"One of the most important parts of the federal recovery plan is the emphasis on accountability and transparency." -- Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire (pictured)

Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire today launched an updated Web site with information about how the federal economic recovery plan is being implemented in Washington state. "One of the most important parts of the federal recovery plan is the emphasis on accountability and transparency," Gregoire said. "Our Web site will provide a place for Washingtonians to see where the recovery money is going and the results that are being produced."

Now included on the site:

• A link to sources of money and contact information that local governments can use to find out how to apply for funds.
• Links to state agency Web sites that contain more information about agency recovery efforts.
• Links to federal Web sites, including the primary federal site: recovery.gov, that provide details about the plan.

According to a release from Gregoire's Office, the contact information for local governments to use to apply for money is especially important.

"Because each fund source will have unique criteria that must be met by the applicant, local projects will need to follow the application process each agency has established to be considered for funding," said Victor Moore, director of the state's Office of Financial Management (OFM). "Since the timelines for distributing funds are generally very short, I encourage organizations with projects to contact the relevant agency as soon as possible to find out what you need to do to apply. Having sent your project to the Governor's office or to OFM does not mean you have applied for any specific program or program funding," Moore added.

Several additional components will be added to the site in the coming days. The site will include:

• Information for the public on what projects have been approved and the results of those projects.
• A place for state agencies to apply to have the projects they have approved certified by the Governor.
• Forms for agencies to use to provide reports required by the federal government.
• Application deadlines for various sources of money.