Baltimore City has so far spent 3% of funds the city received through the federal 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for responding to the coronavirus pandemic’s health and economic impacts, according to a new online dashboard tracking the city’s allotment of ARPA funds.
Baltimore City government on Monday launched its ARPA Reporting Center, which shows how the funds are being allocated.
“ARPA is a significant opportunity for the City of Baltimore. I established the Office of Recovery Programs to ensure we make strategic investments in Baltimore’s future and equitably deliver resources and services to City residents,” Mayor Brandon M. Scott said in a statement. “In line with my administration’s commitment to transparency and my Action Plan for ensuring the Responsible Stewardship of City Resources, setting up this ARPA Dashboard will allow everyone to see how much of an impact our investments are making.”
“We are excited to launch the ARPA Dashboard because it helps meet our goals of accountability and transparency,” Chief Recovery Officer Shamiah Kerney added. “The public should know how every dollar is invested.”
The federal COVID-19 relief legislation provided $641 million to Baltimore City. Of that money, 32%, or about $205 million, has been committed to specific purposes, and 3%, about $19 million, has been spent.
As of Monday, 500 proposals for funding uses have been submitted, including 498 proposals that have been reviewed to determine whether they are eligible for funding.
The city has determined that 432 of those proposals are eligible for funding, while 64 are not. Another two proposals require additional revisions or information before the city can complete its review.
The application portal for city agencies opened in August and will close after March 31.
The application window for nonprofits is now closed, having run from October through December.
The majority of proposals so far – 335 – have come from nonprofits, while the remaining 165 have come from city government and quasi-government agencies.
Baltimore has committed $64.1 million of ARPA funds for COVID-19 public health response.
The categories of proposal purposes include training and education; housing; COVID-19; health services; city infrastructure; city services; household assistance; business assistance; and nonprofits.
