In accordance with the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) guidelines, the County of Kauai will ensure an equity-centered approach to distributing ARPA funds. The Biden Administration defines equity as “the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.”
The US Treasury advises jurisdictions to develop an equity strategy, use ARPA funds to prioritize economic and racial equity as a goal, name specific targets intended to produce meaningful equity results at scale, and articulate the strategies to achieve those targets. As part of the application process for the Nonprofit Recovery Grant Program, applicants will be asked to reflect on the intention of their work and who they are supporting, and to identify how they can incorporate more equitable processes within their organization. Additionally, data will be collected to gain a broader sense of who is involved in the work of the non-profit organizations and who is impacted by the work of the non-profit organizations.