April 2023

Regional Impacts

ECC hosted a 2-day grant writing workshop for our members on March 20th and 21st. We had 27 individuals from across our region participating in the training taught by ECC Community Planner Holly Craighead. Thanks to Holly and the rest of the ECC staff for their efforts, and thank you to our members for their support of this workshop and for their investment of time and energy! We hope this workshop helped assist towns and counties access grant funds to help their communities.

ECC Provides Training Workshop to the Town of Pink Hill Planning Board

On March 7^th, ECC Senior Community Planner Carlton Gideon provided a training workshop for the Town of Pink Hill Planning Board. If other communities are interested in similar training, please reach out to ECC Executive Director David Bone at 253-638-3185, ext. 3005.

Pink Hill Approves Third Agreement with ECC

The Town of Pink Hill approved a contract with ECC on March 13^th for Land Use administration and general planning services. This is the third agreement approved by Pink Hill in recent weeks. ECC is also assisting Pink Hill with its 160D Compliance Review and a Comprehensive Plan.

ECC Executive Director David Bone Completes Workforce Development Leadership Training

ECC Executive Director David Bone completed the NCSU Institute for Emerging Issues’ Workforce Development Leadership Initiative with sessions on March 9^th and 10^th. The Eastern Carolina Workforce Development Board (ECWDB) applied for a grant to have a group from the region participate and invited David to participate. The ECWDB contingent also included Al Searles (representing Smithfield Foods and ECWDB), Carlos Cotto (Lenoir Community College), Bevan Foster (Wayne County Commissioner), Phil Prescott (ECWDB), and Trey Cash (Greene County Economic Developer). Thanks to the Eastern Carolina Workforce Development Board for including ECC in this initiative!

Pine Knoll Shores to Celebrate 50^th Anniversary on April 22^nd

Congratulations to the Town of Pine Knoll Shores, which will celebrate its 50^th anniversary with special events on Saturday, April 22^nd. For more information, visit https://www.townofpks.com/shoreline.

The Carteret County Transportation Survey is Live

We encourage all residents of Carteret County, along with anyone else concerned about its transportation needs, to participate in the Carteret County Transportation Survey. You can find the survey in English at http://metroquestsurvey.com/English and in Spanish at http://metroquestsurvey.com/Spanish. You can also find flyers with a QR code at locations throughout Carteret County.

Spotlight on AAA Intern Jamya Roach

The Eastern Carolina Council Area Agency on Aging has partnered with the East Carolina University School of Social Work for the past eight years to host a student intern for their field education study. For the spring of 2023, we have been honored to host Jamya Roach. Jamya is a senior at East Carolina University. She is majoring in social work with the anticipation of pursuing a career in the field of aging services. Jamya has made a great contribution to the ECCAAA Ombudsman Program. During her internship, she has gained knowledge of issues affecting long-term care residents and their families. She has learned how to educate volunteers and become knowledgeable about regulations in long-term care. Jamya is set to graduate with her bachelor’s degree in social work on May 6, 2023.

ECC Can Assist Communities with Review / Updates to Stormwater Ordinances

The State of North Carolina received funds from the North Carolina General Assembly in Session Law 2021-180c to support local governments effectively manage disaster recovery funding and build capacity to effectively recover from disasters. The North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management entered into a subaward agreement with NC Association of Regional Councils of Government (NCRCOG) regarding these funds, and the Eastern Carolina Council (ECC) is receiving some of these funds. As part of this Disaster Recovery effort, ECC can assist members review their ordinances for best practices and assist them with updating their stormwater ordinance. If you are interested in ECC reviewing your community’s stormwater ordinance, please email ECC Executive Director David Bone at executivedirector@eccog.org.

ECCAAA would like to congratulate Jean White from Pamlico County on receiving the 2022 Elizabeth Welch Award from the Division of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS). This award recognizes an older adult who has effectively advocated for the needs of other older adults. Ms. White has served on the board of the Pamlico Foundation for the Aged since 2018. She has committed herself to assisting older adults in Pamlico County by applying for grants for both meal and ramp programs. She advocates for critical needs and volunteer opportunities in the community. Congratulations Ms. White!

