DECEMBER 31, 2024
Time is running out for you to "obligate" your ARPA funds. Don't wait. Make a plan now.
All ARPA funds must be "obligated" this. Any ARPA funds not obligated by December 31, 2024 must be returned to Treasury.
Just transferring your ARPA funds into your general fund does not meet the definition of obligated.
“Allocating," "appropriating,” “designating,” “setting aside,” “reserving,” etc. your ARPA funds does not meet the definition for obligated!
If your municipality has remaining ARPA funds that are not obligated (aka under a signed contract or vendor accepted purchase order) and doesn't think that it will before October 1st, consider contacting VLCT for help creating a plan to ensure you keep every penny of your ARPA funds. There are solutions that we can help you find. Email us: arpa@vlct.org.
ARPA: Single Audit? Or Alternative Compliance Examination Engagement (ACEE)?
If your professional auditor is not familiar with the nuances of your local ARPA award, please share this Resource item with them.
About ARPA
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 established the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (CSLFRF, aka ARPA) which provides $350 billion to state and local governments for the response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Of Vermont’s $1.25 billion share, over $200 million was allocated to municipalities.
Legislative bodies have discretion and flexibility over how to spend their local ARPA funds. VLCT encourages its members to take their time, be thoughtful, and plan strategically.
VLCT extends our thanks to the Vermont Legislature and Governor Phil Scott. Their support allowed VLCT to establish the ARPA Assistance and Coordination Program to support Vermont’s towns, cities, and villages that chose to accept ARPA funding.
- Vermont Municipal Clerks & Treasurers Association (VMCTA) Conference, September 21, 2022 - ARPA Fund Accounting presentation.
- Local ARPA General Information for Towns, Cities and Villages - June 2022 (editable PowerPoint format; PDF can be found HERE)
- Treasury's ARPA Reporting Data - View the actual data that was entered for Project & Expenditure Reports during the April 30, 2022 reporting to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. It includes Vermont's NEUs (non-entitlement units of government), metropolitan areas (Burlington and South Burlington), as well as the State of Vermont. All public reporting can be found on Treasury's "Recipient Compliance and Reporting" webpage (scroll almost to the bottom of the page).
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ARPA State Fiscal Recovery Fund - Programs Available to Municipalities (Oct 2022)
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Vermont Department of Finance and Management - COVID 19 Finance Related Guidance
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Local Fiscal Recovery Payments. The State of Vermont will distribute ARPA Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Funding (local and county dollars) using these allocations.
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Certification Dashboard - Local Fiscal Recovery Fund Allocations - Find your NEU RECIPIENT NUMBER (shown as "Town ID") here!
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State of Vermont Recovery Plan, State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Reports, as required by and submitted to U.S. Treasury.
- ICMA ARPA Local Fiscal Recovery Fund Spending Priorities Survey ICMA surveyed local government chief administrative officers (CAOs) in September 2021 about their priorities for utilizing the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)’s Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (FRF). Nearly 600 town, city, and county managers responded. Responses include local governments with populations ranging from less than 2,500 to over one million; two thirds came from communities of 25,000 or fewer residents, which fall under the U.S. Treasury definition of “Non-entitlement Units” (NEUs, i.e., local governments typically serving a population of under 50,000). Direct FRF recipients include counties and metropolitan citie
- National League of Cities COVID-19 Local Action Tracker (webpage) NLC and Bloomberg Philanthropies have teamed up to collect and share actions taken by local leaders in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, including uses for ARPA funding.
- Housing Resources for Vermonters in Need (February 2022)
- ACCD Grant Opportunities Inventory Dec 2021 - Grant opportunities for your local businesses, and municipalities, both COVID specific as well as existing programs.
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