This week’s edition of the Office of Recovery Newsletter features an announcement of two new grant programs for Housing and Tourism approved through the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) process. Also included is information on the Kansas Childcare Capacity Accelerator program, also approved through the SPARK process, which is now accepting letters of interest from potential applicants.
Also featured is an announcement of the Kansas Education Enrichment Program (KEEP) which will provide qualifying parents and guardians with a one-time $1,000 award per child to pay for educational goods and services, such as tutoring and school supplies. Information on the program and timeline for applying for an award is included below.
For the latest Treasury updates and information about resources available to Kansans, see the “Updates to Services and Support” section of this newsletter. For the most up-to-date information, please visit the Office of Recovery website at: COVID.ks.gov.
Kansas Department of Commerce Announces $40 million in ARPA Funded Housing and Tourism Grant Programs
The Kansas Department of Commerce has announced $40 million will be made available under the ARPA Building Opportunities for the Disabled and Elderly (ABODE) and State Park Revitalization and Investment in Notable Tourism (SPRINT) grant programs. The ABODE program will provide $10 million in funding for new construction projects and renovation of affordable multi-dwelling housing units for persons with disabilities and the elderly. The SPRINT program will distribute $30 million for investments in regional tourism assets and state parks.
The funds were designated by the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Executive Committee and approved by the State Finance Council in December.
ABODE applications can include health and safety renovations to existing buildings or construction of new multi-housing units that accommodate individuals who are elderly and/or disabled. Project design, engineering costs and architectural designs are also permitted as eligible expenditures. Awardees will have two years to complete their projects and utilize all awarded funds.
Eligible ABODE applicants include:
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Residential property developers
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Nonprofit organizations in good standing with the state of Kansas
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Counties and local units of government
- Existing entities that provide housing designed specifically for older adults and people with disabilities
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Public housing authorities.
SPRINT applications can include, but are not limited to:
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Infrastructure enhancements, capital projects, renovations
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Construction, engineering and architecture, planning, inspections and environmental assessments
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Renovation and repair of indoor and outdoor facilities, roads and utility connections adjacent to the project site
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Development of public land to create a tourism destination
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Costs associated with recruitment of new permanent and semi-permanent exhibits
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Application costs for national museum affiliation
Eligible SPRINT applicants include:
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Kansas state parks
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Convention and Visitor Bureaus
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Counties and local units of government
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Museums
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Conference centers
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Performing arts centers
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Entertainment venues
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Other tourism-focused businesses and tourism agencies.
The ABODE and SPRINT grant applications both opened on January 30, with submissions closing at 11:59 p.m. Monday, February 27, for both programs.
Applicants can contact [email protected] for any questions regarding this funding opportunity.
Kansas Child Care Capacity Accelerator Program Accepting Letters of Interest
The Kansas Child Care Capacity Accelerator, a grant program approved through the SPARK process that will provide support to childcare providers in their efforts to create affordable and accessible child care seats, is now accepting letters of interest.
The Child Care Capacity Accelerator program, administered by the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, will provide grants to support community-based applicants to build or make capital improvements that create additional licensed child care seats that align with health and safety requirements and address systemic challenges to sustaining those child care seats.
Letters of interest for Kansas Child Care Capacity Accelerator funding are optional but encouraged. These letters serve as an opportunity for potential applicants to introduce their proposed project and to participate in the feedback process that will help to achieve alignment with the current fiscal and programmatic scope of available funding.
Guidelines for the submission of letters of intent are available here. Applicant communities may ask questions and submit their Letter of Interest to [email protected].
Learning Recovery Program Announced
As Kansas students continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Laura Kelly announced the creation of the Kansas Education Enrichment Program (KEEP), which will provide qualifying parents and guardians with a one-time $1,000 award per child to pay for educational goods and services, such as tutoring and school supplies.
KEEP will open for application on Feb. 22. Kansas businesses that provide educational materials or services are urged to join the KEEP Marketplace.
Students whose household income is less than 185% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines will be eligible for KEEP funds.
KEEP funds will be able to be used on enrichment and educational activities including:
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The purchase of curriculum and educational materials, including school supplies and certain allowed technological devices.
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Camps with academic-related curriculum, such as music, arts, science, technology, agriculture, mathematics and engineering.
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Tutoring.
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Language classes.
- Musical instruments and lessons.
The funds won’t be eligible for private school tuition.
Parents and guardians may select enrichment and educational activities from approved service providers via the online KEEP Marketplace or request that a service provider be approved and added to the statewide directory.
Businesses interested in becoming a provider on the KEEP Marketplace can apply to become a Qualified Education Service Provider on the program website: www.keep.ks.gov.
More information on how families can apply for, access, and use their funds is forthcoming and will be available in February when the KEEP application launches.
KEEP is being offered through a contract between Merit International Inc. and the Kansas Office of Recovery, with the goal of providing educational activities and learning opportunities to students across Kansas to promote educational learning recovery in response to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In December the State Finance Council approved a total of $374 million in COVID-19 relief funds for broadband infrastructure and adoption, the modernization and improvement of government services, economic development, and health and education initiatives recommended by the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Executive Committee.
The portfolio of approved funding includes competitive grant programs in the four SPARK Advisory Panel areas: Connectivity, Efficiency and Modernization, Health and Education, and Economic Revitalization.
Additional details on these competitive funding opportunities, including information on the timeline and process to apply for funding through these programs, will be forthcoming from administering agencies by the end of February.
Those that previously submitted an idea submission to the SPARK process will be notified of funding opportunities relevant to their proposal once that information is available.
Programs approved through the SPARK process that are currently open for application include:
Additional programs will be added to this list as applications open.
COVID-19 Retail Storefront Property Tax Relief Funding Is Still Available
In June 2022, bipartisan House Bill 2136 was signed into law, investing $50 million to help small businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 Retail Storefront Property Tax Relief Program is still available to provide financial assistance to certain businesses impacted by COVID-19 related shutdowns and restrictions during tax years 2020 and 2021.
The COVID-19 Retail Storefront Property Tax Relief Program is funded through the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which requires a federal Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) to be completed for a business to be eligible to receive assistance.
The UEI is issued at no cost through the federal System for Award Management website, SAM.gov.
Due to recent increases in the number of entities registering with SAM.gov, it may take up to 25 business days for new registrations to be processed.
For any issues related to registering with SAM.gov or obtaining a UEI, applicants can contact the Federal Service Desk at 866-606-8220.
Once registration is complete and confirmed, business owners can apply for the COVID-19 Retail Storefront Property Tax Relief Program through an online application created by KDOR. The application provides definitions, explains the assistance process in detail, and specifies exactly what information must be provided and/or submitted in support of the application.
Applicants with questions regarding the COVID-19 Retail Storefront Property Tax Relief Program can contact the Kansas Department of Revenue at 785-368-8660.
Small business owners have until April 15, 2023, to apply for this financial assistance.
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