Using the 5W's approach, the example below demonstrates one way the City of Conyers is channeling ARPA funds into the community.
A screenshot of the "ARPA Funds Assistance" webpage on City of Conyers' website.
Who?
Conyers’ ARPA funding is accessible to residents within the Conyers city limits and local small businesses (any business with 25 or fewer employees).
What?
The City of Conyers, GA has allocated $500,000 of its $6 million total ARPA funds to provide aid to residents and local businesses - $250,000 for each group. Qualifying individual residents can receive $1,000, while qualifying businesses can receive $5,000. Notably, aid is provided on a first-come, first served basis – only the first 250 approved residents and first 50 approved businesses will receive funds.
ARPA Funds Assistance (conyersga.com)
All individuals or business owners who work for the government (local, state, and federal), serve as elected officials (including school boards), or received previous Rockdale County ARPA funds are not eligible for the Conyers ARPA relief fund. Immediate family of Conyers or Rockdale County employees are ineligible for individual funds, and non-profit organization are currently ineligible for small business funds.
Eligible residents must 1) live within the City of Conyers’ limits (a point of confusion for residents of unincorporated Rockdale County whose mailing addresses read “Conyers”), 2) have an AGI of $50,000, and 3) have experienced verified hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic, verified with unemployment benefits or late mortgage/rent/utilities payments.
Eligible small businesses must 1) have been in operation for at least two years prior to November 1, 2021, and 2) experienced revenue loss of at least 35% since March 1, 2020.
Sample documents
Where?
Located about 30 minutes east of Atlanta, Conyers is the largest city in Rockdale County with a population of 16,107.
When?
Online application portals for ARPA fund applications opened on January 3, 2022, and remains open as of March 30, 2022.
Why?
The COVID-19 pandemic has repeatedly interrupted business operations and employment over the past two years – many residents have had their ability to pay bills stretched to the absolute limit, and many local small businesses (the lifeblood of any local economy) are still attempting to make up the ground lost during these interruptions.
A screenshot of a February 2, 2022 Instagram post announcing the ARPA Funds Assistance program, from the @cityofconyersga account.
City Contact
Isabel Rogers, Chief Financial Officer: isabel.rogers@conyersga.gov, 770-785-5042
Media reporting
City of Conyers opens applications for ARPA grants on Jan. 3 - On Common Ground News - 24/7 local news (ocgnews.com)