2021 REPORT 

CITY OF BALTIMORE 

RECOVERY PLAN 

STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL 

RECOVERY FUNDS 
Table of Contents

General Overview .................................................................................................................................................1

Executive Summary...........................................................................................................................................................................1

Uses of Funds........................................................................................................................................................................................ 3

Promoting Equitable Outcomes .............................................................................................................................................9

Community Engagement...........................................................................................................................................................13

Labor Practices...................................................................................................................................................................................14

Use of Evidence.................................................................................................................................................................................14

Table of Expenses by Expenditure Category ............................................................................................................15

Project Inventory................................................................................................................................................ 17

Performance Report.........................................................................................................................................18

Conclusion............................................................................................................................................................. 19

Appendix................................................................................................................................................................20
City of Baltimore 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 1

For over 18 months, the nation has been grappling with the unprecedented health and 

economic impacts of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) health pandemic. As of September 1, 2021, 

the City of Baltimore has experienced 56,136 COVID-19 cases, and 1,154 COVID deaths1. The 

City is also experiencing negative economic impacts, such as job loss in multiple industries 

and a decrease in the number of neighborhood businesses—including those that are small, 

and minority-owned. Following nationwide trends2, Baltimore’s low-income communities3

and residents of color have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic directly and 

indirectly. The $641 million in federal funds provided through the American Rescue Plan Act 

(ARPA) State and Local Fiscal Relief Funds (SLFRF) offers a significant opportunity to 

support a robust recovery in the City of Baltimore and address long-standing inequities 

exacerbated by the pandemic.

Coupled with historical challenges and a city reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, at the 

start of his administration in December 2020, Mayor Brandon M. Scott established five pillars 

to set a clear direction for policy decisions and agency operations in the City of Baltimore. 

Broadly, these reflect the needs and priorities of City residents. The City’s plan for ARPA 

funds will align with these pillars and corresponding strategic actions:

1. Prioritizing Our Youth

2. Equitable Neighborhood Development

3. Building Public Safety

4. Clean and Healthy Communities

5. Responsible Stewardship of City Resources

In light of the size and scope of COVID-19 relief—from distributing the funding to 

implementing new programs to compliance—the Scott administration is committed to 

strong accountability and oversight and ensuring the successful management, monitoring 

and evaluation of the Federal resources provided to the City.

 

1 Baltimore City COVID-19 Dashboard - Overview (2021, September 2). https://coronavirus.baltimorecity.gov

2 Schaffer, L. (2021). Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. Federal Register, 86(93). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR2021-05-17/pdf/2021-10283.pdf

3 Rate Reduction Incentive Guidelines. U.S. Department of the Treasury. (2021, August 11). https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/RateReduction-Incentive-Guidelines.pdf

“Putting Baltimoreans back to work, 

investing in neighborhoods that have 

historically been left behind, funding 

community-based violence reduction 

initiatives, and closing the digital divide 

are top priorities as we develop a plan 

that maximizes the impact of ARPA 

dollars.”

-Mayor Brandon M. Scott

Burns, S. (2021, August 11). City receives $6.8 million State ARPA grant to Put Baltimoreans 

back to work. Mayor Brandon M. Scott. https://mayor.baltimorecity.gov/news/pressreleases/2021-08-11-city-receives-68-million-state-arpa-grant-put-baltimoreans-back-work.
City of Baltimore 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 2

Accordingly, after the announcement of ARPA funding, Mayor Scott established the Mayor’s 

Office of Recovery Programs (MORP) on July 12, 2021. 

The primary responsibility of this office is to administer ARPA SLFRF, including all reporting 

and compliance requirements, and coordinate with internal and external agencies to 

establish strategies and goals designed to maximize the delivery of services throughout city 

government. 

The guiding principles for the Recovery Office are:

• Impact We are committed to maximizing the use of ARPA funds for the benefit of 

Baltimore City residents and businesses.

• Transparency We will share information and data on funding decisions, how funds 

are spent, and what results the Recovery Office and corresponding agencies achieve 

with internal and external stakeholders and the public.

• Equity We will prioritize funding decisions to benefit communities that have been 

disproportionately harmed. 

• Accountability We will follow federal guidelines and requirements to ensure that 

funds are appropriately spent and accurately reported. 

• Responsibility We will establish rigorous standards for compliance and performance 

for applicants and recipients to follow while also providing technical assistance and 

guidance as needed.

The Recovery Office is establishing 

the infrastructure with which to 

administer ARPA funds. As depicted 

in the organizational chart, this 

includes hiring additional personnel 

to assist in the budget formulation 

and accounting processes; develop 

and execute a robust 

communications and community 

engagement strategy; and 

coordinate and collaborate with city 

agencies and external organizations 

on programs and initiatives that will 

provide relief to the city’s most 

impacted residents and vulnerable 

populations with a focus on equity. 

When developing an approach to ARPA, the Mayor and his senior leadership team 

recognized the importance of inviting City agencies and external organizations to apply for 

funding and to shape the overall allocation. The City of Baltimore will use an online

application process in which City agencies and external organizations such as nonprofits 

can propose projects to be funded through ARPA SLFRF. The application process includes a 

thorough and comprehensive review of agency operations, staffing, work processes, 

resource allocations, and performance. The infographic below demonstrates the proposal 

process:
City of Baltimore 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 3

The Mayor’s Office of Recovery Programs will make funding available to support projects 

for City agencies and external organizations such as nonprofits that provide vital and 

important services for residents and businesses in the City of Baltimore. Project proposals 

must have a minimum request of $250,000 to be considered and will be grouped into the 

following categories:

1. Budget Stabilization: This includes Revenue Replacement—lost revenues resulting

from the pandemic—and Administrative Expense Categories. 

