ARPA funding available for non-profits impacted by COVID-19

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The ASG’s Criminal Justice Planning Agency (CJPA) is proposing funds of $4.5 million to provide financial aid to non-profit organizations in American Samoa impacted by COVID-19 in order to sustain and advance necessary services and programs to direct beneficiaries in the territory during the pandemic

This is according to a new set of documents released by the ASG’s American Relief Plan Act Oversight Office, which first announced in March this year designating CJPA as the ASG agency for “Assistance for Non-Profit Organizations” funded through the territory’s share from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021.

The Oversight Office also announced at the time that $5 million in ARPA funds had been allocated to provide aid to Non-Profit Organizations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. And CJPA was required to provide a proposal as well as other public information for the program, which “will provide non-profits the assistance they need to continue operations and services benefiting the people of American Samoa.”

CJPA’s 15-page proposal states that various nonprofits have become encumbered with loss due to the pandemic and the measures taken by the American Samoa Government with multiple COVID-19 Public Emergency Declarations. “Loss has been in forms of instant decline of human capital and opportunities to obtain funds due to mandated restrictions,” it says.

In an effort to help advance the operations of the nonprofits, CJPA “seeks to prioritize this funding assistance to support goals and initiatives for non-profit entities during a public health emergency pandemic, and to provide direct assistance to better serve communities and the people of American Samoa,” according to the proposal.

The document cites four types of nonprofits, with summary explanation of the role they plan in assisting local residents:

• Nonprofits with a health and human service mission placing a high priority on organizational responsiveness and accountability for citizens’ needs.

• Nonprofit religious organizations with faith-based missions and goals playing a pivotal role in society and local communities in American Samoa.

• Nonprofit charitable organizations contributing substantially to American Samoa’s economic infrastructure and its communities.

• Nonprofits with an education mission providing a wide range of educational and intellectual programs, tutoring, recreational support, and much more.

“Considering the variety of nonprofit capacities and its crucial impact in our communities, it is one of our territory’s greatest means of support for the people of American Samoa,” the proposal states.

In light of the COVID-19 Pandemic, non-profit entities have been highlighted as crucial players in economic growth, infrastructure and social welfare.

CJPA points out that the ARPA funding assistance will greatly support nonprofit organizations to cover an array of operational challenges, financial hardships and loss of revenue during Code Red.

“Building healthy relationships and shared interests among local communities will foster a strong dynamic for nonprofit sectors and leadership,” it says. “The support and benefit of nonprofit organizations will cultivate strengthened connections with an extensive range of nonprofit entities with respective missions and programs that will provide service delivery to all of American Samoa and its communities.”

The CJPA proposal including requirements is posted on the Oversight Office webpage — www.americansamoa.gov/arpa .

Meanwhile, the Human Resources Department began accepting late last month applications from employees of non-profits who were furloughed or laid off when Code Red was activated following the first confirmed community spread case of COVID in late Feb.

The Governor’s Cash Assistance Program is available for workers impacted for the period of Feb. 22 to Apr. 18. Contact the DHR Cash Assistance Program team at 633-7822 for questions.