City of Columbus

Recovery Plan 

State and Local Fiscal Recovery 

Funds

2021 Report
City of Columbus 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 1

City of Columbus

2021 Recovery Plan

Table of Contents

General Overview......................................................................................................................2

Executive Summary.................................................................................................................2

Uses of Funds .........................................................................................................................2

Promoting Equitable Outcomes ...............................................................................................3

Community Engagement .........................................................................................................3

Labor Practices .......................................................................................................................3

Use of Evidence ......................................................................................................................3

Table of Expenses by Expenditure Category...........................................................................4

Project Inventory.......................................................................................................................4
City of Columbus 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 2

GENERAL OVERVIEW

Executive Summary 

The City of Columbus and Columbus residents continue to suffer from the fallout of the global 

pandemic, and no one has been more negatively impacted than young people in this 

community. Columbus’s first investment of American Rescue Plan dollars will help youth regain 

some of what they lost with opportunities for programming, education and employment through 

city departments as well as through community partners

Columbus is advancing a bold plan to put significant initial funding into area non-profits focused 

on keeping kids safe while helping them catch up. This initial package of ARP projects are 

critical to getting Columbus past the brutal challenges brought onto neighborhoods by COVID19 restrictions and frustrations. Together with local partners, the City is helping make sure folks 

can get back to work, back into classes and back to living their lives safely. Columbus will 

partner with non-profit organizations that provide youth programming centered on addressing 

educational disparities and/or promoting healthy childhood environments. 

The city is developing a process to determine how to best invest ARP funding to meet the 

community’s near- and long-term needs, informed in part by the work of the joint City-County 

Recovery and Resiliency Committee as well as direct input received from the public via the 

City’s American Rescue Plan portal.

To incentivise residents who have not yet received the COVID-19 vaccine, Columbus has 

developed and implemented a plan to partner with community vaccine clinics and facilitate the 

distribution of gift cards. 

Uses of Funds

The City is continuing its effort to develop and finalize a comprehensive use strategy for its 

allocation of the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (“SLFRF”). The strategy will prioritize 

the needs of our community and provide for equitable impact and outcomes among residents 

and between neighborhoods. 

At this preliminary stage, the current and planned expenditures in each expenditure category 

can be summarized as follows:

 Public Health

o Since March 3, 2021 Columbus has encumbered $765,830 to be distributed to 

residents as part of a Vaccination Incentive Program. As of July 31, 2021 

$599,830 has been spent in this program.

 Services to Disproportionately Impacted Communities

o Since March 3, 2021 Columbus has encumbered $9,092,767 to be used as part 

of the Youth Programming Initiative, which addresses educational setbacks due 

to COVID19, provides social and recreational opportunities, and offers job 

training and professional development for Columbus youth. As of July 31, 2021 

$3,222,825 has been spent on this program.
City of Columbus 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 3

Promoting equitable outcomes 

The City is continuing to develop a plan that provides for economically and racially equitable 

outcomes for our residents. 

Community Engagement 

A Request for Proposals has been posted on the City’s Vendor Services portal to solicit 

proposals for projects to benefit the City and its residents. Additionally, the city is developing a 

process to determine how to best invest ARP funding to meet the community’s near- and longterm needs, informed in part by the work of the joint City-County Recovery and Resiliency 

Committee. Community organizations seeking financial support for proposals utilizing American 

Recovery Plan funding are encouraged to submit proposals online utilizing a standard form that 

includes a budget and description of how the funds will be used.

Labor Practices 

As of August 31, 2021, the City is not pursuing any infrastructure projects using the SLFRF 

monies. Should that option be considered in the future, Columbus will engage strong labor 

standards to promote economic recovery through strong employment opportunities for workers.

Use of Evidence 

Evidence based interventions are currently being evaluated for inclusion in City programs 

moving forward. The programs which have been already funded through the SLFRF have not 

been designed to create an evidence building strategy.
City of Columbus 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 4

Table of Expenses by Expenditure Category

Category Cumulative

expenditures to 

date ($)

Amount spent 

since last 

Recovery Plan

1 Expenditure Category: Public Health

1.1 COVID-19 Vaccination $ 599,830 $ 599,830

3 Expenditure Category: Services to 

Disproportionately Impacted Communities

3.9. Healthy Childhood Environments: Other 3,222,825 3,222,825

Project Inventory 

CW401: Youth Programming

Funding amount: $ 9,077,767

Project Expenditure Category: 3.9 Healthy Childhood Environments: Other

Project overview

 Youth Programming is designed to provide access to educational and social activities, 

job training, and violence prevention programs for Columbus youth, who were one of the 

populations experiencing the most negative impacts of the COVID19 pandemic. 

Use of Evidence

 The goal of this project is to provide access to education and professional development 

for as many young people in the community as possible. No evidence based 

interventions are currently being used, and a program evaluation has not yet been 

designed.

CW403: Public Health

Funding amount: $ 765,830

Project Expenditure Category: 1.1 COVID19 Vaccination

Project overview

 The Public Health Project is designed to incentivize Columbus residents who have 

otherwise not received the vaccination through the distribution of $100 giftcards at 

community vaccination clinics.

Use of Evidence

 The goal of this project is to ensure that as many Columbus residents have received the 

COVID19 vaccination as possible, to reduce the spread of the virus in our community, 

particularly in the most vulnerable neighborhoods. Data is currently being collected 

regarding the number of residents vaccinated and the impact on specific population.

Performance Report

 The City is currently working on a plan to clarify goals and key performance indicators 

for current and upcoming projects.