Kendall County will hand out federal COVID-19 relief cash to local non-profits

YORKVILLE – When the Kendall County Board was distributing federal COVID-19 relief funds to local nonprofits last year, many of the social service agencies and community groups were denied the grant money or gave up on the application process.

The problem for many of these nonprofit organizations, often operating with a skeleton staff, was a requirement to include federal tax information in the application to the county.

County officials said they have learned from the experience and are eliminating that requirement and instead asking for documentation showing lost revenue as they set in motion a new round of grants for the nonprofits.

The county will distribute $900,000 to nonprofit agencies and community groups in this new round of grants. The maximum amount to be awarded to each applicant is $25,000. The money is coming from the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

Often reliant on community fundraising events, nonprofits were particularly hard-hit by the limitations imposed by the pandemic, even as the demand for their services frequently increased.

The county government is expected to open a portal on its website May 27 for the new round of grant applications, for nonprofit agencies and groups serving Kendall County residents.

Kendall County Board Finance Committee Chairman Matt Kellogg said those organizations that have already received a grant will not be eligible again.

The County Board is expected to give final approval for the program at a special meeting May 26.

Last year, the county distributed more than $440,000 in ARPA money to nonprofits.

This year, the board handed out $2 million to 88 small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most received the $25,000 maximum.

However, another 200 businesses still were waiting when the $2 million budget was exhausted.

Kellogg said the county is receiving many requests from units of local government seeking ARPA money for infrastructure projects.

For example, the village of Montgomery is seeking funds to make water system improvements in the Boulder Hill area, Kellogg said.

The county also is earmarking $100,000 for the creation of a 211 community call center designed to provide residents with information about social services, health care, financial assistance and other aid, Kellogg said.