2. City Stabilization: This includes direct investments in the pandemic response, 

broadband infrastructure, workforce development, violence prevention, and 

economic recovery. These investments, directly designated in ARPA, will achieve 

specific citywide goals or demonstrably benefit the City’s economic health. 

Summaries of these projects are provided later in this report. 

3. City Recovery: This includes funding for proposals submitted by both City agencies 

and external organizations. The application portal is presently open to City agencies 

and will open to external organizations in October 1, 2021. All project proposals will 

follow Treasury guidance on eligible uses and align with the Mayor’s Five Pillars. 

After funding, the project moves to the Administration and Closing phases. The infographic 

below depicts the full lifecycle of City ARPA grants. A complete description of the City of 

Baltimore’s funding, implementation, and close out process is available on the Recovery

Program website in the “Apply for Funding” section.
City of Baltimore 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 4

APPLICATION STATUS 

The online application process allows City agencies and external organizations to propose 

projects. The Mayor’s Office of Recovery Programs will ensure that projects conform to 

Treasury guidance, advance equity, and make an impact as the City navigates the social 

and economic crises caused by COVID-19. The process includes the following elements:

Proposal: A concise overview of the project. It provides a description of the project, 

identifies potential performance measures, and offers a high‐level overview of the budget.

Eligibility Screen: A Recovery Office review of project proposal ideas using Treasury 

guidance on eligible funding uses.

Review Team: A deliberative body composed of representatives from City agencies and the 

private sector with expertise in critical areas who provide their feedback on proposals. 

Evaluation Criteria: The seven criteria used to evaluate the merits of project proposals. 

Endorsements: Letters from elected officials to demonstrate support for a project proposal

Application: A facilitated collection of information and documentation to support the 

application. This phase occurs after the project proposal phase.

The City of Baltimore began accepting proposals from internal City and quasi-governmental 

agencies in May 2021. As of July 31, 2021, the Recovery Office made refinements to the 

application portal and prepared an Internal Review Team to begin evaluating proposals

using a 100-point scoring rubric with seven criteria. Equity has the greatest weight. The 

Internal Review Team began reviewing project proposals in August 2021. 

PLANNED PROJECTS

As noted above, project proposals are designated into three categories, which includes City 

Stabilization. A brief description of each City Stabilization project planned as of July 31, 2021

is included within their respective Expenditure Categories (EC). Based on the application 
City of Baltimore 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 5

submission deadlines cited earlier in this report, we anticipate many planned and funded 

projects by the City’s annual report to Treasury in August 2022. 

Public Health (EC 1)

Funding from ARPA will allow a continued and robust response to the COVID-19 public 

health emergency. Public health is the City of Baltimore’s most urgent concern for this fund. 

For this expenditure category, the City intends to continue and enhance its vaccination, 

testing, and tracing efforts. The Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) has developed a

plan to reach the City’s most vulnerable and vaccine-hesitant communities, which will 

include targeted outreach, additional staff, and will be supported by technological 

infrastructure. The City will also continue to support warehousing of personal protective 

equipment (PPE), purchasing, and utilization processes.

The Mayor’s Office of Recovery Programs is working with BCHD to finalize the scope and 

budget for these initiatives, described below.

Communications and 

Campaigns: To publicize 

critical public health 

messaging, including 

promotion of vaccines, 

the City has developed

and continues to 

execute a 

comprehensive 

communications 

campaign. BCHD4 has 

used its social media campaigns to increase awareness and take-up rates of vaccinations.

The Department intends to continue its robust communication strategy with a goal of 

increasing the vaccination rate to 65 percent of all adults with a first or single dose as soon 

as possible, and reaching 80 percent of all residents by February 2022.5

Vaccinations: The City plans to fund outreach efforts, a mobile vaccination clinic, staff at a 

vaccination office, and other related expenses. 

Contact Tracing and Testing: While the percentage of residents in the City of Baltimore that 

have been vaccinated continues to increase, there is an ongoing need for contact tracing 

and testing programs. The City’s contract tracing program is staffed in part by Baltimore 

Health Corps, a community health workers program designed to provide not only this

critical service, but to support its employees with financial and career advancement 

 

4 Elwood, K. (2021, August 13). Yes, Debra, the Baltimore city health department is using memes to promote vaccinations. The Washington Post. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2021/08/13/baltimore-health-department-memes-covid

5 Baltimore city health department and civic works Announce grants program to support Local COVID-19 VACCINATION clinic and outreach 

efforts. Baltimore City Health Department. (2021, June 1). https://health.baltimorecity.gov/news/press-releases/2021-06-01-baltimore-cityhealth-department-and-civic-works-announce-grants
City of Baltimore 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 6

opportunities. The City also plans to fund at-home testing kits, laboratory costs, staff, and 

necessary software and IT costs associated with maintaining testing and patient records.

Food Insecurity: To sustain its current efforts, the City plans to work through non-profit 

organizations to deliver food to those whose ability to obtain food has been impacted by 

the pandemic, such as seniors. Locations will include senior buildings, individual homes, and 

food distribution sites. There will also be an outreach effort to increase participation in 

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. 

Public Health Workers and Operational Support: The City will hire additional public health 

workers and support staff to reinforce its many COVID-19 mitigation and relief efforts. Public 

health employees, healthcare practitioners and others, will also be provided with a robust 

supply of PPE as they interact with patients and the public. 

