Lansing, MI (Oct. 15, 2021) – A collaboration between Ingham County and Capital Area Community Services Inc. (CACS) will provide $5 million for local assistance as a part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). CACS will use these funds to provide direct assistance to eligible Ingham County residents as well as financial support to other local nonprofits, community organizations, and neighborhood groups.
Direct Assistance funds are available now and will be used to support Ingham County residents impacted by COVID-19. Households that are unable to meet their daily living needs due to the pandemic will be eligible for this program. Fund information can be accessed online at www.cacs-in.org/uplift-ingham-program
Direct client assistance will consist of $3.6 million of the funds. These services include:
- Home repairs necessary to resident health and safety
- Dental assistance
- Medical assistance and mental health assistance
- Transportation assistance
- Food security
- Any other type of needs not covered by existing COVID funding but are essential for local households to survive the financial difficulties they face due to the pandemic
People can apply for these funds by calling their local CACS Service Center where service center staff will help apply for available programs that fit each person’s individual needs. There are two service centers in Ingham County, the Lansing/East Lansing Service Center and Rural Ingham Service Center (Mason).
Lansing/ East Lansing Service Center
(517) 393-7077
Rural Ingham Service Center
Other services that funds will be used to provide include financial literacy and foreclosure assistance ($300,000), connection to mental health and other medical services ($300,000), and financial support for other nonprofits and community organizations called the Uplift Ingham Grant ($300,000).
The Uplift Ingham Grant will range from $5,000 to $20,000 based on demonstrated need and community impact. Eligible nonprofits, community organizations, and neighborhood groups for this program are entities that are making efforts to relieve COVID in their communities.
Application submissions begin October 20 (12:01 a.m.) to November 19 (11:59 p.m.)
Recipients of the Uplift Ingham Grant will be announced on December 10. Recipients will receive grant funds by December 17.
Small nonprofits must meet ALL of the following criteria:
- Be a local nonprofit, including social services and advocacy organizations, libraries, museums, churches, religious centers, philanthropic organizations, and more.
- Have a physical location in Ingham County.
- Have 1 to 25 employees on payroll (full-time and part-time) working from the location applying to the grant.
- Has been directly and negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in an economic crisis.
- Can demonstrate a need for working capital to support payroll, rent, mortgage payments, utility bills or other similar expenses currently, or in the future to recover and grow operations.
- Can demonstrate a need for working capital to provide supportive services to underserved populations in their community.
- Remained in compliance with all state and local governmental and public health orders related to COVID-19 since March 2020.
- Is not involved in the growing, manufacturing, distribution, or sale of cannabis products.
Applications and information regarding scoring can be found at https://cacs-inc.org/uplift-ingham-grant/
Email application to upliftingham@cacs-inc.org or mail a physical copy to Capital Area Community Services with the mailing address for 1301 Rensen St, Lansing, MI 48910
These grants are not first come first served. Applications will be reviewed after the application period closes on Nov. 19, 2021, and will be awarded based on the public scoring criteria.
About Capital Area Community Services:
CACS was founded on the principal mission of uplifting the communities we serve out of poverty in Ingham, Eaton, Clinton, and Shiawassee Counties by providing programs in childhood education, nutrition, weatherization, housing, and financial counseling. Our ultimate goal is to provide the services and support for individuals to achieve their definition of success and quality of life.
