American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Resources

The resources curated here cover the role of funding allocations made under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), current opportunities to apply for ARPA funding, and guidance for applicants in Georgia.

ARPA Funding Now Available

Deadline: July 27

Gwinnett nonprofits may apply for ARPA funding to provide emergency assistance in terms of food or shelter.

Deadline: Rolling

For projects that support communities hardest hit by challenges facing the travel, tourism, and outdoor recreation sectors.

Deadline: Rolling

Supports research assessing and supporting the equity and resilience of local economies.

Applying for State Fiscal Recovery Funding​

As part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021, signed into law on March 11, a $1.9 trillion State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund to aid states, counties, and cities in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts “on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses.”

For 2021 and 2022, the Fund has allocated over $4.8 billion to the Georgia state government and $3.5 billion to local governments in the state – more than $2 billion for Georgia counties, $1.4 billion for Georgia cities, and $861 million for “non-entitlement” municipalities (governments serving populations of under 50,000).

The State has opened a competitive grant process for a portion of its Fiscal Recovery Fund allocation. The deadline to apply is now past. Applications for the past cycle pertained to Broadband Infrastructure, Water and Sewer Infrastructure, and Negative Economic Impacts; information on future cycles should appear on this page.

Keep in mind:

  • Most eligible nonprofit work falls under Negative Economic Impacts: helping workers, households, small businesses, or industries overcome economic harm resulting from or exacerbated by the pandemic.
  • The Treasury recommends nonprofits “assess the connection” between the pandemic and the economic harm addressed, including its nature, its and extent, and how Fiscal Recovery funding would address it.
  • It may be worth investigating the other two categories; for instance, digital literacy initiatives may fall under “broadband infrastructure.”

Critical Resources for State Applicants

State Fiscal Recovery Fund overview, updates, and application / Office of Planning and Budget

Webinar: Grants available through the State Fiscal Recovery Fund / Office of Planning and Budget A brief overview of the application process.

Webinar: Jobs and Infrastructure Committee Meeting / Office of Planning and Budget A comprehensive overview of the application process, including acceptable uses and reporting requirements. (Applicants are encouraged to view this webinar for insight into what reviewers are looking for.)

Webinar: Planning strategically for ARPA funds / UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government Discussing the best ways for local governments to deploy funds, which nonprofits can use to better understand opportunities for funding at the city, county, and community level.

ARPA Allocation in Georgia​

In all, Georgia is projected to receive at least $17.4 billion through the American Rescue Plan Act by the end of 2024, which will go to state governments, local governments, and individuals. Georgia’s investment plan for this funding includes:

In terms of the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund, Georgia is set to receive $4.8 billion in two funding “tranches;” the first has already been released, and the second is scheduled to be distributed in May 2022.

Total distributions for each Georgia municipality (including both tranches) can be found here: 

Find out more by checking out the ARPA State of Georgia Program Summary. You can also find out how much Fiscal Recovery funding has been allocated for each state here.

How ARPA Funds Are Being Used in Georgia

This section will be updated as information becomes available. For a national perspective, you can consult this nationwide index of State Fiscal Recovery Fund Allocations so far.

June 2022

A $19 million American Rescue Plan grant will fund high-speed internet access for the Ocmulgee Electric Membership Corporation’s roughly 8,000 members in central Georgia.

May 2022

More than $415 million will go to mitigate the economic harms caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and affecting hardworking Georgians and Georgia nonprofits, government organizations, and businesses.

March 2022

Grant funding to licensed hospitals totals $170 million – up to $950,000 per facility – and the grant funding for assisted living communities and personal care homes totals $47 million – up to $100,000 per facility.

February 2022

Preliminary awards will ensure communities in high-need areas have reliable and safe drinking water and wastewater systems.

February 2022

Almost $408 million in preliminary awards will provide communities, households, and businesses in 70 Georgia counties access to faster and more reliable broadband. These 49 ARPA grant projects represent an investment of more than $738 million with matching funds.

October 2021

This increase includes an expansion of CAPS eligibility limits, making more children and families eligible for the program. New guidelines will increase the entry income threshold from 50% of the State Median Income (SMI) to 85%.

July 2021

Plans approved by the Department of Education will put federal pandemic resources to support safe in-person instruction and meet the social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs of students, with a focus on the students most impacted by the pandemic.

Additional Resources​

Full bill: American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 / U.S. Congress

Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds / U.S. Treasury The ARPA funding landing page, with an overview of objectives, reference materials, and the most up-to-date FAQ.

Award terms and conditions for states and local governments receiving Fiscal Recovery funds / U.S. Treasury Covers approved uses, period of performance, reporting, record-keeping, conflicts of interest, and compliance.

ARPA State Fiscal Recovery Fund Allocations / National Conference of State Legislatures Allocations made so far across all states.