OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma nonprofit organizations are poised to receive almost $194 million in federal Covid-19 recovery funds, after the proposals were endorsed by a joint legislative committee.
Last week, the Joint Committee on Pandemic Relief Funding passed several bills to fund more than 60 projects with the state’s share of federal American Rescue Plan Act funding.
Oklahoma received $1.87 billion in federal ARPA funds, earmarked for recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
"There were a lot of late nights and early mornings as we worked through the over 1,400 submissions to decide which projects would benefit the most people in our state,” said state Rep. Kevin Wallace, R-Wellston.” I am confident that the projects advanced by the joint committee will have an immediate impact in areas that need assistance and we will see the dividends both now and in the future."
Wallace, co-chair of the Joint Committee on Pandemic Relief Funding, said the Oklahoma Primary Care Association, Boys and Girls Clubs, the Oasis Fresh Market, the Oklahoma Arts Council and the Potts Family Foundation would receive the lion’s share of the funds.
He said lawmakers ultimately funded about 10% of the $18 billion in requests they received.
State nonprofits set to receive funds include:
• $50 million to the OK Primary Care Association for capital needs at the organizaiton’s various locations.
• $30.1 million to Boys & Girls Club Inc. to build out mobile RV units that will have specialized programing for areas where the Boys & Girls Club does not have a physical presence, and for capital needs at their 96 locations.
• $30 million to Oasis Fresh Market to help Oasis expand its footprint across the state.
• $25 million to the YMCA of Oklahoma to expand the outside school hours child care needs at facilities across the state.
• $25 million for Nonprofit Support to establish a grant program to help organizations replace lost revenue due to COVID-19.
• $10 million to the Oklahoma Arts Council for a grant program to be administered by the Arts Council, with 50% of the funds going to rural arts nonprofits and 50% to Oklahoma City and Tulsa.
• $9 million to the Potts Family Foundation to fund the creation of a grant program that will help programs that are serving young Oklahomans who have suffered setbacks during the pandemic.
• $5.2 million for Dental Foundation for the creation of five mobile units to expand their current mobile dental clinic.
• $3 million to Food on the Move to help fund its first Food Hub, which will bring small/local farmers and independent sellers together to buy and sell products.
• $2.8 million to the YWCA to help build one- and two- bedroom apartments to house youth aging out of foster care.
• $2 million to the Family Safety Center to go towards their total need of $27 million for a new facility.
• $1 million to The Spring for facility needs.
• $700,000 to the Parent and Child Center of Tulsa for two intervention programs to prevent child abuse in high-risk communities and better integrate fathers who live separately from their children.
State Rep. Meloyde Blancett, D-Tulsa, said the funds for the Arts Council were necessary for economic development.
“Shoring up our beleaguered arts and culture sector, which is central to attract and retain talent,” she said.
Blancett said lawmakers also chose to invest in out-of-school projects because they are “a key workforce challenge that still needs our attention.”
State Senator Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, said the funds will help improve life in the state for decades.
“Whether it’s ensuring clean water for communities, undertaking the colossal broadband project or assisting those in need of mental health services these are all areas that we have prioritized and funded,” Thompson said in a media statement.
Legislative leaders said the funding bills will go before the full legislature at the end of this month, when lawmakers reconvene the Second Extraordinary Session of the 58th Legislature from Sept. 28 to 30 for consideration of ARPA funding bills.