With America experiencing the worst economic conditions in decades, President Obama and Congressional leaders acted swiftly this year to enact a $787 billion economic stimulus package that blended an aggressive program of government expenditures with targeted tax relief. To obtain the maximum benefit in the minimum amount of time, the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009” (ARRA) directs that a large portion of the funding be expended before Labor Day.

Although driven by a desire to address the immediate problems facing our nation’s economy and to help shore up a strained social safety net, the Act also has an eye to the future. Crafters of the legislation sought not only to create jobs immediately, but also to fund programs and projects that will pay long-term benefits to the economy. Monies, therefore, were directed to programs such as job training and the transition to electronic medical records, among other initiatives.

Under the Act, state and local governments are key partners in the economic recovery effort, receiving funding in more than 130 program areas. 

Every Texas county, regardless of its size, has a chance to obtain funding for vital programs as a result of this legislation. It’s imperative, therefore, that Texas county officials act quickly to educate themselves about the law and be ready to apply for and/or utilize funds once they become available.

Aid Available to Texas County Governments

Most areas of local and state government operations stand to benefit from the funds appropriated by the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” (ARRA). A majority, but not all, of the dollars will be allocated in accordance with existing formulas and practices, with some funds going directly to local governments (bypassing the state). Some dollars will be awarded via competitive grants, others will be available on a loan basis only (although some may be zero interest loans).

Pre-Application Procedures
Federal agencies require grant applicants to possess a DUNS (Data Universal Number System) number in order to submit grant applications. A DUNS number is a unique nine-digit sequence recognized as the universal standard for identifying and tracking entities receiving federal funds. If your agency does not have a DUNS number, you may obtain one here.

In addition, applicants for federal funds must have a current registration in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) system. To remain active, a registration must be updated or renewed annually. To register with the system or to update/renew your registration, see www.ccr.gov.