The City of Knoxville is actively pursuing funding opportunities available as part of the "American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act" (ARRA), which is often referred to as the "stimulus package."
The city has been informed that it is already eligible to receive at least $10.6 million in stimulus funding, provided it submits the necessary applications, project plans and/or other required documents by specified deadlines. The City of Knoxville has not received any of these funds yet.
The city is also seeking other grants that could be total millions of dollars in additional funding.
The ARRA - passed by Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama in February - is a $787 billion measure designed primarily to stimulate the economy and create new jobs while saving existing ones. It also aims to address infrastructure needs and improve domestic energy production and use.
A little more than $575 billion of the funds will be injected into the economy with much of the money flowing through state governments. There are at least 75 major federal stimulus programs offered through more than a dozen agencies ranging from the U.S. Departments of Agriculture to Transportation.
Cities like Knoxville will seek stimulus funds directly from federal government agencies or from various State of Tennessee departments.
The funding will be obtained through a combination of block grants awarded on the basis of some type formula - for example a city's population - or in the form of competitive grants that various cities will contend for.
Because the stimulus funding has to be allocated by the end of September there is a compressed time frame to take the actions necessary to obtain and compete for the funding. Adding to the sense of urgency is that some of the federal programs distributing the funds are still developing the specific requirements needed to obtain them.
Currently the City of Knoxville, though it's different departments, is preparing numerous applications for stimulus funding from multiple sources.
The file will display, funding the city is applying for current status of those applications what the city has received and what it plans to do with the money.
The city's plans for the funds received will move from the general to the more specific during the spring and summer months as the distributing agencies develop their guidelines.
The lists - which will be divided by city department - will be updated regularly.
As of April 27, 2009, the City of Knoxville has received notice that it is eligible to receive the following formula funding (applications and other requirements are pending).
THESE FUNDS HAVE NOT YET BEEN RECEIVED BY THE CITY:
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
$771,000 - Homeless Prevention & Rapid Re-housing Program
Funding will support two existing programs designed to prevent at-risk households from becoming homeless and re-housing homeless families in addition to helping elderly and disabled residents at risk for eviction.
$504,000 - Community Development Block Grant R
Funding will support programs assuring decent, affordable housing; creating economic opportunity, primarily for low and moderate income individuals; and supporting business expansion and retention.
$2 million - Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant (joint award with Policy & Communications)
Funding will be used for programs designed to reduce fossil fuel emissions and total energy use
POLICY & COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT
$2 million - Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant (joint award with Community Development)
KNOX AREA TRANSIT
$5.8 million - Federal Transit Administration funds
Funds will be used for transit center construction; energy efficiency renovations for the Magnolia Avenue facilities and maintenance needs.
ENGINEERING
$1,574,361 - U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration funds
Funds will be used for software to improve traffic signal timing, construction of the Papermill Bluff Greenway, and for resurfacing projects on Whittle Springs Road and Woodland Avenue