Greene County NC Senior Tar Heel Presentation

Elliott Ashburn, Greene County’s Senior Tar Heel Delegate spoke to residents who attended the 30-year anniversary celebration of the NC Senior Tar Heel Legislature (NCSTHL) at the Greene County Senior Center on February 24, 2023. Mr. Ashburn provided information to community members regarding the NCSTHL priorities and educated them on what the Senior Tar Heel Legislative members do for their communities and their purpose. To review the entire article visit: Senior Legislature advocating for funds, attention, rep says (newsbreak.com)

NC Senior Tar Heel Legislation General Session

ECCAAA staff member January Brown, along with NC Senior Tar Heel Legislative (NCSTHL) representatives for Region P, and NC Area Agency on Aging staff members met in Raleigh on March 21-22, 2023, for the NCSTHL general session meeting. Representatives were provided with the NCSTHL orientation, discussed the NCSTHL priorities submitted to the NC Legislation, and spoke with NC Legislators on behalf of older adults across the state.

Older Americans Act Month 2023

“Every May, the Administration for Community Living leads the nation’s observance of Older Americans Month (OAM). The 2023 theme is Aging Unbound, which offers an opportunity to explore diverse aging experiences and discuss how communities can combat stereotypes. Join us in promoting flexible thinking about aging – and how we all benefit when older adults remain engaged, independent, and included” (Older Americans Month 2023 | ACL Administration for Community Living). ECCAAA providers across the region will host events throughout May to celebrate older adults in our communities. For further information on events in your community, please contact the local senior center, or visit ECC’s Facebook page at Eastern Carolina Council. https://www.facebook.com/people/Eastern-Carolina-Council/100064819773188/

LGERS Employer Contribution Rates for FY 2023-24 Posted

The Local Governmental Employees’ Retirement System (LGERS) employer contribution rates effective July 1, 2023 are available on the Retirement System Division’s (RSD) website. Since 2022, these rates have been posted publicly rather than mailing individual letters to every employer, to improve efficiency and transparency, and reduce costs. The table is ordered by five-digit employer code but is also searchable (by employer name) within a browser or by downloading the PDF. RSD staff advises that employers referring to this document should read the first page carefully and may call RSD’s Employer Reporting group at 919-814-9816 with questions

DEQ Accepting Public Comment on Draft Intended Use Plan for Lead Service Line Replacement Funding

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Infrastructure is accepting public comment until April 7, 2023 on the draft Intended Use Plan for federal Lead Service Line Replacement funding. The draft Plan details the project types and priority ratings system proposed for the funding available under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) invests $15 billion nationwide over five years towards identifying and replacing lead water system service lines connecting water mains to homes and businesses. The State of North Carolina is eligible for up to $87 million of funds in the first year through the Fiscal Year 2022 federal appropriations.

The draft Intended Use Plan (IUP) explains the administration of the Fiscal Year 2022 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Lead Service Line Replacement (DWSRF-LSLR) funding and the utilization of a proposed Priority Rating System to evaluate and rank applications for funding for Lead Service Line Replacement projects, identifying those projects that will address the greatest need and/or provide the greatest positive public health impact in North Carolina. The priority rating system is established by the State Water Infrastructure Authority and will be finalized after considering public comments.

The Division administers the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) program as established by the 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), (P.L. 104-182), Section 1452. The DWSRF program offers low-interest loans and principal forgiveness loans to public water supply systems of local government units, non-profit water utilities and investor-owned drinking water companies.

The DWSRF program is capitalized by federal and state funding. The IUP for the DWSRF-LSLR funding is incorporated into the capitalization grant agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and becomes the grant work plan.

Additional information about Lead Service Line Replacement funding is available on the Division of Water Infrastructure website at: https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-infrastructure/lead-service-line-replacement-funding.

The Division is currently accepting Project Solicitation forms from eligible drinking water systems interested in applying for Lead Service Line Replacement funding at https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-infrastructure/i-need-funding/application-forms-and-additional-resources.

Interested parties are invited to provide comments on the draft Intended Use Plan, including the proposed Priority Rating System, by April 7, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. Comments can be submitted:

by email to dwi.publiccomments@ncdenr.gov with subject line Comments on the proposed IUP for Lead Service Line Replacement Funding
by mail to: Cathy Akroyd, Division of Water Infrastructure, 1633 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1633

Learn more about the Division of Water Infrastructure’s funding programs at: https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-infrastructure.

Webinars

Top 10 Primer on Transportation Planning in North Carolina

April 11, 2023 | Online

10:00 AM - 11:15 AM

Course Cost: Free

From potholes to bike lanes to highways, how do you inject your community’s transportation needs into the statewide planning process?

The NC Department of Transportation provides opportunities for local input into comprehensive plans for our State-administered highway system. Participants will learn about the NC Department of Transportation structure, funding, and planning processes. This quick-moving interactive free virtual workshop will provide our audience with a basic understanding of the policies that affect statewide transportation priorities and the avenues for making your voices heard.

