Economic Development is a high priority in the City of Atchison’s 2020 Strategic Plan and the City is seeking developers, entrepreneurs, small business operators, and investors to collaborate in advancing economic development efforts in the Atchison market.
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) is a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill passed by the United States federal government that provided direct funding to local governments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The City of Atchison received approximately $1.6 million through the ARPA legislation.
The City of Atchison is offering $700,000 of the $1.6 million in ARPA funding toward uses/projects that create substantial investments in real estate (especially downtown), housing investment (especially inside the Neighborhood Revitalization Target Area), as well as entertainment, retail, and tourism asset development (especially downtown). This ARPA Economic Development Program will prioritize projects that grow retail sales and increase property valuations as well as projects that leverage substantial private investment and eliminate/reduce blight conditions. Applications will be considered as they are received. The application document is available here: shorturl.at/dsZ34
The remaining $900,000 of Atchison’s ARPA funds will be utilized to support infrastructure, housing, and non-profit efforts, though those appropriations have yet to occur.
Anyone interested in the ARPA Economic Development Program should contact Justin Pregont with Pomeroy Development (justinp@cityofatchison.com) as soon as possible to begin the vetting and application process.