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Kansas Office of Recovery





February 24, 2023






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This week’s edition of the Office of Recovery Newsletter features an announcement on the Kansas Education Enrichment Program (KEEP) opening for application. The program provides 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 how to apply is below. 

Also featured is an update on the Kansas Homeowner Assistance Fund (KHAF) program. The program has entered a holding phase and new applications will not be reviewed or processed unless sufficient program funds are available. More details are 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. [ [link removed] ] 

 

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Program Spotlight

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*Qualifying Families Can Now Apply for $1000 per Student for Learning Recovery* 

Governor Laura Kelly announced this week that the Kansas Education Enrichment Program (KEEP) is open to applications from qualifying parents and guardians of Kansas students. KEEP provides a $1,000 award per student to pay for various educational goods and services that promote learning recovery and facilitate academic enrichment opportunities.  

KEEP funds may be used on various enrichment and educational activities, including:​  


* Day and overnight camps with academic-related curriculum such as music, arts, science, technology, agriculture, mathematics, and engineering  
* Curriculum and educational materials, including certain technological devices  
* Language classes 
* Musical instruments and lessons  
* Tutoring  

The funds are not eligible for private school tuition. 

Eligibility for KEEP funds is determined by financial need, and funds will be distributed to actively enrolled K-12 Kansas students between the ages of 5-18. Students whose household income is less than 185% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines are eligible. 

Subject to funding availability, future waves of funding may be provided with expanded household income eligibility parameters.  

Families can learn if they qualify, apply for the program, read the full handbook of rules and instructions, and browse the marketplace of qualified service providers at www.keep.ks.gov [ [link removed] ]. Program participants will have access to a web and mobile app for using their awarded funds. 

Earlier this year, businesses that offer educational opportunities and services were invited to join the KEEP Marketplace to assist students and families. Parents and guardians can now search for those opportunities across Kansas on the KEEP Marketplace. Parents and guardians may also submit requests for additional businesses to be added to the Marketplace if they know of a business that would qualify. 

KEEP is being offered through a contract between Merit International, Inc. and the Kansas Office of Recovery to provide educational activities and learning opportunities to students across Kansas to promote educational learning recovery in response to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program is funded with American Rescue Plan Act dollars approved through the SPARK process.  

 

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*Kansas Homeowner Assistance Fund Enters Hold Phase* 

The Kansas Homeowner Assistance Fund (KHAF [ [link removed] ]) [ [link removed] ], a federally funded, temporary emergency program to support homeowners experiencing hardship during the COVID pandemic, has dispersed nearly all program funds and will close soon. KHAF was established with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to help qualifying Kansas homeowners get current on their mortgage payments and avoid foreclosure. Since the program launched in April 2022, KHAF has provided $42,599,772 to 3,797 households. 

"The KHAF program is now in the Hold Phase", the second of three closure phases. On January 30, 2023, households were encouraged to apply for assistance as soon as possible [ [link removed] ]. The program has now received enough applications to exhaust all current funds. Applications submitted during Final Funding Phase will still be reviewed and processed, subject to available funding.  

The closure process will follow three phases. Here’s what this means for Kansas homeowners in need of assistance:  

1. "Final Funding Phase:" On Jan. 30, 2023, homeowners seeking KHAF support were encouraged to apply to be considered for final funding. 

2. "Hold Phase:" The program has received enough applications to fully expend all KHAF funds. Applications submitted during Hold Phase will be placed on hold and will not be reviewed or processed unless sufficient program funds are available. 

3. "Closure Phase: "When all program funds are exhausted the program will close and will stop accepting new applications. 

The KHAF program is now in Hold Phase. The length and dates of each phase will be subject to a variety of factors, including application volume and amount of assistance requested. Each program closure phase will be announced on the KHAF webpage. [ [link removed] ] 

For more questions, applicants can reach KHAF customer service at 855-307-KHAF (5423), or review the KHAF closure FAQs [ [link removed] ]. KHRC’s ongoing housing programs [ [link removed] ] will continue to serve Kansans beyond the closure of the KHAF program.  

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SPARK Programs
SPARK

 

In December 2022 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. 

An overview of approved programs is available on the Office of Recovery’s website [ [link removed] ]. 

Additional details on these competitive funding opportunities, including information on the timeline and process to apply for funding through these programs, will be shared as available.  

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: 


* *ARPA Building Opportunities for the Disabled and Elderly (ABODE) – *[link removed] [ [link removed] ]* * 
* *State Park Revitalization and Investment in Notable Tourism (SPRINT) –* [link removed] [ [link removed] ]* * 

Additional programs will be added to this list as applications open. 

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Updates to Services and Support
Services and Support
*US Treasury Reopens Contact Center* 

The US Treasury has announced the Office of Recovery Programs Contact Center has reopened. 

 The Contact Center closed last year due to an administrative funding shortfall, which impacted Treasury’s ability to provide support to recipients of funding from the Office of Recovery Programs. However, after receiving additional resource from Congress, the Treasury is able to reopen the Contact Center in order to better support recipients of federal COVID-19 relief funds by answering their phone and email inquiries.   

Treasury continues to encourage recipients to use Self-Service Resources as the first step for all questions and inquiries. If questions cannot be resolved through these Self-Service Resources, recipients may reach out to the Contact Center for questions related to recovery programs as follows:


*  State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds: [email protected] or call (844) 529-9527
* Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency: [email protected] or call (844) 529-9527 

 

*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 [ [link removed] ], 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 [ [link removed] ] 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. 






Contact the RO

The Office of Recovery is here to offer support and coordination.  Questions and inquiries may be submitted via the Contact Us [ [link removed] ] form. Please visit covid.ks.gov [ [link removed] ] for up-to-date information and resources on recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic for Kansas residents, businesses, and communities.

*Question/Request Form* [ [link removed] ]


Warm Regards,

*The Office of Recovery*

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