The Wake County Board of Commissioners today voted unanimously to fund 71 projects totaling $20 million that will support the county’s goals and lift up our community’s most vulnerable residents. Dubbed “Elevate Wake,” the initiative uses American Rescue Plan Act funds from the federal government to invest in these worthwhile efforts.
“Local nonprofit groups submitted more than 200 applications for funding, and we picked the 71 projects that will make the biggest difference in our growing community,” said Chair Sig Hutchinson of the Wake County Board of Commissioners. “From helping struggling families to improving access to healthcare, these projects will offer the support our residents need, especially as we transition out of the pandemic.”
Examples of the projects receiving funding from Wake County include:
- Boys & Girls Club of Wake County – $2 million to relocate its Brentwood Club to the Dream Center on Fox Road in Raleigh. The funds will also allow the organization to upgrade its HVAC systems and replace aging activity buses that break down regularly and prevent youth from reaching development activities.
- Lucy Daniels Center – $900,000 to build a 4,500-square-foot expansion on land next to the center that is already graded and ready for construction. The new space will enable the integrated behavioral healthcare facility to serve 1,100 more children and their families in its outpatient clinic.
- El Centro Hispano Inc. – $400,000 to help community members access resources to get back on track in the aftermath of COVID-19. The funds will also support workforce training, advance racial equity and inclusion, and help parents of K-12 students guide their children to success academically.
- Community Technical Assistance Inc. – $380,000 to establish a small community farm to grow fresh fruits and vegetables to reduce the negative impact of COVID-19 on minorities’ health and diet. CTA will partner with three local churches – St. Matthew African Methodist Episcopal Church, St. James AMEC and Union Bethel AMEC – on this project.
- Diaper Bank of NC – $137,000 to provide free diapers and wipes to low-income families in Wake County with children under the age of three. Local community-based organizations working in partnership with the Diaper Bank of NC will distribute these resources to families in need.
A list of all 71 projects is available here. The funding they will receive is not recurring.
The Selection Process
From October to December 2021, Wake County conducted a community survey, which asked residents to rank how it should spend the $216 million in ARPA funds. It received 24,728 responses from 2,903 residents.
At the same time, the county invited nonprofits and not-for-profits to apply for $20 million of these funds. A team of county staff reviewed all 210 projects submitted and recommended 71 for funding.
The recommended projects represent a broad investment geographically across the community, address a variety of service categories and represent a mix of groups with established ties to the county, as well as new organizations.
Each recipient will enter into an agreement with the county that will include the stated use of project funds, conditions of funding, reporting requirements and project monitoring. The agreement will also include provisions for the repayment of funds if the terms are not met or if the funds cease to be used for the stated purposes.