Negative Economic Impacts (EC 2)

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Baltimore experienced a sharp increase in 

unemployment, from 4.6 percent in February 2020 to 10.4 percent by April 2020. Although 

the rate has since declined, unemployment still hovers at above pre-pandemic levels at 8.4

percent as of June 20216. Historically, Baltimore has also demonstrated inequities in 

economic opportunity. For example, “between 2015 and 2019, the City of Baltimore’s

unemployment rate for Black residents was 3.2 times higher than the unemployment rate

for White residents.” The unemployment rates of Baltimore’s Hispanic/Latinx, American 

Indian and Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander populations also all 

remain higher than the unemployment rate of white residents7. 

The City of Baltimore is invested in getting residents back to work. When identifying sectorbased job training opportunities, in consultation with the Recovery Office, the Mayor’s Office 

of Employment Development will consider five priority industries defined by the Baltimore 

Workforce Development Board. These include: Government, Professional and Business 

Services, Healthcare, Construction, and Educational Services. Many careers in these fields 

do not require a bachelor’s or professional degree and often have a median wage that 

would earn a full-time worker at least 125 percent of the Lower Level Living Standard for a 

family of three in Baltimore City in 2019 ($23.19 per hour) which will help to counter 

previously discussed economic inequities8. The City is also evaluating other industries to 

target to aid in diversifying the workforce and decreasing the percentage of unemployed 

residents.

The Mayor’s Offices of Employment Development and Recovery Programs are scoping and 

finalizing the budgets for several workforce development initiatives. These may include 

subsidized employment for City residents with structural barriers to employment, such as 

returning citizens and youth not enrolled in school or working; sector-based job training; and 

 

6 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Unemployment Rate in Baltimore City, MD [MDBALT5URN], retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. 

Louis; https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MDBALT5URN, August 26, 2021 

7 Baltimore City’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Local Workforce Plan. City of Baltimore - Mayor's Office of Employment 

Development. (2019, December). https://moed.baltimorecity.gov/sites/default/files/Local_Workforce_Plan_2017-

2020_WIOA_2019_final_rev0120.pdf
City of Baltimore 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 7

summer jobs for youth. The City of Baltimore has successfully implemented other federally 

funded initiatives such as One Baltimore 4 Jobs (1B4J), an initiative funded by the U.S. 

Department of Labor and Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation in 2015. 

Small, minority, and women-owned businesses in the City of Baltimore have been 

particularly negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In recognition, the Scott 

Administration is structuring a mechanism to provide direct and technical assistance to a 

targeted group of businesses and non-profits. Beneficiaries will be prioritized based on a set 

of equity-focused criteria. 

Services to Disproportionately Impacted Communities (EC 3)

The Mayor’s Offices of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE) and the Recovery 

Office are collaborating to select and refine a set of evidence-based violence prevention 

programs and interventions that are eligible under ARPA. These programs will support the 

Mayor’s 5-year Violence Prevention Plan, published in July 20219. 

As described in the plan, in an attempt to decrease violence while simultaneously 

increasing community safety, Baltimore has used three tactics: Policing, Prosecutions, and 

Prisons. These tactics have not produced long-term positive results, and have also been 

costly. MONSE is taking a new approach, which is divided into three key pillars: Public 

Health Approach to Violence; Community Engagement and Inter-Agency Collaboration; 

Evaluation and Accountability. This work will take a holistic approach to reducing violence 

by focusing on individuals, communities, and systems. Examples of proposed initiatives 

include a 9-1-1 diversion pilot program and re-activating the Criminal Justice Coordinating 

Council.

 

9 Baltimore City Comprehensive Violence Prevention Plan. Mayor Brandon Scott. (n.d.). 

https://mayor.baltimorecity.gov/sites/default/files/MayorScott-ComprehensiveViolencePreventionPlan-1.pdf

“The ongoing pandemic exacerbated 

longstanding challenges in Baltimore 

and continues to plague working 

families across the city. . .[ARPA 

funding] is one way my administration 

will focus on investing in our people 

and lifting our economy as a whole, all 

while building a more equitable 

Baltimore.” 

-Mayor Brandon M. Scott
City of Baltimore 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 8

Premium Pay (EC 4)

Early in the pandemic, Baltimore recognized the importance of frontline City employees to

the continuity of essential operations and in addressing the daily needs of residents during 

the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the start of the pandemic, the City has spent more than $30 

million compensating qualified employees through the Mission Critical Stipend initiative. 

Employees included laborers in the Department of Transportation, CDL Drivers, Emergency 

Medical Technicians, Cashiers, Solid Waste Workers, and Water and Wastewater Treatment 

Technicians. The City will continue to evaluate its policy, ensure its conformance with the 

Treasury Guidance, and make use of the premium pay provision as applicable. 

Water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure (EC 5)

The Mayor’s Office of Recovery Programs is coordinating with the Office of Broadband and

Digital Equity, along with other City stakeholders, to design and plan a multi-year 

broadband infrastructure and digital equity project. According to a summer 2020 report 

released by the Abell Foundation, “In Baltimore City, nearly 20,000 households with children 

under the age of 17 do not have wireline broadband or computers at home.”10 The lack of 

access– from high-speed broadband to availability of devices to digital literacy—has 

implications for learning, work, health, access to government services, and full participation 

in civic life. Because of the far-reaching effects of learning loss and the homework gap 

associated with the digital divide during COVID-19, this project will first prioritize the needs 

of Baltimore school-aged children in low-income communities.

Finally, the City has and will continue to evaluate its posture on funding water or sewer 

infrastructure projects. The City is monitoring the status of the passage of an infrastructure 

bill so it can continue to use ARPA funds to focus on providing direct assistance to residents 

and entities in the City of Baltimore that suffered negative economic impacts from the 

COVID-19 pandemic.

Revenue Replacement (EC 6)

The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic put a strain on the budget. This resulted in a material 

effect on government services, which included a negative $103 million adjustment to 

General Fund projected revenues in the Fiscal Year 2021 budget. The City of Baltimore is 

determined to modernize and restore government services to the extent provided in the 

law and as necessary to achieve an equitable and sustainable recovery.

Administrative (EC 7)

As noted above, the City was facing an estimated $103 million decrease in projected 

revenue for the Fiscal Year 2021 budget. The City was also incurring costs for its response to 

the pandemic. The City’s financial condition was further impacted by skyrocketing 

unemployment and other socioeconomic factors that would also impact future recovery. 

On March 12, 2021, the day after the bill was signed into law, the Department of Finance 

convened a preliminary briefing with the Mayor’s Senior Executive Team to share available 

information and to establish the principles for the City’s approach to utilizing the funds. At 

 

10 Horrigan, J. B. (2020, May). Baltimore's digital Divide: Gaps in internet connectivity and the Impact on Low-Income City Residents. Abell 

Foundation. https://abell.org/publications/baltimores-digital-divide-gaps-internet-connectivity-and-impact-low-income-city
City of Baltimore 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 9

that time, this leadership group decided to (1) reserve a portion of the funds to stabilize the 

budget from future fiscal shock and projected budget deficits; and (2) establish a funding 

process meant to facilitate the highest and best uses for ARPA in the City. 

The Department of Finance and the Office of the City Administrator collaborated to develop 

the details of this funding process. The staff sought out best practices from private industry, 

educational programs, government, and from within the City to create a robust, equitable, 

and fiscally responsible process that engaged multiple stakeholders and maintained a highlevel of internal controls. 

In mid-March 2021, the City Administrator convened a virtual Agency Heads and Fiscal 

Officers Meeting facilitated by the Department of Finance. The meeting relayed information 

about the law, State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund eligibility, and the estimated amounts 

granted to the City of Baltimore. In addition, the Mayor held strategic planning sessions with 

senior staff and was subsequently presented with various scenarios and analysis for each 

decision point that constructed the proposal process. 

On May 5, 2021, the City Administrator once again convened a meeting with Agency Heads 

and Fiscal Officers facilitated by the Department of Finance. The meeting announced the 

application process, application instructions, website launch for additional information, and 

the opening of an interim online portal to begin the submission of proposals.

From May through July 2021, work began to establish the formal infrastructure of the 

Mayor’s Office of Recovery Programs. This work also included officially applying for ARPA 

funding and reviewing guidance from the U.S. Department of Treasury, composing and 

posting job descriptions for the office staff, selecting vendors and procuring project 

management and software solutions, and developing the planned internal controls in the 

City’s financial system.

The infusion of dollars provided by ARPA can help the City of Baltimore make needed 

progress on many critical issues. In order to disburse, manage, and report on those funds 

successfully, the City has created the Mayor’s Office of Recovery Programs. The Recovery 

Office will serve as the principal resource and coordinator of funding, from eligibility 

determination and applying for funding to oversight, reporting, and evaluation. The office 

reports to the City Administrator.

BACKGROUND

Equity, as prescribed in Article 1 39-1 in the Baltimore City Code, means closing the gaps in 

policy, practice, and allocation of resources so that race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, 

and income do not predict one’s success, while also improving outcomes for all. The City of 

Baltimore’s definition is highly aligned with the Biden administration’s “Executive Order On

Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal 

Government”: 

“The term ‘equity’ means the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial 

treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved 

communities that have been denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, and 
City of Baltimore 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 10

Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and 

other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, 

transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in 

rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or 

inequality.”11

Equity is a primary component of the proposal and application process:

• Equity is the scoring criterion with the greatest weight among the seven total criteria 

for evaluating proposals.

• All proposals must respond to the question, “How will this project incorporate and 

advance equity?”

• All applications must include an equity impact assessment. 

• All applications must include a performance measurement plan, which asks 

applicants to specifically indicate whether data can be disaggregated across race, 

ethnicity, sex, gender identity, income, religious affiliation, and other characteristics.

The City of Baltimore’s focus on equity, particularly racial and socioeconomic equity, is 

motivated not only by the recent Executive Order and Treasury’s clear guidance in the 

Interim Rules for SLFRF, but also by the structural and historic challenges still evident in the

City.

In the early 20th century, government entities, businesses, 

and citizens in Baltimore participated in practices like 

redlining, restrictive neighborhood covenants, 

enforcement of racist federal housing policies, and other 

place-based discrimination meant to reinforce 

segregation and restrict the movement and economic 

participation of people of color.12 The legacy of these 

actions – and other public and private decisions that have 

followed them—may be seen today in geospatial views of 

Baltimore neighborhoods by poverty rates, educational 

attainment, concentration of wealth, health outcomes, and distribution of resources like 

transportation and broadband access. According to data gathered by the Baltimore City 

Department of Planning, there is a, “22.4-year difference in life expectancy between two 

neighborhoods, with the lowest life expectancy in a neighborhood with 96.3 percent Black

residents and the highest life expectancy in a neighborhood with 20.4 percent Black

residents. In addition, Black residents in Baltimore have higher unemployment rates, more 

children living in poverty, less access to goods and services, and lower educational 

attainment than white populations within the City.”13 Further evidence of inequities include:

 

11 Biden, J. R. (2021, January 21). Executive order on advancing racial equity and support for underserved communities through the federal 

government. The White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancingracial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government

12 Theodos, B., Hangen, E., Meixell, B., Mangum, A., Baird, C., Wood, D., Foster, L., Forney, E., & Hinson, D. (2019, February 5). "The Black 

Butterfly". Urban Institute. https://apps.urban.org/features/baltimore-investment-flows

13 Equity Action Plan. Baltimore City Department of Planning. (2017). 

https://planning.baltimorecity.gov/sites/default/files/Equity%20Action%20Plan.pdf

EQUITY ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

Excerpt from Recovery Program Template

How will the populations being served be 

represented in this project?

Do the tools for accountability incorporate a 

racial equity framework? How?

How will the project mitigate or decrease 

existing and historical disparities?
City of Baltimore 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 11

• One-third of the households of color in Baltimore have zero net worth;

• Bachelor’s degree attainment is 3.2 times higher for Whites than for Blacks;

• Homeownership is the highest among White residents at 60 percent, while Black 

homeownership is 42 percent, Latinos at 30 percent, and Asian homeownership at 28 

percent14

• The percentage of Black residents living in poverty is 26.1 percent compared to an 

overall poverty rate of 21.8 percent15.

The 2020 Census showed that Baltimore continues to lose population and the greatest 

population loss is from predominantly Black communities. For example, the “Harlem Park

and Sandtown-Winchester neighborhoods lost 30 percent of their population between 2010 

and 2020. Meanwhile predominantly white South Baltimore grew by 28 percent.”

16

Economic and geographic isolation, lack of neighborhood investment, violence, and other 

persistent problems that stem from the City of Baltimore‘s racial inequalities may be 

causing some Black residents to leave the City. 

GOALS

In view of these inequities and the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19, the Scott 

Administration plans to focus on the equitable distribution of resources to Black, Hispanic,

and other racial and ethnic minority groups in the City as well as low-income residents and 

children.

The Scott Administration plans to use Qualified Census Tracts (QCTs), prioritization criteria, 

and performance data to both direct and monitor resource allocation. The vision of the 

Recovery Office is to use qualitative and quantitative data to measure funding distribution 

and service delivery at the QCT or neighborhood level, or disaggregated by demographic 

characteristics. The Office will actively work to achieve this level of granularity in the data 

collected from agencies, however, there are data availability and reliability challenges. This 

data may not be obtained for all funded projects, but this represents an opportunity to 

increase the quantity and quality of available data.

As of the end of the reporting period for this report, there are three projects in the Negative 

Economic Impacts and Services to Disproportionately Impacted Communities Expenditure 

Categories that City agencies are planning in coordination and collaboration with the 

Recovery Office. Those projects include: workforce development, economic recovery, and 

violence prevention. Within each project, the Recovery Office coordinates with agencies to 

specify the characteristics of the individuals, communities, small businesses, or non-profits 

that should receive sole or priority access to services. 

In regard to the geographic and demographic distribution of funding, projects have not 

been funded to-date. However, as evident in the design of the City’s proposal and 

 

14 Racial Wealth Divide in Baltimore. Prosperity Now. (2017, January). 

https://prosperitynow.org/files/resources/Racial_Wealth_Divide_in_Baltimore_RWDI.pdf

15 Maryland Poverty Profiles. Maryland Alliance for the Poor. (2020). http://mapadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Maryland-PovertyProfiles_2020-FINAL.pdf

16 Shertz, L. (2021, August 12). Population Data from the 2020 Census. Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance. 

https://bniajfi.org/2021/08/12/population-data-from-the-2020-census
City of Baltimore 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 12

application process, we are targeting traditionally marginalized communities, many of which 

have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. 

OUTCOMES

As indicated in the equity assessment and performance measurement portions of the City’s 

ARPA funding application, the Recovery Office requires applicants to specify how their work 

will advance equity and to indicate whether their data can be disaggregated by race, 

ethnicity, and other demographic characteristics. These statements by the applicant will set 

a course for implementation of their projects and guide the Office’s monitoring and 

technical assistance efforts. Project-specific intended outcomes may include one or more 

of the possibilities: closing equity gaps, reaching universal levels of service, or collecting 

better data that will enable the City to measure equity within specific services. 

AWARENESS

The primary communication tool that the Office of Recovery Programs has used to promote 

awareness of SLFRF funding opportunities is its website. Residents, businesses, City 

agencies, non-profits, and other external organizations may learn about the Recovery Office

and the application process via the https://arp.baltimorecity.gov/ website. 

In order to reach Baltimore City residents, small businesses, non-profits, and the community 

at-large, the Recovery Office expects to broaden our efforts through an inclusive,

comprehensive communications and community engagement strategy to be finalized by 

September 2021. Plans include:

• Training and Information Sessions: Before opening the application portal to external 

organizations in October 2021, the Recovery Office will organize a series of sessions for 

non-profits and other organizations to provide guidance on the proposal and application 

processes and the City’s overall approach to disbursing SLFRF funds.

• Community Engagement Standards: Internal organizations that complete a detailed 

application may be required to develop a community engagement plan at the discretion 

of the Recovery Office. 

• Funding Announcements: The Recovery Office website will be used to announce the 

organizations that have received SLFRF funds, and provide a high-level summary of 

funded services or activities.

• Language Access: All organizations that complete a detailed application must include a 

Language Access assessment that answers questions like, “Will the project require the 

organization to interact or communicate with the public?” and “How will the project 

promote language access services?” For any public facing programs funded by SLFRF, 

organizations will be required to develop a language access plan in accordance with the 

law and federal guidelines. 
City of Baltimore 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 13

ACCESS AND DISTRIBUTION

Services to Residents, Non-Profits, or Businesses

As of July 31, 2021, eligibility criteria for planned programs were not finalized and no funding 

was allocated for any proposed projects. The Recovery Office has not committed funds to 

any program to-date. After the rigorous review process and the development of 

documentation required to support the project application as identified below, the Office 

anticipates making some initial funding decisions in Fall 2021. Where appropriate and 

necessary, the Office expects applicants to develop equity-centered criteria to prioritize City 

residents who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

Administrative Requirements

The City has established an important set of requirements in the application process to 

ensure that funds are spent efficiently, effectively, and equitably. These requirements

include a performance measurement plan, equity assessment, risk assessment, and other 

documents. These requirements may pose a challenge to small community-based 

organizations which have limited administrative capacity. However, the Recovery Office is

proactively mitigating this challenge. Once a proposal makes it to the application stage, 

applicants may work with a small team of Application Advisors to answer questions or 

provide technical assistance while applicants build out detailed implementation plans. 

Overall, the Recovery Office is working to achieve a balance between our commitments to 

accountability and fiscal responsibility with the desire to provide access to ARPA funds to 

small community-based organizations. 

To broadly promote the application process to external organizations, such as non-profits, 

the Recovery Office will develop a comprehensive communications and community

engagement plan. For example, the Office will host virtual training and information sessions 

prior to opening the application portal to those groups, which is anticipated in October 2021. 

In addition, the Office will coordinate with trusted messengers to provide information and

assist with engaging small non-profit organizations that may not be aware of the federal 

funding opportunities.

For City and quasi-governmental agencies, the Recovery Office will assign community 

engagement standards during the application stage. Examples include:

• Public notice providing project information and the agency decision-making process

• Public meeting and comment period no less than a specific number of days

• Letters of support from community organizations and resident testimonials

• Community charrettes, workshops, open houses, or townhalls for extensive 

feedback and participatory decision-making

The Recovery Office may provide funding by request to City and quasi-governmental 

agencies to complete this requirement.
City of Baltimore 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 14

Lastly, the Office is developing a comprehensive communication and community 

engagement plan which will be executed by a full-time staff member and supported by the 

Mayor’s Office of Communications. The plan will include the following components:

• Establish a social media presence to share information and receive written feedback 

from residents

• Hold virtual, or hybrid community meetings to share information about The Recovery 

Office broadly or engaging the community on specific projects as needed

• Issue press releases or provide material to senior leadership in the Mayor’s Office to 

share with the media

• Conduct trainings for external organizations, including non-profits, interested in 

applying for ARPA funds

• Provide information about funding opportunities, Recovery Program processes and 

values, and funded projects on our established website: 

https://arp.baltimorecity.gov/

• Respond to questions from the public via the office email address: 

arp@baltimorecity.gov

The City’s Charter includes a local hiring law that applies to all contracts with the City valued 

at more than $300,000 or any agreement from which a person will benefit from more than 

$5,000,000 in assistance for a City-subsidized project. Contracts that are subject to the law 

must submit an employment analysis that shows the number of new jobs the project will 

generate. At least 51 percent of the new jobs required to complete the contract must be 

filled by City of Baltimore residents. The law provides for waiver of or a reduction in the 

percentage hired requirement in certain circumstances. The City will follow this law across 

all ARPA SLFRF-funded programs and initiatives, making exceptions to this provision only 

when permissible and necessary. 

There are five tools we will use to reinforce evidence-based practices through ARPA SLFRF 

funding. First, the Recovery Office issued a request for information to identify a university 

partner to provide research and evidence to help design policy and program interventions 

that are tailored to the City of Baltimore, as well as analyses of available administrative data. 

We are in the process of selecting academic institution(s) who can provide this assistance as 

well as measurement and program evaluation support throughout the ARPA funding

lifecycle. In addition to supporting the Recovery Office in vetting the evidence base for 

proposed projects, academic evaluators will allow better measurement of the success of 

programs and position the City to consider long-term funding commitments to “what works” 

once ARPA funding expires. 

Secondly, during the proposal phase, applicants must answer the following question: “Does 

the project remedy a direct or indirect effect of the public health emergency? Indirect 

effects are linked to the COVID-19 pandemic via direct effects or have multiple causes.” If 

the effect is indirect, the applicant must provide evidence, such as peer-reviewed journals 

or a print article, that links the remedy to the public health emergency.
City of Baltimore 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 15

During proposal evaluation, the Review Committee will score proposals using the following 

two criteria, which indirectly address the need for evidence: 1) Describes intent and 

expected benefits clearly (15 percent of the total score) and 2) Shows business case for the 

public good (15 percent of the total score).

While developing full-length implementation plans, including budgets, for organizations 

that complete applications, Application Advisors and the Recovery Office will proactively 

ask for the evidence base for specific programs or interventions when necessary and 

appropriate.

Finally, the Recovery Office will require all subrecipients to provide performance 

measurement quarterly. As needed, we will engage subrecipients in discussions about 

above- and below-target performance. 

As of July 31, 2021, the City of Baltimore had not expended funds from the SLFRF allocation.

Below is a table by Expenditure Category:

Category Cumulative 

expenditures 

to date ($)

Amount spent 

since last 

Recovery Plan

1 Expenditure Category: Public Health 0 0

1.1 COVID-19 Vaccination 0 0

1.2 COVID-19 Testing 0 0

1.3 COVID-19 Contact Tracing 0 0

1.4 Prevention in Congregate Settings (Nursing 

Homes, Prisons/Jails, Dense Work Sites, 

Schools, etc.)

0 0

1.5 Personal Protective Equipment 0 0

1.6 Medical Expenses (including Alternative Care 

Facilities)

0 0

1.7 Capital Investments or Physical Plant 

Changes to Public Facilities that respond to 

the COVID-19 public health emergency

0 0

1.8 Other COVID-19 Public Health Expenses 

(including Communications, Enforcement, 

Isolation/Quarantine)

0 0

1.9 Payroll Costs for Public Health, Safety, and 

Other Public Sector Staff Responding to 

COVID-19

0 0

1.10 Mental Health Services 0 0

1.11 Substance Use Services 0 0

1.12 Other Public Health Services 0 0

2 Expenditure Category: Negative Economic 

Impacts

0 0

2.1 Household Assistance: Food Programs 0 0
City of Baltimore 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 16

Category Cumulative 

expenditures 

to date ($)

Amount spent 

since last 

Recovery Plan

2.2 Household Assistance: Rent, Mortgage, and 

Utility Aid 

0 0

2.3 Household Assistance: Cash Transfers 0 0

2.4 Household Assistance: Internet Access 

Programs

0 0

2.5 Household Assistance: Eviction Prevention 0 0

2.6 Unemployment Benefits or Cash Assistance 

to Unemployed Workers

0 0

2.7 Job Training Assistance (e.g., Sectoral jobtraining, Subsidized Employment, 

Employment Supports or Incentives)

0 0

2.8 Contributions to UI Trust Funds* 0 0

2.9 Small Business Economic Assistance 

(General)

0 0

2.10 Aid to nonprofit organizations 0 0

2.11 Aid to Tourism, Travel, or Hospitality 0 0

2.12 Aid to Other Impacted Industries 0 0

2.13 Other Economic Support 0 0

2.14 Rehiring Public Sector Staff 0 0

3 Expenditure Category: Services to 

Disproportionately Impacted Communities

0 0

3.1 Education Assistance: Early Learning 0 0

3.2 Education Assistance: Aid to High-Poverty 

Districts

0 0

3.3 Education Assistance: Academic Services 0 0

3.4 Education Assistance: Social, Emotional, and 

Mental Health Services 

0 0

3.5 Education Assistance: Other 0 0

3.6 Healthy Childhood Environments: Child Care 0 0

3.7 Healthy Childhood Environments: Home 

Visiting 

0 0

3.8 Healthy Childhood Environments: Services to 

Foster Youth or Families Involved in Child 

Welfare System 

0 0

3.9. Healthy Childhood Environments: Other 0 0

3.10 Housing Support: Affordable Housing 0 0

3.11 Housing Support: Services for Unhoused 

persons 

0 0

3.12 Housing Support: Other Housing Assistance 0 0

3.13 Social Determinants of Health: Other 0 0

3.14 Social Determinants of Health: Community 

Health Workers or Benefits Navigators 

0 0
City of Baltimore 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 17

Category Cumulative 

expenditures 

to date ($)

Amount spent 

since last 

Recovery Plan

3.15 Social Determinants of Health: Lead 

Remediation

0 0

3.16 Social Determinants of Health: Community 

Violence Interventions 

0 0

4 Expenditure Category: Premium Pay 0 0

4.1 Public Sector Employees 0 0

4.2 Private Sector: Grants to other employers 0 0

5 Expenditure Category: Infrastructure 0 0

5.1 Clean Water: Centralized wastewater 

treatment

0 0

5.2 Clean Water: Centralized wastewater 

collection and conveyance

0 0

5.3 Clean Water: Decentralized wastewater 0 0

5.4 Clean Water: Combined sewer overflows 0 0

5.5 Clean Water: Other sewer infrastructure 0 0

5.6 Clean Water: Stormwater 0 0

5.7 Clean Water: Energy conservation 0 0

5.8 Clean Water: Water conservation 0 0

5.9 Clean Water: Nonpoint source 0 0

5.10 Drinking water: Treatment 0 0

5.11 Drinking water: Transmission & distribution 0 0

5.12 Drinking water: Transmission & distribution: 

lead remediation

0 0

5.13 Drinking water: Source 0 0

5.14 Drinking water: Storage 0 0

5.15 Drinking water: Other water infrastructure 0 0

5.16 Broadband: “Last Mile” projects 0 0

5.17 Broadband: Other projects 0 0

6 Expenditure Category: Revenue Replacement 0 0

6.1 Provision of Government Services 0 0

7 Administrative and Other 0 0

7.1 Administrative Expenses 0 0

7.2 Evaluation and data analysis 0 0

7.3 Transfers to Other Units of Government 0 0

7.4 Transfers to Nonentitlement Units 

(States and Territories only)

0 0

As of July 31, 2021, no projects were funded in whole or in part with SLFRF funds. As 

previously stated, the Mayor’s Office of Recovery Programs was established on July 12, 
City of Baltimore 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 18

2021—just over two weeks before the end of the reporting period. Internal City agencies 

began submitting project proposals. Project proposals received include, but are not limited 

to the following areas:

• Workforce Development

• Broadband Access and Digital Equity

• Violence Interruption and Prevention

• Small Business and Nonprofit Assistance 

• Public Health

• Improvements to Public Serving Government Buildings

Proposal review and evaluation began in August 2021.

Performance measurement is a core part of the City’s funding process. Our approach to 

performance management is informed in part by the Results-Based AccountabilityTM 

framework. Because the Recovery Office expects to fund a large and diverse set of 

organizations, we will provide guidance and a set of resources to align applicants and 

ultimately subrecipients around a common understanding of performance management.

At the proposal stage, applicants must provide at least three performance measures and 

describe what success looks like. At evaluation, Review Committee members will score

based on whether the proposal, “Describes success and includes valid performance 

measures” (15 percent of the total score). At the application stage, The Recovery Office will 

support applicants as they identify and refine performance measures that will accurately 

reflect program activities and results. Finally, quarterly performance reports from 

subrecipients and support from our measurement and evaluation partners, described in the 

“Use of Evidence” section, will reinforce evidence-based, data-driven implementation. 

In addition to the required Treasury measures, the Recovery Office expects City and quasigovernmental agencies to first consider the measures already tracked by the Mayor’s Office 

of Performance and Innovation17, Baltimore’s award-winning performance measurement 

organization, and Outcomes-Based Budgeting18, led by the Bureau of Budget and 

Management Research. 

 

17 Kirby, D. (2020, October 28). From gotcha to Collaboration: CITISTAT'S growing pains in Baltimore offer lessons for data-driven government. 

Technical.ly Baltimore. https://technical.ly/baltimore/2020/10/28/citistat-data-government-lessons

18 Steel, C. (2018, November 28). How Baltimore Switched to Outcome-Based Budgeting. OpenGov. https://opengov.com/article/howbaltimore-switched-to-outcome-based-budgeting

Performance 

Management 

How will we 

achieve success?

Results*

Is anyone better off? (Outcomes)

% of residents fully vaccinated 

disaggregated by race and ZIP code

Measurable Activities*

What are we doing? (Inputs/Outputs)

# of vaccine appointments made

% of no-show appointments

*Measures are for illustrative purposes only
City of Baltimore 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 19

Measures relevant to the five planned City Stabilization projects are provided below to 

illustrate the types of performance measures that the City is already tracking. These 

measures are preliminary and are subject to change as projects are finalized. 

City Stabilization 

Project Measure

Broadband and Digital 

Equity Number of WiFi Sessions and Public Computer Sessions

Public Health Number of total tests

Public Health Percent of population vaccinated

Public Health Number of seniors receiving community-served meals

Economic Recovery Net number of new and expanding businesses in commercial corridors

Economic Recovery Number of jobs created or retained in Baltimore City

Economic Recovery Number of new permanent jobs per $1 million of public investment

Economic Recovery Number of assisted new businesses still in operation after one year

Workforce Development Percent of participants who are placed in an unsubsidized job, participate in 

work study, job shadow, or internship, including a summer subsidized job

Workforce Development

percent of Baltimore City TANF participants who enroll in Employment 

Continuum, obtain employment, and remain on the job for eight 

consecutive weeks

Workforce Development Number of Baltimore City registrants that obtain job placements through 

the career center network

Workforce Development Cost per participant ($) to obtain an occupational certification in a high 

growth industry

Workforce Development Number of ex-offenders who received at least one service and obtained 

employment

Violence Prevention Number of (adult) homicide and shooting victims who were under state 

parole and probation supervision

Violence Prevention Number of juvenile shooting and homicide victims in Baltimore City

Violence Prevention Number of conflict mediations conducted through Safe Streets

Violence Prevention Number of Fatal and Non-Fatal Shootings

Violence Prevention Percent of 911 calls diverted to a non-law enforcement response

Violence Prevention Number of human trafficking cases founded

Violence Prevention Recidivism as measured by re-arrest and/or convictions for participants 

in the Group Violence Reduction Strategy

Violence Prevention Number of public agencies engaged in MONSE-led performance 

management systems

ARPA offers a significant opportunity to deliver relief, spur recovery, and make down 

payments to address long-standing issues impacting residents of the City of Baltimore. Our 

approach seeks a balance between the urgency demanded by the pandemic and the 

thoughtful deliberation required in a city that rightfully demands long-term results and 

trustworthy government. The Recovery Office is both humbled by the challenge of this 

work and eager to partner with leaders in City government and the community at-large to 

move the City forward.
City of Baltimore 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 20

1. COVID Cases and Deaths in Baltimore City

Percent of COVID-19 cases and percent of COVID-19 deaths19 by race20 in Baltimore City are 

as of September 1, 2021. Racial disparities evident in these data are unfortunately not unique 

to Baltimore but rather reflect nationwide trends21.

 

19 Baltimore City COVID-19 Dashboard - Overview (2021, September 2). https://coronavirus.baltimorecity.gov

20 U.S. Census Bureau, ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates 2019, 

https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=race%20ethnicity&tid=ACSDP1Y2019.DP05

21 Zephyrin, L., Radley, D., Getachew, Y., Baumgartner, J., & Schneider, E. (2020, August 23). COVID-19 More Prevalent, Deadlier in U.S. 

Counties with Higher Black Populations. https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2020/covid-19-more-prevalent-deadlier-us-countieshigher-black-populations
City of Baltimore 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 21

2. Economic Impacts in Baltimore City

Prior to and during the pandemic, Baltimore City’s22 unemployment rate has been

consistently higher than that of the State of Maryland23. Since summer of 2020, Baltimore 

City’s unemployment rate has been a few percentage points higher than that of the nation24.

Furthermore, while 

unemployment data 

by race for Baltimore 

City is not available for 

the months during the 

pandemic, we can 

reasonably infer, 

based on 

unemployment data 

by race for Maryland25, 

that there are racial 

disparities in 

unemployment rates in Baltimore City.

 

22 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Unemployment Rate in Baltimore City, MD [MDBALT5URN], retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. 

Louis; https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MDBALT5URN, August 26, 2021

23 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Unemployment Rate in Maryland [MDUR], retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; 

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MDUR, August 26, 2021

24 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Unemployment Rate [UNRATE], retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; 

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/UNRATE, August 26, 2021

25 Economic Policy Institute, Analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) data and Current Population 

Survey (CPS) data, https://www.epi.org/indicators/state-unemployment-race-ethnicity/