A: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009, will provide more than $787 billion in spending and tax cuts intended to help stimulate the national economy.
The Foundation Center has collected the best resources on how nonprofits may be able to access stimulus package funding, and our new MapShot: Best ARRA Funding Resources by State connects you to information about funding and other current opportunities in each state.
The Act includes new or expanded government grant programs to provide funding for assistance to communities or individuals affected by the economic crisis. Nonprofit organizations interested in applying for grants provided by this Act should visit the Grants.gov website for a listing of Recovery Act funding opportunities. For-profit organizations can find recovery procurement and contracting opportunities at FedBizOpps.gov.
In order to provide full accountability and transparency for the distribution of stimulus funds, the Federal government has created the Recovery.gov website. Visitors to the site can read the full text of the Act, view a timeline of administrative deadlines, and find news and updates on funding opportunities from Federal agencies.
Most state governments and Federal agencies have also created their own economic recovery sites. Directories of these official sites can be found at Recovery.gov:
The National Council of Nonprofits has issued a series of special reports on the economic stimulus and recovery, including:
- Nonprofit Grant Opportunities - Summarizes the major spending and tax cut provisions of the Act and identifies potential grant opportunities for nonprofits.
- Stimulus Grant Tips and Thoughts - Offers grant information, tips, and considerations for nonprofits interested in applying for stimulus funds.
- Whether and How States are Accepting & Distributing Federal Stimulus Funds - Reviews how state governments have indicated they will handle the Federal funds.
- Sources of Information Regarding Stimulus Funds - Identifies sources of information about the Act and stimulus funds.
The National Council of Nonprofits also encourages organizations to contact their state nonprofit associations or their state and Congressional representatives for more information on local stimulus funding.
Selected resources below may also be helpful.
Independent Sector - Economic Recovery Act and Nonprofits - Provides this analysis and commentary on the Act at its site, along with tips for nonprofit organizations on establishing strong ties with policymakers.
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: State-By-State Estimates of Key Provisions Affecting Low- and Moderate-Income Individuals - This report, issued by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, outlines key provisions of the Act affecting low- and moderate-income individuals and includes a state-by-state analysis of these funding provisions.
StateRecovery.org - A service of the Council on State Governments, StateRecovery.org is targeted towards officials in state government, but contains useful information on federal assistance, listings of grant opportunities, and a series of reports analyzing the prospective impact of stimulus funding at the state level.
National Conference of State Legislatures - Economic Stimulus 2009 - Provides summaries and analysis of major provisions of the Act for state legislators, but also includes information that can useful to the general public.
National Governors Association - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - Created to provide information on state implementation of ARRA, analysis of the Act’s provisions for a range of topics, and links to additional resources.
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Stephen Sherman, Reference Librarian, Foundation Center-Atlanta
