AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT
The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Toolkit promotes equity and community engagement for recovery funding through providing helpful resources, tools and materials for local leaders and community advocates.
WHAT IS ARPA?
ARP directly provides $130 billion in federal funding to local governments as leaders recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. This unprecedented level of aid will help communities across the U.S. shape their recovery from the pandemic’s economic impacts. Local leaders should view the arrival of ARP funds as a critical opportunity to make investments that encourage recovery and accelerate progress towards long-term goals. In the Southeast, the health and economic impacts of COVID-19 exacerbated structural inequalities. Our region’s local governments should direct their ARP funds toward strategic and sustainable recovery initiatives that benefit all community members.
INSIDE THE ARPA TOOLKIT
SEAP and New Disabled South released their ARP in Action for the Disability Community success stories. This new resource highlights how local leaders are allocating ARP funds to create fair and inclusive communities across the South.
SEAP has newly published several one-pagers to highlight how ARP dollars are helping develop and maintain projects relating to affordable housing, community violence, workforce development and more. Check them out, and share with partners!
SEAP developed a four-video series to help you, your organization and your community better under the American Rescue Plan. Our third video dives into our ARP Toolkit.
The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Assistance Team has also produced a series of Grab-n-Go Policies that give community leaders a blueprint of policies that can tackle pressing challenges many communities face. Click below to view a complete list of available briefs.
The right way to begin American Rescue Plan (ARP) decision-making is with meaningful and proactive public engagement for cities large and small. In particular, this outreach needs to include intentional engagement with the diverse and disadvantaged populations that suffered the most significant impacts from the pandemic recovery initiatives.
The How to Tell Your City’s Recovery Story resource provides local governments with a step-by-step guide on reporting how they plan to spend American Rescue Plan (ARP) dollars.
To help accelerate good State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLRF) spending practices in communities of all sizes, our American Rescue Plan (ARP) Assistance Team continuously identifies leading examples of community engagement approaches and equity outcomes prioritizations. This report highlights a selection of cities that local leaders can look to for real-time examples.
SEAP continues to host and participate in a number of webinars and events to spread awareness about the American Rescue Plan (ARP). Listed below are our most recent presentations, which include videos and slides:
A how-to guide designed by the SEAP to assist community activists and nonprofits in connecting and engaging with their local leaders and elected officials as they strategize how their communities will use the incoming American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding.
Soon, cities and counties will receive the second half of their American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds. It is vital for community leaders to assist local officials in determining how best to use these funds to address ongoing challenges in their communities and pursue an equitable recovery for all residents. SEAP developed this guide outlines the latest funding updates, what it means to your community and good examples from across the country.
SEAP drafted a model resolution for cities, towns, and counties that prioritizes the use of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds for initiatives that drive sustainable and equitable recovery. It also commits to community engagement as part of the decision-making for ARP funds, emphasizing obtaining input from disadvantaged groups.
SEAP released the first phase of results from its American Rescue Plan (ARP) Community Needs survey. The ARP was signed into law in 2021 to assist communities in recovery efforts from the COVID-19 pandemic. Affordable Housing tops the list a main personal and community challenge.
SEAP developed this dashboard to collect real-time data tracking how local leaders are planning for and spending SLFRF funds.
SEAP designed this template to help jurisdictions with populations under 250,000 increase equity in public outreach and engagement.