This page is intended to be a resource for communities to see how others around the country are using the funds allocated to them by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). We hope this will be helpful to those looking to make decisions and gain insight from the efforts of others.
Use the form below to find out more information regarding selected city intended usage of funding from the American Rescue Plan Act.
| Searching by State will yield all of the cities we currently have of the selected state with their proposed funding.
| Searching by Theme will allow you to see all of the cities we currently have pursuing those funding themes.
FAQs
Below you will find a list of some of the more frequently asked questions along with our answers sorted by theme. Clicking on the link will reveal the questions related to that theme.
Can money be used for non-ARPA specific items (infrastructure, public health, premium pay etc.) If we can prove we suffered a revenue loss? Yes you can but be careful here, don't count on that revenue continuing to be available in the future.
Can money be pooled together by local governments to address regional issues? Yes, it can and this may help support a larger group of citizens in NEUs who received smaller sums of money.
Where can we find examples of how communities are using money?
Is there any accountability for counties, cities, and townships for how they spent this money? Who is monitoring this? The single audit threshold is not just for ARPA funds but ALL federal grant funds per fiscal year. The single audit is triggered after $750,000 of federal spending (combined just ARPA funds).
Can we use these funds retroactively for previous COVID expenditures? Probably not, rules are pretty firm about timing.
How would we determine that a household needs assistance? Is there an existing tool that we can utilize to make this determination? There may be calculations it has come up in previous sessions.
Could funding be pooled from county municipalities to create a non-profit to build a new childcare center? Absolutely, due to great pandemic impact on this industry.
Do senior centers qualify for money? Yes, just justify why they need the money and relate it to the pandemic.
Can the money be used for blight cleanup? Absolutely yes, many already doing so, pandemic has caused new blight. It can be used for demolitions too, Flint and Detroit already doing so.
What are the best practices for engaging the community in the ARPA allocation process? Holding community forums, sending out surveys, and talking to non-profits that serve the community are some ways to get input on citizen needs.
Is there a requirement that the spend be NEWLY ENVISIONED spend (so are items previously budgeted but not spent ineligible because they are not new)? -
Would building a new office for workers be covered? Yes, cities should show the COVID connection to health, document, and justify the need. For instance, HVAC systems may not exist or may be inadequate. A facility upgrade like that would be appropriate, so long as justified.
How can small communities manage ARPA funds with limited to no staff? Start that discussion locally to see if that is what the townships and counties want to do if so, you can consolidate the funds. Then see if the state plans on contributing towards issues that are relevant to you community.
If our township experiences police overtime expenses directly related to covid, can those wages be covered by ARPA money? Yes, that falls under the hazard pay portion of the funding.
Could the money be used to repair roads in our township? One-way ARPA funding can be used for roads is under the revenue loss calculation. There are no clear restrictions
If we are a member of a joint water authority, can we give money to the authority? Yes.
If we had projects scheduled for 2021, such as replacing our water meters, can we offset the cost with some of our ARPA funds? Can you document a link to impacts or recovery from pandemic, if so the answer may be yes.
How does the approval of the infrastructure bill affect how we should think about allocating our ARPA funds toward infrastructure related projects? -
Can the hazard pay go to employees who worked during the pandemic who are not employees of the local government unit or contractors of local government unit? Yes, it can.
Can you use funds on parks and trails if you can show a revenue loss? Yes.
If we can prove that we suffered a revenue loss can we allocate ARPA money to that expenditure and move the original funds to non-ARPA related project? Yes, you could.
What, if any, documentation is required to justify using funds because of a revenue loss? Cite how the money will be used (generally, doesn't have to be specific).