What You’ll Learn:

The Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP)
The role of the Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Plan (MTIP) and Rural Transportation Planning Organizations (RTPOs)
The State Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP)
Where you can influence the decisions
NCDOT Complete Streets Policy
Locally administered projects
How NC is planning for

WEBINAR - What You Need to Know for the April Reporting Deadline.

All North Carolina local governments that received ARPA funds have a Project & Expenditure report due April 30, 2023. For the vast majority of them, this will be only the second time completing the report and might be the first time where they will have activities to report. The N.C. League of Municipalities and the N.C. Association of County Commissioners are here to help walk you through this process.

In this webinar, ARP experts, including a panel of three local government representatives, will provide tips to help make your experience smooth and successful. Hear from Allison Speight, the Finance Director of Wayne County; Robert McKie, Finance Director for the Town of Clayton; and Jessica Barnes, Finance & Human Resources Administrator for the Town of Duck provide guidance on preparation, how to navigate the US Treasury account, accessing the account, and what to do to get the report submitted.

This webinar will feature an on-video walk-through. Ms. Barnes will complete and submit her report, with expenditures, live during the webinar.

The webinar will also cover resources available to you should you find yourself stuck due to an issue with your SAMs account, Unique Entity Identifier number, or U.S. Treasury account. You won’t want to miss this opportunity, especially if you are new to ARPA and the reporting responsibilities for your organization.

There is no cost to attend. Registration is required by April 4. Click Here to Register

Grant Opportunities

EDA releases new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to accept construction, planning, technical assistance grant applications that support economic development

The Economic Development Administration is a federal agency that provides grant funds to support a range of construction and non-construction activities which will advance economic development and enhance the competitive environment in which jobs can be created and private investment leveraged. Public entities, or nonprofit entities working in collaboration with local governments, looking for support to construct or renovate public assets, or to conduct analysis or regional technical assistance programs with clear economic development outcomes should consider EDA’s grant programs. The Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Programs NOFO was just released and has a rolling application – interested applicants are strongly encouraged to apply! For further information, please go to View Opportunity | GRANTS.GOV. North Carolina applicants are also encouraged to reach out to the NC EDA representative, Hillary Sherman at hsherman@eda.gov to discuss program requirements and processes and alignment with potential projects.

Next Round of Department of Environmental Quality funding coming

The NC Department of Environmental Quality will begin accepting applications for the next round of ARPA funded drinking water infrastructure, wastewater infrastructure, and stormwater planning grants beginning at the end of March. Applications will be due Monday, May 1 at 5pm. For more information, please review program details at their website located at https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-infrastructure/i-need-funding.

USDOT Accepting applications to support EV Charging Station Construction in areas not likely to have access through private market

The USDOT recently announced availability of grant funds open to public entities (Federally recognized tribal governments; state, county, city or town governments; public housing authorities; public or state controlled institutions of higher education; special district governments) to help fund the deployment of electric vehicle and alternative fueling infrastructure in both rural and urban places where the asset can be readily assessable, including downtown and in local neighborhoods and in underserved and disadvantaged communities. To learn more, please go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=346798.

2023 Environmental Enhancement Grant Request for Proposals upcoming

The 2023 Environmental Enhancement Grant program is currently accepting letters of intent from interested applicants. To be eligible for funding, an applicant must be a non-profit organization, academic institution or governmental entity working to preserve and enhance North Carolina’s natural resources. Grants will be awarded in range of $5,000 - $500,000. Strong preference for projects in Eastern North Carolina or projects that benefit underserved or overburdened communities. There is an interest meeting being held on March 23, 2023 at 10am which requires RSVP. To RSVP for this interest meeting to learn more about the grant program, please register at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCIqLl0-DdbMB7r3iUAwwIHrEonHCq_TCmet6K0iWaFz6NaA/viewform. RSVP for 2023 EEG Interest Meeting March 23 (google.com ). Only applicants submitting a Letter of Intent will be eligible to submit a full proposal for funding consideration. Letters of Intent should be completed at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfd3PONn63SFTjYnC_Qomg9xKJKwRLZkgPpkeoKEbeky2aoAg/viewform.

EPA announces Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program

The US Environmental Protection Agency is accepting applications from community-based nonprofit organizations for grant assistance to support projects that address local environmental or public health issues in a local community. Funding available is based on entity size, with up to $150,000 grant awards envisioned for Community Based Organization (CBO) projects where the CBO has 5 or fewer FTEs and up to $500,000 for larger CBOs. Applications must be submitted no later than 11:59pm on April 10, 2023. To learn more, please go to: The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program | US EPA.

