(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

Over the last few weeks, ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) applications for small businesses and non-profit organizations in Beaver County have been available for download and completion. However, the response has been relatively smaller than in previous iterations of ARPA relief; as was discussed at the County Commissioners’ work session on Wednesday.

“I would say no more than fifteen [organizations] between both small businesses and non-profits,” Chief Clerk Nicole Long stated at the session. “We’ve hardly gotten any at all.” The realization of this came as no surprise to Commissioner Jack Manning: “I didn’t think there’d be as much as with the CARES Act.”

According to Long, the issue may be centered around taxes: “There is a little bit of an issue with the non-profits people,” she said, “because they can’t file their taxes until the [Form] 990 is deposited. But I told them that to still submit the application and, when they get their 990, we can collect that from them and review everything.”

The applications must be submitted by March 31 and can be found at the Beaver County website.