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DuPage County Finance Committee discusses using ARPA interest to fund small nonprofit applicants missing paperwork
Summary
Committee members discussed allocating roughly $950,000 of unallocated ARPA interest to cover two nonprofit small‑agency grant applicants whose paperwork issues prevented funding. Staff provided updated projections of ARPA interest, explained risk of federal clawback was low, and said more information would be circulated before formal action.
DuPage County Finance Committee members discussed on May 27 a staff proposal to use unallocated ARPA interest to cover two nonprofit small‑agency grant applications that missed required paperwork deadlines.
Member Brian Krejewski raised the question under new business after staff reported that two proposed grantees — one that had submitted the wrong IRS filing and another that had provided an out‑of‑date certificate of good standing — otherwise met program criteria. Finance staff said they would provide details to the full board and seek consensus on whether interest earnings on ARPA funds should cover the two organizations.
Mary Catherine, finance staff, told the committee the county’s most recent baseline showed roughly $950,000 in unallocated ARPA interest available. She said the county had seeded several projects with ARPA principal and had about $3 million of ARPA budget spent to date; overall ARPA interest earnings had an earlier forecasted total of about $10.5 million but that figure could be revised downward when the treasurer’s office updates cash‑flow projections.
On risk, staff and the chair said DuPage is in a stronger position than many jurisdictions because it has already received ARPA funds and has been spending and obligating them; the chance of a federal clawback was regarded as low but not impossible. Members asked for a follow‑up with precise numbers and asked staff to return additional information before the board takes formal action.
The committee indicated informal consensus to pursue using ARPA interest for the two nonprofit applicants if staff confirm eligibility and funding mechanics; no formal vote was recorded on committing the interest funds during the May 27 Finance Committee meeting.
Key figures and context: Mary Catherine reported the unallocated ARPA interest pool at approximately $950,000 after recent adjustments. Staff said the county has about $21 million of unspent ARPA principal allocated to several major construction projects and that monthly “burn rate” of construction spending would draw those funds down. Staff also said ARPA interest is not subject to the same spending‑by date as ARPA principal and can remain available for county decisions.
Staff committed to circulate more detailed backup on the two nonprofit applications and the ARPA interest projections to the full board before a final determination.
Ending: Committee members expressed willingness to support the nonprofits pending staff follow‑up and confirmation of amounts and eligibility; the formal appropriation of any ARPA interest funds will require a future board action.