RFP: Clean Water Act-Section 319(h) Nonpoint Source Grant Funding for FY 2023

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Division of Water Resources (DWR), invites you to submit proposals for Clean Water Act-Section 319(h) Nonpoint Source Grant Funding for the Fiscal Year 2023. This grant funding is aimed at supporting the projects that implement a DWR-approved watershed restoration plan to restore the water quality of waters impaired by nonpoint source (NPS) pollution.

DWR anticipates a potential availability of approximately $1.5 million in federal funds from the US Environmental Protection Agency, as provided by Section 319(h) of the Clean Water Act.

Attached, you will find the Request for Proposals (RFP), application form, and scoring criteria for the FY 2023 319(h) Grant Cycle. The grant is open to state and local governments, interstate agencies, public and private non-profit organizations, academic institutions, and state-recognized tribes. The deadline for applications is midnight on May 4, 2023.

All the applications will be reviewed for completeness, technical merit, and adherence to the Clean Water Act, USEPA Section 319(h) Program Guidance, and FY 2023 Request for Proposals criteria. Complete applications will undergo a comprehensive review using criteria designed to evaluate and score the environmental benefits likely to be achieved. Final funding recommendations will be made by an interagency workgroup of nonpoint source practitioners, based on the rankings of the applications. Successful applicants will be required to sign a formal grant agreement and abide by all requirements of Section 319(h) implementation sub-awards program.

Please note that the availability of funds, amounts, and award schedules are subject to the USEPA’s budget approved by Congress and the subsequent allocation of Section 319 funds to the state. The NCDEQ, DWR reserves the right to fully fund, partially fund, or not fund any proposal or any component of any Section 319 grant proposal.

We encourage you to disseminate this RFP to any individuals or groups who may be interested in funding restoration projects in watersheds impaired by nonpoint source pollution. For any questions regarding the FY 2023 319(h) RFP or project eligibility, please do not hesitate to contact Rishi Bastakoti at rishi.bastakoti@ncdenr.gov.

Golden Leaf Foundation Flood Mitigation and Recovery Grant Program available

The GoldenLeaf Foundation continues to accept applications to support projects from local governments for projects up to $250,000 for projects that construct or repair public infrastructure to promote flood mitigation. To learn more, please https://www.goldenleaf.org/mitigation/.

NC Department of Commerce accepting applications under Rural Transformation Grant Fund beginning on 3/22

The NC Department of Commerce will open their third window for applications to be submitted under the Rural Transformation Grant Program on March 22.. This program is open to local governments in Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties, as well as qualified census tracts in Tier 3 counties. A map of eligible areas is available at: NC Commerce - Rural Transformation Grant Fund (arcgis.com). Applications must be submitted by May 3, 2023. To learn more about the program and its requirements, please go to: R ural Transformation Grants | NC Commerce.

DOE Announces Funding for Enhancing Rural or Remote Area Energy Improvements

The Department of Energy has released a funding opportunity to support enhancements to the energy systems in rural or remote areas. Concept papers are due by 5:00pm ET on April 14, 2023, full application submissions must be received by 5pm on June 28, 2023. More information is available at OCED eXCHANGE: Funding Opportunity Exchange (energy.gov).

ARPA Resources

ARP PROJECT & EXPENDITURE REPORT DEADLINE APRIL 30, 2023

The next Project & Expenditure report for your ARP/CSLFRF funds is due by April 30, 2023. ALL COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES MUST COMPLETE THIS REPORT, EVEN IF YOU EXPEND ALL YOUR FUNDS AS REVENUE REPLACEMENT. For local governments receiving between $0 and $ 10 million of their own ARP funds (not passed through from the State), this is your yearly report and will reflect obligations and expenditures between April 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023. For local governments receiving over $ 10 million of their own ARP funds (not passed through from the State), this report will reflect obligations and expenditures between January 1, 2023, and March 31, 2023.

We’ve just received confirmation that the reporting portal will open sometime on or after April 3, 2023

Perhaps the most difficult task for local governments will be accessing the reporting portal. For local governments receiving between $0 and $10 million, the assigned Account Administrator from last year, should have received an email last week with the following Subject: “Resources and preparations for completing your SLFRF Project and Expenditure Report due on 4/30/2023.” The email includes important information including your unique portal account ID. If you believe you are the Account Administrator and did not receive this email, check your spam. If it is still not there, check with colleagues and officials to see if anyone else received it. If you are unable to locate this email, that may indicate that there will be a problem accessing your portal. You’ll want to contact Treasury ASAP at SLFRF@treasury.gov .

