To qualify, a nonprofit agency must meet all the criteria below:

• Principally based within Hillsborough County, including the City of Tampa, Plant City, and Temple Terrace
• Provide essential safety net services including Medical Services, Congregate Living Safety Services, Food Services, Housing Stability Services, Training and Adult Education Services,  Child Care & Education Services, Elder Care Services, and Mental Health Services
• Active, open, and operating (in person or virtually)
• Registered as a 501(c)(3) for one full calendar year prior to applying for the award
• Fully licensed as a nonprofit, and up to date on tax payments/filings to include a recently filed IRS Form 990, an independently audited financial statement, or an independently reviewed financial statement
• Directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in at least one of the following manners:
  • Lost revenue due to pandemic-based causes, e.g., due to shutdowns, lost sponsorships, inability to hold fundraising events
  • Incurred unplanned costs to comply with safety and health standards and/or reopening requirements, e.g., modifying facilities for social distancing
  • Incurred unplanned costs for new programming designed to assist those impacted by the pandemic and its economic effects
  • Incurred unplanned costs for technology to enable virtual working
• Must provide a narrative explaining the impact of COVID-19 on the nonprofit’s operations
• Must attest to not using requested funds for the same costs for which previously received County CARES Act awards were used
• Must not have received or have been approved to receive County ARP funding via a separate initiative, project, or program. For a list of ineligible agencies, click here.

• IRS Form 990: All pages of your most recently filed IRS Form 990 as referenced above, an independently audited financial statement, or an independently reviewed financial statement.
• Signed W9 Form: A signed and scanned copy of your W9 Form as a pdf file. The address listed on your W-9 must match your physical location in Hillsborough County. If it does not match or you do not have a complete form, you may access a blank W9 form to complete here.
• If the address listed on your IRS Form 990, independently audited financial statement, or independently reviewed financial statement does not match your physical location in Hillsborough County, you will be required to provide additional documentation illustrating proof of your location. (see question below).

You can apply online through the Nonprofit Safety Net Program application portal. If you are experiencing problems when applying, you may contact the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay at (813) 609-4865 or jscites@cftampabay.org.

If your agency received funding under the initial Safety Net Program last year, you are eligible for an American Recovery Plan program award.

If your agency has been previously approved for or received funding from Hillsborough County under its American Recovery Plan program, your agency would be ineligible for an award. For a list of ineligible agencies, click here.

The award must be used to address at least one of the following:

• Lost revenue due to pandemic, e.g. shutdowns, lost sponsorships, inability to hold fundraising.
• Unplanned costs to comply with safety and health standards or reopening requirements.
• Unplanned program costs to assist those disparately impacted by the pandemic and its effects.
• Unplanned costs for technology to enable virtual working.

Assistance is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis and while funding remains available.  It is recommended you complete your application all at once to ensure your application is submitted before all of the funding is awarded. The final deadline to apply will be June 10, 2022 based on remaining availability of funds.

No. You must meet ALL eligibility requirements to be eligible.

Once your application is accepted and your agency is determined eligible, qualified agencies will receive a one-time award as follows:

•  Level I – Revenue levels up to $49,999 shall be awarded $2,500
• Level II – Revenue levels from $50,000 to $99,999 shall be awarded $10,000
• Level III – Revenue levels from $100,000 to $499,999 shall be awarded $20,000
• Level IV – Revenue levels over $500,000 shall be awarded $30,000

Revenue thresholds are based on the most recently filed IRS Form 990 (since 2019) or an independently audited financial statement from the most recent fiscal year.

Every request is unique and processing eligibility and payment time will vary.  However, it is anticipated that payments will be made within two weeks of your application being approved.

Yes. You will be required to produce an online follow-up report describing how the funding was used within 45 days of receiving the award.

Agencies are also encouraged to keep records of their expenditures for audit purposes.

Any funding awarded under this program must be fully expensed and reported by August 12, 2022.

If the address on your IRS Form 990, independently audited financial statement, or independently reviewed financial statement does not match your physical Hillsborough County Location, you will need to provide the following within the application.

1. Proof of Physical Location: Documentation verifying your nonprofit’s physical location within Hillsborough County, including the City of Tampa, Plant City, and Temple Terrace. Acceptable documentation will include the name of your nonprofit organization and its Hillsborough County address. Examples include:

• current property lease/deed,
• recent utility bill (no older than two months),
• recent bank or credit card statement, or
• insurance policy or paid premium bill

**Please note there may be additional steps in the verification process.

2. Physical Location Verification Letter: A statement on agency letterhead stating why the address listed on your IRS Form 990 does not match your Hillsborough County location and affirming that any monies awarded under this program will be utilized for expenditures incurred at the Hillsborough location. This letter should be placed on agency letterhead and signed by the CEO, Executive Director, or Board Chair. An example letter template can be accessed through the application.

For questions or more information, please contact Desiree Ward at dward@cftampabay.org or call 813-280-0664.

Once you log into the online grant portal, you should be on your Applicant Dashboard. If not, click the house icon at the top of the page, just to the right of the CFTB logo. Then scroll down the page to the Active Request heading and you will see the Hillsborough County’s American Rescue Plan (ARP) Nonprofit Safety Net Program. In this section there will be a listing for the Final Use of Financial Assistance Report Form. Click the Edit hyperlink to access and complete the report. The individual who submitted the report will have access to the final report under their log-in.