevent Black maternal mortality, and support for child care providers, these investments are laying the foundation for Monroe County’s success for years to come.”

“Recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic presents us with an historic opportunity to revitalize our entire community and make the types of long-term investments our families deserve,” said Congressman Joseph Morelle. “County Executive Bello seized that opportunity and facilitated a collaborative process that drew in our community, involving residents – the people who would be affected most — in making decisions about how best to allocate these once-in-a-lifetime funds.”

County Executive Bello submitted a referral this week to the Monroe County Legislature detailing the awards and recipients for action at the Legislature’s November meeting.

From the outset, the Bello administration has worked alongside other philanthropic, community and business organizations that also support an equitable and comprehensive recovery, seeking ways to create a multiplier effect for the county’s ARPA investments.

“As an organization committed to helping our community thrive and prosper, we at ESL know it takes collaboration to make progress and success possible. That is why we are excited to partner with our fellow private funders and Monroe County to make the most of these American Rescue Plan Act dollars,” said Faheem Masood, president and CEO of ESL Federal Credit Union. “This collaboration between public and private sectors will allow for investment in more projects that will positively impact people and communities throughout the county.”

Today’s announcement accounts for more than $98 million of Monroe County’s ARPA funds, with $40.6 million invested in workforce/economic development; $56.3 million invested in public health and safety; and $2.1 million invested in infrastructure and sustainability. Remaining funds have been allocated as such: $20 million for broadband improvements; $20 million for ongoing COVID-19 response; $4 million in a public safety fund; and $1 million for administration.

Additional announcements about grant recipients are forthcoming.

Under County Executive Bello’s Bring Monroe Back recovery initiative, the Department of Planning refined a strategic vision for investing the ARPA funding through a community wide survey, testimony from community organizations and three in-person community forums and one virtual public forum.

Community organizations and vendors were selected for ARPA grants following a rigorous application process that kicked off in June. The Department of Planning, in conjunction with an internal review team and voting committee, evaluated the applications and determined the funding awards. Pending approval by the County Legislature, Monroe County will enter into one-year contracts with the selected vendors, with the option to renew for three additional yearlong terms. Contracts will commence on or about Jan. 1, 2023.

In all, 40 organizations and projects were chosen to receive funding. Those include:
$7.1 million for the Community Resource Collaborative to create wraparound services and neighborhood outreach for better collaboration between well-known community organizations in the City neighborhoods known as the “Crescent.”

$5.5 million for the Transformational Community Care Coordination Project, to pay skilled nursing facilities and home health care agencies for the successful recruitment and training of certified nursing assistants, home health aides, licensed practical nurses and registered nurses.

$2.2 million for the Healthy Baby Network to create a doula program to reduce Black maternal and infant mortality and to mentor and work with fathers — with a focus on previously incarcerated individuals.

$2.1million for Providence Housing Development Corp. to provide wraparound services for deaf and hard of hearing individuals fleeing domestic violence or human trafficking.

$1.3 million for the Research Foundation for the State University of New York at Brockport to develop a mobile welding lab to provide training to those with significant barriers to employment including at-risk youth, inmates and individuals on probation.

$1.3 million for Volunteers of America of Western New York for a hydroponic farm that will provide healthy food to vulnerable communities alongside job training and educational opportunities for county residents.

A complete list of awardees is attached. Grant amounts reflect funding that would be received by each organization over a four-year span. In compliance with ARPA guidelines, Monroe County is working to create a centralized reporting system and will work with all selected organizations to establish quarterly reporting requirements.