What Can ARPA Funds Be Spent On?

Cities and counties have numerous options to utilize the $350 billion in State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) dollars allocated under the American Rescue Plan Act.

The ARPA funds can be allocated for infrastructure improvements such as broadband and water/sewage upgrades. However, local leaders must ensure that the ARPA money isn’t spent on initiatives which do not qualify for other federal or state assistance programs.

Public Health

Public health professionals are responsible for safeguarding the wellbeing of communities, populations and individuals alike, while ensuring healthcare access for all. Their work aims to prevent disease, injury and disability through education, research, policy development and administration.

Modern public health is increasingly focused on population health issues such as inequality and poverty. These determinants of health affect how health is distributed throughout society, ultimately leading to changes in disease distribution. Policy can have an impact on this distribution through factors like income, environment, education level, employment status and housing status.

Social gradients in health exist across society; the poorest tend to be least healthy while the richest usually enjoy good health. Therefore, it is essential that there is an effective public health workforce present to safeguard everyone’s wellbeing within a community.

In the field of public health, there is a range of degrees available. These include both professional and academic ones; for instance, a doctorate in public health (DrPH) counts as a professional degree while an MPH from Columbia University is more academic.

The public health profession is an expansive field that encompasses numerous disciplines, perspectives and agendas. While traditional public health disciplines remain vital, newer concepts of population health – including the role of civil society and innovation outside traditional public health domains – need to be taken into account in order to reach twenty-first century objectives and outcomes.

One of the greatest difficulties in practicing public health is how to maintain disciplinary identity while acknowledging and responding to diversity and plurality. This necessitates new competencies and capacities in leadership, advocacy, and community engagement.

These skills will be essential for many public health practitioners in the future, but they are likely to be beneficial to a broader range of practitioners and agencies as well. Therefore, having an experienced, diverse, and well-trained workforce is imperative if the country’s public health capacity is to effectively tackle all potential threats.

Homelessness

Homelessness is a pressing social issue that affects millions of people, including veterans and those living with disabilities. In the United States, many cities are taking action to address it by implementing programs.

Although some programs aim to provide permanent housing, others cater to the needs of those who are homeless. These include shelters, transitional housing, affordable housing and supportive services.

In the United States, approximately half of those experiencing homelessness live in urban areas, particularly large cities. Some are unemployed while others are dealing with physical or mental illness.

Homelessness is most often due to a lack of affordable housing. It may also be brought on by job loss or the death of a family member.

Another major cause is poverty. According to the Census Bureau, poverty is defined as a household income below the federal standard of $36 per day or for families of four with an income below $72 daily.

Some people who are homeless have jobs but cannot afford their rent or mortgage payments due to a recession or health conditions that make it difficult for them to find work.

Other causes of homelessness include mental illness, addictions and disability. It can also be brought on by war, natural disasters or personal hardships like domestic abuse.

People with jobs often move into temporary housing such as rooming houses or apartments in order to avoid sleeping on the streets. Family members or friends may offer them assistance by providing them with a place to stay.

They can also reach out to a local homeless service provider or volunteer organization for assistance. In some cases, people turn to law enforcement for a safe place to sleep and receive shelter.

In addition to traditional programs, many cities are using ARPA funds for initiatives that make bouts of homelessness rare and brief. These initiatives emphasize a “housing first” strategy which prioritizes identifying and connecting families to housing as quickly as possible.

Education

States and districts can utilize Arpa funds for various educational initiatives. These can include reopening schools, expanding summer learning opportunities, upgrading instructional technology, as well as improving mental health services.

Schools and districts can use the money to hire extra teachers and staff members to assist students who have been affected by the pandemic in recovering. This could include specialists who teach those with disabilities or English language learners, as well as individuals working to enhance school climates and promote student safety.

Some districts, like Oklahoma, have employed this money to implement evidence-based summer learning and afterschool programming that provides students with social, emotional, and academic support. Meanwhile, other cities like Cleveland have expanded summer school sevenfold using the money to guarantee all students – including those with disabilities or multilingual learners – have access to quality education during the summer months.

Money can also be allocated towards providing summer jobs that excite and empower students with meaningful work experiences. New Mexico, for instance, recently launched a program called “Summer Enrichment Internships,” which covers the costs of summer internships for high school students.

This program provided New Mexico students who had been affected by the pandemic with opportunities to engage in high-quality internships, giving them valuable skills and experience for their future careers. These initiatives are an essential element of community violence intervention strategies.

Additionally, CRRSA and ARPA funds have been utilized to reinstate several programs that had been cut in previous budgets. These restorations include $54 million for equity and excellence academic programs; $15 million for Expanded Arts Instruction; $9 million for community schools (including $3 million to backfill reduced state funding); $8 million for installing air conditioning in schools; $5 million for academic support staff; and $2 million for Health Ed Works.

Money raised could also be allocated towards other initiatives, such as: implementing the Universal Mosaic Curriculum – a citywide English and math curriculum that reflects NYC’s diversity; creating computer science curricula to better prepare students for future careers; reopening schools; expanding after-school and weekend learning opportunities; providing enrichment activities during school hours; supporting student engagement strategies to reduce bullying and violence at school; and restoring funding to state and local programs affected by the pandemic.

Economic Development

ARPA funds can be utilized for a variety of economic development activities, provided they meet certain eligibility requirements. This includes assistance to businesses, support for targeted industries and job training.

Fifty-six states and the District of Columbia have allocated funds for this purpose, with eight allocating one-fourth or more of their allocations so far. Such initiatives may include infrastructure projects like highways or rail systems, encouragement for business expansions and other investments that promote long-term economic growth.

The Local Government ARPA Investment Tracker, a new tool developed by the Urban Area Recover Plan Administration (URA), collects recovery plan data from 41 large cities, 104 large counties and seven consolidated city-counties that listed specific projects and associated dollar allocations in their first performance reports. This provides insight into the innovative shared governance initiatives taking place across many communities throughout America.

Technology-oriented projects are another excellent use of ARPA funds. For instance, local governments could purchase software to manage grants and loans or automate reporting requirements for quarterly compliance.

Other potential technologies that might be applicable are cloud computing solutions, fund management platforms and applications to manage data or process transactions. These solutions could assist local governments in satisfying federal reporting obligations, cutting costs and streamlining processes.

In some instances, technology could even assist those who have been homeless or at-risk of homelessness in finding services and support more quickly. This could be especially beneficial when a lack of resources has compounded the crisis.

State governments could allocate funds to increase salaries of direct care staff at mental health facilities or intellectual disability training centers, who are typically low income and women of color.

Before any project, a comprehensive plan is essential. This should clearly state how the funds will be utilized and what outcomes can be expected.

The project should also be aligned with a community strategic plan. To guarantee broad support for projects, the planning team should include representatives from all parts of the area.