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Effingham County keeps $53,100 in ARPA for child care scholarships, frees $78,630 for infrastructure
Summary
The county board voted to retain $53,100 of ARPA funds for a Child Care Gap Scholarship program through Dec. 2026 and to recoup $78,630 back to infrastructure allocations after a presentation by the county Child Care Research Committee.
The Effingham County Tax & Finance Committee voted to retain $53,100 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the county’s Child Care Gap Scholarship program and to recoup the remaining $78,630 of that earmark back into infrastructure allocations.
Courtney, representing the F&M County Child Care Research Committee, told the committee the panel has awarded five scholarships and has two pending applications. She said the committee requests the $53,100 remain available to continue those awards through December 2026 and that the two pending applicants will be considered at the committee’s Oct. 7 meeting.
Legal staff and county counsel advised the board on conditions for recovering unused funds under federal ARPA rules. Speaker 5 explained three primary exceptions that permit recapture: default under a subaward agreement, mutual termination for convenience, and initial ineligibility for the award. He recommended drafting subaward agreements with explicit payment schedules and default provisions so unused scholarship money can return to the county prior to the ARPA spending deadline.
Speaker 2 moved to change the earmark to retain $53,100 for scholarships and recoup $78,630 to infrastructure ARPA funds; Speaker 5 seconded. After brief discussion, the committee voted by voice and the motion carried.
The committee noted the $53,100 figure reflects current awards plus two pending applications and stressed that any unused portion after scholarship recipients become ineligible would revert to the county.