Among other things, the email from Treasury prompts you to

Confirm Portal Access – Treasury requests that annual reporters confirm that they have access to the Treasury Portal. To do so, you will be required to log in through the same system used to sign up. To confirm access, please login through either:
Login.gov - https://portal.treasury.gov/compliance
ID.me - https://portal.treasury.gov/cares/s/slt
Adding New Contacts - If a new individual needs access to the portal from your jurisdiction, please provide them with [the unique account ID assigned to your account, which is provided in the email sent to your unit]. They will go to Login.gov - https://portal.treasury.gov/compliance to register. The first time they login to the portal, they will be asked for the account ID to give them access to your jurisdiction’s account. Please provide and use the following instructions to validate accounts. *** Please retain your account ID for any future contacts who need to be added as portal users!
Updating Roles - If roles or responsibilities for reporting have changed within your jurisdiction, please follow the instructions available in the Accessing Treasury's Portal section of the reporting website. Individuals in the “Account Administrator” role can find instructions on how to add/change roles, or update profiles in the NEU User Guide, or watch a tutorial on how to name authorized users here.
Confirm Contact Information - Recipients should confirm that the contact information in the portal is correct for authorized representatives and point of contact. Additionally, we request that those verifying access also update any changes in roles or reporting responsibilities for these accounts.

Additionally, each local government should verify that its registration in SAM.gov is current and locate its UEI. (The federal government has transitioned from using DUNS numbers to UEIs. You should be able to locate your UEI on SAM.gov, but many units have run into issues. You may need to troubleshoot this with Treasury as well.)

Treasury also provides links to other helpful resources, which are included below.

STANDARD ALLOWANCE

For all local governments receiving between $0 and $ 10 million, in addition to reporting on your obligations and expenditures as Revenue Replacement projects in the Project & Expenditure Report, you MUST ALSO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SELECTED THE STANDARD ALLOWANCE. This is under a separate tab in the report than the project information. (Units receiving over $ 10 million should also select the standard allowance option unless the formula approach will allow you to expend more funds as revenue replacement.)

AUDITS and ARPA

Are you concerned about audits as a result of ARPA fund expenditures? What kind of audit will certain expenditure levels trigger? How should you prepare for your audit?

You can find answers to these questions in a new handout created by the Triangle-J Council of Governments. It is applicable to towns and counties statewide.

Find the audit help guide at this link: https://www.tjcog.org/sites/default/files/uploads/arpa_audit_considerations_v2.pdf

There is also a blog post from the UNC School of Government that explains what can trigger various levels of audit: https://canons.sog.unc.edu/2022/01/procuring-single-audit-services-under-the-uniform-guidance-2-c-f-r-part-200/

ARP Technical Assistance Provided to ECC Members

Eastern Carolina Council is now able to provide American Rescue Plan (ARP) technical assistance to its members, at no cost to our members, through grant funding support. Carlton Gideon is now the Senior Community Planner for ECC, and his primary focus at this time is to provide American Rescue Plan / Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (ARP/CSLFRF) program technical assistance. If you have a question about ARPA compliance, policies, or reporting, please contact Carlton at cgideon@eccog.org or at 252-638-3185, ext. 3018.

ARP OFFICE HOURS

We are continuing with weekly office hours. The last week of April, we’ll host daily office hours to help troubleshoot P&E report issues. Starting in May, we will continue to offer ARP BASICS once a month and also use other Office Hour sessions to spotlight more complex transactions (involving federal procurement, property management, program income, and subawards). More on that to come…

Thursday, April 6, from 12-1pm
Friday, April 14, from 8:30-9:30am
Wednesday, April 19, from 8:30-9:30am
Friday, April 21, from 12:30-1:30pm (note slightly modified time)
April 24, from 2-4pm (P&E report)
April 25, from 2-4pm (P&E report)
April 26, from 11-1pm (P&E report)
April 27, from 8:30-10:30am (P&E report)
April 28, from 9-11am (P&E report)

ZOOM LOG IN

Here is the new Zoom Log in for all Office Hour Sessions:

https://zoom.us/j/95481909044?pwd=UlE2VHNhN2luS0JEYTJqeTZTMFRWdz09

Meeting ID: 954 8190 9044

Passcode: 779726

One tap mobile

+16469313860,,95481909044# US

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FROM TREASURY

The best source of information on how to submit reports is the User Guide, which contains detailed submission instructions and includes answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) for reporting.

Treasury has also posted a series of recorded webinars to assist recipients in understanding and complying with relevant reporting requirements and assist recipients in accessing Treasury’s Portal: