STATE OF COLORADO RECOVERY PLAN

STATE AND LOCAL

FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS

AUGUST 31, 2021 // PERFORMANCE REPORT
THE FEDERAL AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA), SIGNED

INTO LAW ON MARCH 11, 2021, PROVIDES SIGNIFICANT

FUNDING TO ASSIST STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN

ADDRESSING THE HEALTH AND ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC. THIS INCLUDES $3,828,761,790

AWARDED TO THE COLORADO STATE GOVERNMENT FROM

THE CORONAVIRUS STATE FISCAL RECOVERY FUND.

THIS REPORT ADDRESSES COLORADO’S USE OF THESE

FUNDS DURING THE PERIOD FROM MAY 18, 2021 WHEN THE

FUNDS WERE FORMALLY AWARDED TO COLORADO AND

AUGUST 31, 2021.
STATE OF COLORADO RECOVERY PLAN

PERFORMANCE REPORT

MAY 18, 2021 THROUGH JULY 31, 2021

CONTENTS

Governor’s Letter .................................................................................2

General Overview ................................................................................4

Executive Summary .............................................................................4

Colorado’s Comeback Roadmap: Leveraging Federal

and State Funds to Build Back Stronger .........................................7

Creating a Legal and Financial Framework for SLFRF

Implementation ....................................................................................8

Colorado’s Planned Uses of SLFRF ...........................................10

Planned Uses of Funds Already Appropriated by

Treasury Expenditure Category ................................................12

Public Health .............................................................................12

Negative Economic Impacts................................................... 14

Infrastructure ............................................................................16

Revenue Replacement .............................................................17

Moving Colorado’s Comeback Forward: Processes and

Next Steps for Moving Forward .....................................................17

Interim Committees for Developing the Framework for

Appropriating the Remaining SLFRF .......................................17

Oversight and Spending Plans to Drive Effective

Implementation ............................................................................18

Effective Management of Stimulus Funding ...............................19

Promoting Equitable Outcomes ................................................19

Performance Management .........................................................20

Use of Evidence .............................................................................22

Community Engagement ............................................................24

Labor Practices .............................................................................25

Required Reporting Data ............................................................. 26

Expenditure Table ........................................................................26

Project Inventory ..........................................................................27

Revenue Loss..............................................................................31

Ineligible Activities: Tax Offset Provision..............................32

Appendices: ........................................................................................35

Appendix A: Spend Plan Template and/or Guidance ...........35
August 31, 2021

The Honorable Janet Yellen 

Secretary of the Treasury

The Department of the Treasury

1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, D.C. 20220

Dear Treasury Secretary Yellen,

I am committed to ensuring that Colorado seizes this once in a generation opportunity to use both state 

and federal stimulus funds to invigorate our economy and help our state recover faster and stronger 

than before the COVID-19 pandemic, while at the same time making critical investments that will better 

our state for future generations of Coloradans

While waiting for Congress to act, I proposed Colorado’s own stimulus that we included within my 

budget submission and started to enact with a special session in December. Through this Colorado State 

Recovery Plan, we are investing over $900 million of state funds to help Coloradans recover faster. State 

stimulus funds are focused on strengthening small businesses, revitalizing Colorado’s infrastructure, 

supporting families, investing in rural communities, and developing the state’s workforce.

Through the State and Local Federal Recovery Funds provided by the American Rescue Plan Act, we have 

the opportunity to build on the investments we have been able to make as a state to develop a strong 

recovery that helps everyone in our state come back stronger than before the crisis that has been 

brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Colorado’s package is the product of a consensus effort about 

the State’s priorities, from all geographic areas and levels of government. It represents a close 

collaboration between the executive and legislative branches that will power the Colorado comeback.

Through this collaboration, we have created a transformative vision that splits funding equally between 

three key areas:

1. Fiscal integrity & budget stabilization and ongoing health response so the state can avoid cuts to 

critical state services such as funding for K-12 schools, higher education, existing mental and 

behavioral and physical health programs, and the ongoing public health response to COVID-19;

2. Catalyzing transformational change in the areas of affordable housing and homeownership, 

mental and behavioral health, and workforce development, by attracting matching investments 

from local governments, foundations, and the private sector; and

3. Recovery, relief, and job creation including investments in infrastructure, parks, and agricultural
Of the $3.8 billion in federal funds:

 $1 billion will go toward fortifying the state budget and maintaining fiscal integrity

 $300 million will go towards Colorado’s ongoing response to the COVID pandemic

 $550 million will go towards affordable housing and homeownership efforts

 $550 million towards mental and behavioral health programs

 $200 million towards workforce development and education

 Approximately $850 million will be for economic recovery and relief

 $380 million for transportation and infrastructure, and parks and agriculture

We have appropriated and planned uses for approximately $2.3 billion of the state’s total $3.8 billion in 

federal funds this legislative session. An estimated $1.5 billion in federal funds will remain for 

deployment at the beginning of the next legislative session following an interim stakeholder process, 

enabling resources to be targeted to changing needs in the economy that may evolve in the coming 

months.

But as we well know, strong and transparent implementation is critical to the effective use of stimulus 

funding. I am committed to Colorado being a leader in the implementation of economic recovery 

funding, where no one is left behind in our state, evidence within programs is utilized, and ongoing 

performance management. To effectively manage Colorado’s economic recovery funding, I have taken 

the following steps:

 Developed a process to establish goals and measures across program life, and monitor the 

equity of outcomes;

 Established a Recovery Office to coordinate efforts across agencies and departments;

 Hire ten Recovery Officers to coordinate implementation efforts across departments and,

 Created an internal governance structure for implementation.

Colorado’s state and federal economic recovery funds will further strengthen Colorado’s work to ensure 

that the state’s economy can come back even stronger post pandemic. I am thankful for US Treasury’s 

ongoing efforts to ensure SLFRF are administered effectively throughout the Country and I look forward 

to the ongoing partnership in our nation’s ongoing recovery efforts.

Please find Colorado’s Recover Plan for SLFRF enclosed.

Sincerely,

Jared Polis

Governor

State of Colorado
This one time

money gives us the

opportunity to

make sure

Colorado builds

back stronger by

investing in what

we already know

makes Colorado

special; our

people, our small

businesses, our

quality of life,

and our public

lands.

EXECUTIVE

SUMMARY

General Overview

The federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA),

signed into law on March 11, 2021, provides

significant funding to assist state and local

governments in addressing the health and

economic impacts of the coronavirus

pandemic. This includes $3,828,761,790

awarded to the Colorado state government

from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery

Fund. The federal government transferred the

full $3,828,761,790 award to the State on May

18, 2021. Colorado received the funding in a

single tranche, rather than two tranches,

because its unemployment rate in May 2021

was more than 2.0 percentage points higher

than its February 2020 unemployment rate.

Colorado is maximizing the State’s use of ARPA

funds by leveraging those funds with the

Colorado Recovery Plan, an over $900 million

investment of state dollars into helping all

communities recover faster and build back

stronger. Colorado’s Governor, in collaboration

with other elected and appointed state

officials, undertook a comprehensive internal

and external process to identify and evaluate

which stimulus ideas were most critical for the

people of Colorado.
The process began with a comprehensive internal process to assess the state needs in August of 2020 and

continued through June of 2021 incorporating robust public input and bipartisan, bicameral engagement and

collaboration that led to early action during a special session on a Colorado’s state stimulus while waiting for

Congress to act. This intensive outreach then provided the framework for the overall State and Local Relief

Fund (SLRF) strategy and plan.

The goals and ideas generated through this process guided dozens of bills narrowly tailored to meet the

challenge at hand, including strengthening small businesses, revitalizing infrastructure, supporting Colorado

families, investing in rural Colorado, and developing and strengthening our workforce. The state’s recently

updated performance management system is a key tool being utilized to ensure we maximize the impact of

our investments, monitor their performance and hold ourselves accountable for equitable outcomes from

our investments and actions.

In the Spring of 2021, as one step to help ensure these funds met the needs of Coloradans, Governor Polis, in

collaboration with State Treasurer Young, State House & Senate Leadership and legislators from both sides of

the aisle convened a series of meetings to hear directly from Coloradans from across the state’s diverse

communities, industries and areas of interest use of the ARPA funds, the Governor, State Treasurer and

legislative leaders first convened a series of meetings to hear directly from Coloradans from across the

state’s diverse communities, industries, and areas of interest. The Building Back Stronger tour gathered input

directly from thousands of Coloradans through seven regional meetings, ten audience or industry specific

meetings, numerous meetings with state house and senate members, and input gathered online from

hundreds more Coloradans.

By working together, Colorado’s Governor, legislative leaders and state agencies were able to get agreement

on splitting the use of SLFRF funds in three major categories:

F I S C A L

I N T E G R I T Y &

B U D G E T

S T A B I L I Z A T I O N

T R A N S F O R M A T I O N A L

C H A N G E

R E C O V E R Y ,

R E L I E F A N D

J O B

C R E A T I O N

Being one of the first states to reach this type of agreement, Colorado is able to deploy ARPA funds to

address the direct impacts of the pandemic, to invest in long-standing issues, invest in transformational

systemic change and to build out the systems necessary to ensure the efficacy, sustainability, and

performance of all of these critical investments. A top priority for the state aid provided by the American

Rescue Plan Act is to shore up the state budget for the near term, so that as we recover from the global

pandemic we do not have to cut back on critical state services, such as funding our K-12 schools, higher

education, existing behavioral and physical health programs and services, and our ongoing public health

response to COVID-19.

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 - July 31, 2021 5
A common refrain from the listening tour was the opportunity to use this once in a generation funding

infusion to make transformational change on the greatest challenges facing our state. That’s why we plan to

use more than a third of the money to tackle three of the most significant challenges facing our state:

These one-time funds will be leveraged through matching funds to catalyze a longer term solution to make

transformative change in Colorado.

Tackling our crisis in housing costs.

01

Combating our crisis in behavioral health, including mental health

and substance abuse disorder.

02

Investing in our people through workforce development to provide

Coloradans the skills they need to thrive in the new economy.

03

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 - July 31, 2021 6
Colorado’s Comeback Roadmap: Leveraging Federal and State Funds to Build Back

Stronger

Even before Congress acted, Colorado was already working to use one-time funding made available

through unforeseen revenue above projections made in the middle of the pandemic to help Colorado

recover faster and build back stronger. Developed with bipartisan input from lawmakers, community

partners across the state, and State agencies, Colorado developed plans and goals for building back

stronger and righting the wrongs of an economy that disadvantaged working people and correcting

course towards a system that benefits ALL Coloradans.

Known as the Colorado Recovery Plan, Colorado’s leaders laid out five goals to meet the challenges at

hand:

1. Strengthening small businesses

2. Revitalizing our infrastructure

3. Supporting Colorado families

4. Investing in rural Colorado

5. Developing our workforce

Colorado’s Governor has taken a number of steps to support the efficient use of all stimulus funds and to

maximize their impact on the state’s recovery. To ensure effective coordination across state government

agencies, officers and departments a number of steps have been taken including:

● The state’s spending plan process which guides the use of appropriated funds at a programmatic

level has been updated and strengthened to ensure the efficient use of all funds, eliminate

duplication, establish goals and measures across program life and monitor the equity of

outcomes;

● The state has expanded the role of the recently hired Director of the Office of Economic

Development and International Trade to also serve as the Chief Economic Recovery Officer and

the state has established a Recovery Office to coordinate efforts across agencies and

departments; and,

● The state is completing the hiring of ten Recovery Officers to serve in agencies and departments

receiving recovery funds who will each ensure that Colorado is creating and implementing

economic policies and programs that enable a fast and robust recovery including the

implementation of approved spending plans.

With the announcement of funding included within the American Rescue Plan Act, Colorado has been

strategic and intentional in designing legislation and investments that leverage both state and federal

funds to maximize the impact of these funds and the impact for those most affected by the pandemic.

Colorado’s Executive Branch and Legislative leaders have been diligent, strategic, and intentional about

ensuring ARPA funds are invested in a way that has both immediate or short-term impacts for the state’s

diverse communities and individuals as well as laying the groundwork for long-term systemic change and

the underlying systems to ensure the quality and sustainability of those systems and changes.

As is further detailed in this plan, Colorado is investing its federal recovery funds aligned with both the

intent and guidance of the U.S. Treasury and Congress as well as Colorado’s unique needs as identified by

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 7
the Governor, legislature, state agency, and department leaders and the people of Colorado. Altogether,

Colorado plans to invest over $4.7 billion in one-time funding to create jobs, jumpstart our recovery, and

invest in a more equitable future for Colorado.

Federal State Local Fiscal Rescue Funds ($3.8B) Colorado State Stimulus (over $900M)

$1.3 billion for Fiscal Integrity & Budget

Stabilization and Ongoing Health Response

● Fortify the State Budget and Maintain

Fiscal Integrity

● Continued public health response

$1.3 billion to Catalyze Transformational Change

● Affordable Housing and Homeownership

● Mental and Behavioral Health

● Workforce Development and Education

$1.2 billion for Recovery & Relief and Job

Creation

● Economic Recovery and Relief

● Infrastructure, Parks, and Agriculture

$168 million for Strengthening Small Businesses

● Sales tax relief

● Relief for arts and culture organizations

● One-time grants with priority to minority,

women, and veteran owned businesses

$313 million for Revitalizing Infrastructure

● Community main streets

● Downtown spaces

● Transportation

$210 million for Supporting Colorado Families

● Affordable housing policies at local

government level

● Educator licensure

● Mental health screening in schools

$148 million for Investing in Rural Colorado

● Boost agriculture and rural communities

● Forest restoration and wildlife recovery

projects

● Create new economic development

opportunities in response to the market

driven transition away from coal

$66 million for Developing Colorado’s Workforce

● Provide scholarships for people with

some college but no degree

● Increased investment in Colorado’s SNAP

Employment and Training program

● Professional training for re-entry

Creating a Legal and Financial Framework for SLFRF Implementation

During the 2021 regular legislative session, the General Assembly adopted multiple bills that

established an overall framework for use of the federal Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund money

by transferring the money into cash funds with discrete purposes. For some of the funds, more specific

uses were determined during the 2021 session and reflected in FY 2020-21 and FY 2021-22

appropriations and transfers. Uses for the remainder of the funds will be informed by the work of

several task forces that were also established through bills adopted during the 2021 legislative session.

The following chart and table shows the initial allocation of all of the federal funds into state cash

funds and the creation of the legislative task forces. As shown in the chart, all $3.8 billion of federal

Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Funds received by Colorado were deposited into cash funds with

designated uses during the 2021 legislative session.

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 8
2021 Legislative Session Allocation of CoronaVirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund Money and Balances

Remaining

Initial Transfer to Cash

Fund

Spending Authority

Provided in 2021

Legislative Session

Balance Available for

Future Appropriation or

Transfer

Transportation-Related Cash Funds $380,000,000 $380,000,000 $0

Revenue Loss Restoration Cash Fund

(RLR) 1,000,000,000 0 1,000,000,000

Economic Recovery and Relief Cash

Fund (ERR) 848,761,790 166,090,149 682,671,641

Workers, Employers, and Workforce

Centers Cash Fund (WEWC) 200,000,000 145,000,000 55,000,000

Behavioral and Mental Health Cash

Fund (BMH) 550,000,000 99,330,000 450,670,000

Affordable Housing and Home

Ownership Cash Fund (AHHO) 550,000,000 165,000,000 385,000,000

Balance in American Rescue Plan Act of

2021 Cash Fund (ARPA) 300,000,000 300,000,000 0

TOTAL $3,828,761,790 $1,255,420,149 $2,573,341,641

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 9
COVID RELATED PROGRAMS

Continued support for public health response and ensure there is proper

spending oversight.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING & HOME OWNERSHIP

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

2021 Legislative Session: $165 million this legislative session in strategic

investments to build housing supply, remove barriers to increase housing

affordability, and address homelessness.

2021 Legislative Session: Roughly $100 million this legislative session in

strategic investments to provide and expand needed behavioral health

treatment in communities throughout Colorado, including specific funding

for children and youth.

Interim & 2022 Session: Roughly $400 million ($15 million of which is State

General Fund) set aside for an interim process to make recommendations

to the General Assembly for the 2022 session to use one time investments

to expand affordable and workforce housing for thousands of Coloradans

while also making key investments to end homelessness and increase

stability.

Interim & 2022 Session: Roughly $451 million set aside for an interim

process to make recommendations to the General Assembly for the 2022

session to use one time investments to continue to meet Colorado’s

ongoing behavioral health needs.

FORTIFY THE STATE BUDGET AND MAINTAINING FISCAL INTEGRITY

Utilize revenue loss provision for the future provision of government

services, including General Fund expenses in the priority areas such as K12

education, housing, and employee compensation, thus protecting funding in

tight economic times.

$1

BILLION

$300

MILLION

$550

MILLION

$550

MILLION

Through this larger framework, Colorado has appropriated and planned approximately $2.3 billion in SLFRF

investments during Colorado’s 2021 legislative session and plans to appropriate the rest of the $1.5 billion in

funding in the 2022 legislative session. Current plans include:

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 - July 31, 2021 10
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT/EDUCATION

TRANSPORTATION, INFRASTRUCTURE, PARKS, AND AGRICULTURE

$380 million for investments in Colorado’s transportation system to catalyze

a modernization of transportation funding that will result in over $5 billion

investment in infrastructure over 10 years. Jump start urgently needed

investments in public lands maintenance, state park expansion, access and

equity that the Keep CO Wild Pass and the Lottery Outdoor Equity Fund will

sustain in future years, and agricultural events, including the stock show.

2021 Legislative Session: $145 million this session to help students

reconnect with their postsecondary options, support innovation in

workforce development, and increase funding for existing effective

programs that help to connect K-12, higher education, and industry.

Interim & 2022 Session: $95 million ($40 million of which is State General

Fund) set aside for an interim process to make recommendations to the

General Assembly for the 2022 session that invests in our people to gain the

skills needed for higher wage jobs in the new economy and helps our higher

education system adapt to better meet the needs of students and

employers wherever and however they are learning and upskilling. This

interim process also leverages state investments and builds an ecosystem

of higher education, workforce, business, K-12, and advocacy leaders to

ensure investments are responsive to statewide needs with a lens towards

equity.

Interim & 2022 Session: Roughly $683 million ($14.5 million of which is State

General Fund) set aside for an interim process to make recommendations

to the General Assembly for the 2022 session to use one time investments

to continue to meet Colorado’s ongoing economic recovery needs.

ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND RELIEF

2021 Legislative Session: Roughly $166 million this legislative session in

strategic investments to support small business, provide needed assistance

to families, ensure broadband access across Colorado, and fortifying our

public health capacity throughout the state.

$849

MILLION

$200

MILLION

$380

MILLION

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 - July 31, 2021 11
Planned Uses of Funds Already Appropriated by Treasury Expenditure Category

Funds in Table(s) Below:

AHHO: Affordable Housing and home Ownership Cash Fund

ARPA: American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 Cash Fund

BMH: Behavioral Mental Health Cash Fund

ERR: Economic Recovery and Relief Cash Fund

WEWC: Workers, Employers, and Workforce Centers Cash Fund

Public Health

To respond to the public health emergency caused by COVID-19 and to meet the wide range of public

health impacts and disparities, Colorado has appropriate transformative investment in behavioral

health, local public health, school-based health, and victim assistance. Significant funds were also

appropriated to ensure that Colorado can hire and train the workforce needed to address our

behavioral health needs.

Highlight: Through SB21-137, the Behavioral Health Recovery Act, Colorado will be using ARPA dollars

to fund a comprehensive package of behavioral health investments that address the impacts of

COVID-19. These investments include funding for Managed Service Organizations for increasing access

to substance use disorder and recovery, services for school-aged children and parents, crisis services,

jail-based services, and early childhood mental health consultation. It also includes an $18 million

investment in developing the behavioral health workforce, which has been directly impacted by

COVID-19. $26 million will go to statewide care coordination to ensure Coloradans with behavioral

health conditions are able to access comprehensive care and we maximize available resources by

eliminating the duplication of services. The Act also invests in Colorado’s research institutions,

ensuring we are prepared to train our care specialists to meet ongoing behavioral health needs.

Finally, $10 million will go to local public health agencies and $5M to address the increase in

hospitalizations for behavioral health crises among youth and adolescents we have seen during the

pandemic.

1: Public Health ($434,920,149)

Appropriated

Amount

Short Description Bill Cash Fund

$300,000,000

Funds continuously appropriated to the Governor’s Office to

be used to address the ongoing public health needs and to

administer, monitor, and evaluate the Colorado recovery

efforts. A portion of these funds will be counted as

“Administrative” expenses in future reports.

SB21-288 ARPA

$2,000,000

Behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment for

children, youth, and their families

SB21-137 BMH

$26,000,000 Behavioral health statewide care coordination infrastructure SB21-137 BMH

$5,000,000

Colorado crisis system services in response to the effect of

COVID-19 on behavioral health of Colorado residents,

including statewide access to crisis system services for

children and youth

SB21-137 BMH

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 12
$3,250,000

Community mental health centers for unanticipated services

and expenses related to COVID-19, including capacity building

and strategies to address the direct care workforce for the

purpose of increasing access to meet the growing demand for

services

SB21-137 BMH

$500,000

Community transition services for guardianship services for

individuals transitioning out of mental health institutes

SB21-137 BMH

$9,000,000 County-based behavioral grant program SB21-137 BMH

$250,000

Department of Health Care Policy and Financing for training

health-care and behavioral health-care professionals in

substance use screening, brief intervention, and referral to

treatment

SB21-137 BMH

$1,000,000

Department of Higher Education for the Center for Research

into substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and

recovery support strategies at the University of Colorado

Health Sciences Center for training and education for

health-care, behavioral health-care, and public health-care

professionals, to further promote the use of evidence-based

models of care for treatment of pain and substance use

disorders, grant writing assistance for local organizations, and

to further strengthen recovery support programs and services

SB-21-137 BMH

$300,000

Department of Human Services for use by the Office of

Ombudsman for Behavioral Health Access to care to help

resolve behavioral health-care access and coverage concerns

or complaints for consumers and health-care providers

SB21-137 BMH

$1,700,000

Department of Public Health and Environment for use by the

Primary Care Office for loan repayments for behavioral

healthcare providers and candidates for licensure

participating in the Colorado mental health services corps and

scholarships for addiction counselors

SB21-137 BMH

$500,000 Early mental health consultation SB21-137 BMH

$3,000,000

High-Risk Families Cash Fund in the Department of Human

Services

SB21-137 BMH

$2,000,000 HIV and AIDS prevention grant program SB21-137 BMH

$5,000,000 Jail based behavioral health services SB21-137 BMH

$10,000,000

Managed Service Organizations (MSOs) for increasing access

to effective substance use disorder treatment and recovery

SB21-137 BMH

$1,000,000 Mental health awareness campaign SB21-137 BMH

$1,000,000 Opiate Bulk Purchase Fund SB21-137 BMH

$5,000,000

Pilot Program for residential placement of children and youth

with high acuity physical, mental, or behavioral health needs

SB21-137 BMH

$630,000

Regents of the University of Colorado for allocation to the

School of Medicine for practice consultation services and

stipends for health-care providers who are eligible to provide

medication for opioid use disorder

SB-21-137 BMH

$1,000,000

Regents of the University of Colorado for allocation to the

School of Medicine for the Regional Health Connector

Workforce Program

SB-21-137 BMH

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 13
$1,200,000 School-based health centers SB21-137 BMH

$2,000,000

Services provided to school-aged children and parents by

community mental health center school-based clinicians and

prevention specialists

SB21-137 BMH

$18,000,000

Workforce development program to increase the behavioral

health-care workforce’s ability to treat individuals, including

youth, with severe behavioral health disorders.

SB21-137 BMH

$750,000

Judicial Department for use by courts administration for

Family Violence Justice Grants

SB21-292 ERR

$3,000,000

Department of Public Safety for use by the Division of

Criminal Justice for the Forensic Nurse Examiners Telehealth

Program

SB21-292 ERR

$3,000,000 Forensic Nurse Examiners Telehealth Program SB21-292 ERR

$1,500,000

Department of Public Safety for use by the Division of

Criminal Justice for the State Victim Compensation Program

SB21-292 ERR

$4,750,000

Department of Human Services for use by the Office of Self

Sufficiency for the Domestic Abuse Program

SB21-292 ERR

$1,500,000

Department of Public Safety for use by the Division of

Criminal Justice for the State Victims Assistance and Law

Enforcement Program

SB21-292 ERR

$10,000,000 Distributions to local public health agencies SB21-243 ERR

$11,090,149 Division of disease control and public health response SB21-243 ERR

Negative Economic Impacts

Supporting businesses, investing in the advancement of our workers, and supporting families to

recover are fundamental to Colorado’s long-term future. By appropriating funding into loan programs,

workforce development and career advancement, and assistance to keep families housed and fed will

provide the foundation for addressing long-standing disparities and providing a larger path for

economic mobility.

Highlight: Through HB21-1264, Colorado will encourage innovation in order to drastically improve

outcomes for learners and workers, including underserved populations by promoting partnerships and

helping to prepare Coloradans for well-paying, quality jobs of the future. These invitations will include:

Career and Technical Education structured to develop high wage, demand-driven training and

encourage short-term program growth to meet post pandemic demand; investments in Local

Workforce Boards across the state for developing local workforce ecosystems across employer

communities, workforce centers, apprenticeship programs, and other initiatives that are responsive to

the needs of that community; funding for the Colorado Workforce Development Council (CWDC),

which will be used to enhance the statewide workforce ecosystem, including grants for statewide

workforce innovation initiatives; and Adult Education and Literacy to upskill in language, numeracy

and digital skills to prepare Coloradans for full participation in Colorado’s economic, social and civic

life.

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 14
2: Negative Economic Impacts ($245,000,000)

Appropriated

Amount

Short Description Bill Cash Fund

$5,000,000

Department of Education for the Adult Education and Literacy

Grant Program

HB21-1264 WEWC

$10,000,000

Department of Higher Education for career and technical

education equipment, facility, and instruction capacity funding

HB21-1264 WEWC

$35,000,000

Department of Labor and Employment for use by the Colorado

Workforce Development Council for "Workforce Innovation

Act" programs

HB21-1264 WEWC

$25,000,000

Department of Labor and Employment for use by the Colorado

Workforce Development Council for Investments in Reskilling,

Upskilling, and Next-skilling Workers Program

HB21-1264 WEWC

$15,000,000

The Colorado opportunity scholarship initiative advisory board

may use this appropriation for the Colorado opportunity

scholarship initiative's displaced workers grant

SB21-232 WEWC

$98,500,000

Department of Local Affairs for use by the Division of Housing

for the Affordable Housing and Home Ownership Cash Fund

HB21-1329 AHHO

$1,500,000

Judicial Department for use by the Eviction Legal Defense Fund

Grant program for the Affordable Housing and Home

Ownership Fund

HB21-1329 AHHO

$5,000,000 Food pantry assistance grant program SB21-027 ERR

$10,000,000 Colorado startup loan program fund HB21-1288 ERR

$40,000,000

Office of the Governor for the use by economic development

programs for assistance to businesses affected by the

COVID-19 pandemic or its negative economic impacts

SB21-291 ERR

Services to Disproportionately Impacted Communities

Affordable housing and access to higher education are key components of economic mobility within

Colorado’s recovery. By providing local communities throughout Colorado with new incentives and

funding, more comprehensive approaches can be developed to generate more affordable housing for

all Coloradans. Investing in programs that led to equitable career advancement will also drive

Colorado’s recovery.

Highlight: To address Colorado’s affordable housing crisis, HB21-1271 makes significant investments to

provide local communities with the incentives and tools needed to expand the supply of affordable

housing. The bill creates the Affordable Housing Guided Toolkit and Local Officials Guide to help local

governments develop an overall affordable housing strategy. The Planning Grant Program awards local

governments funding for assistance to adopt qualifying land use strategies including a needs

assessment, reviewing model land use codes, or making investments in its community that would

enable the local government to be competitive in applying for a housing development incentives

grant. The Housing Development Incentives Grant supports local governments to adopt effective

tools to spur housing creation. The menu of strategy options is broad enough that any community can

be successful in finding the right mix of strategies that fit its community, or the local government may

introduce its own innovative or unique approach.

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 15
3: Services to Disproportionately Impacted Communities ($120,500,000)

Appropriated

Amount

Short Description Bill Cash Fund

$30,000,000

Department of Local Affairs for the Colorado Heritage

Communities Fund for the Housing Development Incentives

Grant program

HB21-1271 AHHO

$5,000,000

Colorado Heritage Communities Fund for the Local

Government Planning Grant Program

HB21-1271 AHHO

$30,000,000

Funding for grants or loans to local governments and

nonprofits for the rental, acquisition, or renovation of

underutilized hotel, motel, and other underutilized properties

for use as noncongreated sheltering or affordable housing.

SB21-242 AHHO

$1,500,000

Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative Fund to implement

the Student Aid Applications Completion Grant Program

HB21-1330 WEWC

$1,750,000

Department of Education for the Career Development Success

Program

SB21-268 WEWC

$1,750,000

Department of Education for the Concurrent Enrollment

Expansion and Innovation Grant Program

SB21-268 WEWC

$49,000,000

Department of Higher Education for the Colorado Opportunity

Scholarship Initiative Fund for distribution to institutions of

higher education for student scholarships and support services

HB21-1330 WEWC

$1,000,000

Department of Higher Education to implement the Colorado

Re-Engaged Initiative and the Associate Degree Completion

Program

HB21-1330 WEWC

$500,000

Address confidentiality program fund, a statewide program

that provides survivors of stalking, sexual assault, and

domestic violence with a legal substitute address and mail

forwarding

SB21-292 ERR

Infrastructure

Access to broadband has a strong correlation with economic well-being. Nationwide, the impact it has

on the communities it connects is real and measurable. Through the recently appropriated funds,

Colorado will be able to connect communities and fuel economic growth in unserved areas across

Colorado.

Highlight: HB21-1289 appropriated funds to the Colorado Broadband Office to award grants that

support broadband infrastructure development throughout Colorado. The bill includes: the Digital

Inclusion Grant Program to increase broadband access, speeds, reliability, and affordability to one or

more Indian tribes or nations for deploying infrastructure and devices and to one or more providers of

telehealth services; the Interconnectivity Grant Program to award funding to local governments for

projects focused on regional broadband infrastructure needs; and the Broadband Stimulus Grant

Program to make grants for the deployment of broadband service in unserved areas of the state.

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 16
5: Infrastructure ($75,000,000)

Appropriated

Amount

Short Description Bill Cash Fund

$35,000,000

Creation of the Broadband Stimulus Grant Program to be

administered by the Broadband Deployment Board (BDB) in

the Colorado Broadband Office

HB21-1289 ERR

$5,000,000

Department of Local Affairs for use by the Division of Local

Government to implement the Interconnectivity Grant

Program

HB21-1289 ERR

$35,000,000

Digital Inclusion Grant Program to provide $20M to tribes and

$15M to telehealth providers, administered by the Colorado

Broadband Office

HB21-1289 ERR

Revenue Replacement

Through replacement of lost revenue made possible through the SLFRF, Colorado is able to make

transformative investments in Colorado’s transportation system to catalyze a modernization

of transportation funding that will result in over $5 billion investment in infrastructure over 10 years.

These funds will also jump start urgently needed investments in public lands maintenance, and state

park expansion, and equity in access to public lands.

Highlight: SB21-260 created the Revitalizing Main Streets Program. This program is intended to help

communities across the state implement transportation-related projects that improve safety and yield

long-term benefits to community main streets, or areas in or adjacent to community-focused,

downtowns where people work, dine, and shop. These routes help form a specific region’s identity

and act as the major economic hub in many towns and cities across Colorado.

6: Revenue Replacement ($380,000,000)

Appropriated

Amount

Short Description Bill Cash Fund

$380,000,000

Allocations to the State Highway Fund, Multimodal

Transportation and Mitigation Options Fund, and the Highway

User Tax Fund

SB21-260 --

Moving Colorado’s Comeback Forward: Processes and Next Steps for Moving Forward

Colorado will continue to move forward quickly with implementing its comeback. Building upon our

momentum, we will move forward with strategic outreach, analysis, and evaluation of the highest and

best use of our remaining funds left to be appropriated. We will also implement a process for ensuring

that stimulus funding is effectively managed and meets our intended outcomes.

Interim Committees for Developing the Framework for Appropriating the Remaining SLFRF

As noted above, Interim Committees established by the Governor and legislature expect to appropriate

the remaining SLFRF over the next year. These committees began their work in August of 2021 to

coordinate a unified approach among the Governor and the General Assembly to help ensure an

impactful, equitable and efficient roll out of economic recovery dollars. There will be interim committees

in the following areas:

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 17
● Affordable Housing policy

● Behavioral/Mental Health

● Workforce Development/Higher Education

● Economic Recovery and Relief

During the 2021 legislative session, the Governor and General Assembly passed HB21-1329 and

SB21-137 into law, and directed the Executive Committee of the Legislative Council, by resolution, to

create task forces to meet during the 2021 interim. The task forces will issue reports with

recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor on policies to create transformational

change in the area of housing and behavioral and mental health using money the state received from the

American Rescue Plan to be addressed by legislation in the 2022 legislative session. HB21-1329 and

SB21-137 permits the task force to include non-legislative members and have stakeholder working

groups created to assist them and to hire a facilitator to guide the work of the task force.

SB21-291 created the Economic Recovery and Relief Cash fund which contains ARPA funds. It requires

the Executive Committee of the Legislative Council to create a task force to meet during the 2021 interim

and issue a report with recommendations on policies that use money from the fund to provide a

stimulative effect to the state's economy, necessary relief for Coloradans, or that address emerging

economic disparities resulting from the pandemic.

Oversight and Spending Plans to Drive Effective Implementation

Colorado is building upon our existing infrastructure and creating new capacity to effectively manage and

coordinate our recovery efforts. This coordination includes governance from the State Controller and

various offices within the Governor’s Office, including the development of a Recovery Office charged

with coordinating Colorado’s larger recovery efforts.

As a part of Colorado’s Recovery Office, Colorado will implement a model of Recovery Officers, who are

senior staff that will be embedded within departments receiving stimulus funding and charged with

leading a recovery response to address the economic challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic

and ensure that Colorado is creating and implementing economic policies and programs that enable a

fast and robust recovery. Primary duties include implementation of an approved spending plan, which

can include oversight of new or existing programs, hiring, procurement, performance management,

grants management, and more. Each agency plan will include details about the allocation of stimulus

funding, with clear goals, and methods of measuring progress towards shared outputs and outcomes.

The Recovery Office will coordinate the Recovery Officers embedded within each agency and lead the

implementation plan and cross-functional teams focused in part on stakeholder engagement and

community relations, communications, performance management, and fiscal reporting and compliance.

We have launched a spending plan process that combines efforts between oversight agencies and the

Governor’s Office to ensure proper implementation of ARPA awards that are made directly to State

departments, SLFRF allocations, and State-funded stimulus efforts. The spending plan process is a critical

initial step in Colorado’s effective management of stimulus funds.

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 18
The spending plan process is designed to:

1. Ensure the Administration remains coordinated on deployment of resources;

2. Avoid duplication of state and federal financing;

3. Anticipate funding and staffing needs to properly resource our fiscal monitoring, and reporting

responsibilities; and,

4. Drive program performance and evaluate program effectiveness.

As outlined in detail in the following section, the spending plan process is intended to facilitate ongoing

planning and implementation discussions in the following areas:

● Fiscal Oversight--Ensuring that programs are aligned with existing funding, strategic plans, and

statutory and federal requirements. We are using the process to ensure departments have

adequate staff and resources for the proper administration, monitoring, and oversight of

recovery funding.

● Promoting Equitable Outcomes--To both promote the Governor’s and the President’s focus on

equity, departments must discuss plans for integrating equity into program design, goals, and

outcomes.

● Performance Management--Furthering the Governor’s focus on driving and measuring

performance, the spending plan integrates our performance management system into the

design and execution of federal funds.

● Use of Evidence--To evaluate the evidence level of planned spending and to facilitate a

discussion around possible evaluation possibilities, departments must address the evidence level

and any plans to evaluate their proposed programs.

● Community Engagement--To further the community engagement that occurred in the

development of Colorado’s recovery efforts, departments must provide information on how they

have sustained community engagement in the further development of their programs.

Spending plans are meant to be an initial part to a larger management system that includes direct

implementation from Recovery Officers and engagement from the Office of the State Controller and the

Office of the Governor, including the Governor’s Office of State Planning and Budgeting, Office of

Operations, and Recovery Office.

Effective Management of Stimulus Funding

Promoting Equitable Outcomes

In August of 2020, Governor Polis issued Executive Order 2020 175 directing the Department of

Personnel and Administration to lead State action on equity, diversity and inclusion for the State of

Colorado. Among other things, the order directed State agencies to take a coordinated approach, led by

DPA, to operationalize equity in systems, policies, and practice. In the Performance Management

Guidelines, agency and department leaders are reminded that equity, diversity, and inclusion should be a

lens applied to all WIGs and lead measures. The objective is for equity, diversity, and inclusion to be a

consideration in all work done across state government and to collect the right data to track progress.

As part of each agency’s development of their performance goals , the Governor and his office work

across state agencies to ensure that they consider whether the achievement of their performance goals

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 19
will make the state more equitable, diverse, and/or inclusive. Agency and department leaders are

encouraged, as part of this process, to explore and answer:

● What assumptions underlie my proposed strategies?

● Could this proposal unintentionally burden traditionally underserved or disadvantaged

communities?

● How will this proposed strategy benefit traditionally underserved or disadvantaged

communities?

● Do the impacted communities have a voice in the decision making process and are they able to

participate in any discussion without language, accessibility, or technological barriers?

● Do the impacted communities have the means to hold decision makers accountable?

In addition to these requirements as part of the performance goals, the Spending Plans required by the

Governor (see Addendum A), require agency or department Directors to “describe efforts to promote

equitable outcomes, including how programs were designed with equity in mind.” The Spending Plans

further require each plan to include how the program will consider and measure equity at the various

stages of the program, including:

● Goals: Are there particular historically underserved, marginalized, or adversely affected groups

that you intend to serve within your jurisdiction? Have unintended consequences for these

groups been evaluated?

● Awareness: How equal and practical is the ability for residents or businesses to become aware of

the services funded by the program?

● Access and Distribution: Are there differences in levels of access to benefits and services across

groups? Are there administrative requirements that result in disparities in ability to complete

applications or meet eligibility criteria?

● Outcomes: Are intended outcomes focused on closing gaps, reaching universal levels of service,

or disaggregating progress by race, ethnicity, and other equity dimensions where relevant for the

policy objective?

Spending Plan guidance also directs that key Items to be addressed include:

● How program will address equity gaps

● Measurable goals for equitable outcomes

Beyond the spending plan, Colorado will work to collect data on ARPA programs to demonstrate

equitable impact by gathering program-level data that can be disaggregated both geographically and

demographically, wherever possible.

Performance Management

Colorado’s performance management system is driven by the State Measurement for Accountable,

Responsive, and Transparent Government Act, known as the SMART Act, enacted to create an

accountable and transparent state government built on clear, measurable performance-based goals. The

SMART Act requires that goals are developed annually and published publicly as performance plans, that

agencies present those plans and prior accomplishments in front of the General Assembly, and that

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 20
those goals are used during the development of the annual budget. The Governor’s Office of Operations

coordinates and oversees the responsibilities and procedures as required by the SMART Act across the

executive branch agencies.

In their recognition of Colorado, Results for America made specific note of the State’s alignment around

the Bold Four, government-wide goals, the accountability of the Governor’s Dashboard, and the

collaboration of cabinet working groups to move the needle towards accomplishing those goals.

One of the foundational pieces of the Governor’s approach to achieving bold results for Coloradans is

the use of wildly important goals, or WIGs, for both the Governor’s statewide Bold Four priorities and

the annual goals set by the Directors of executive branch agencies. This terminology comes from the 4

Disciplines of Execution (4DX), which advocate that leaders should focus on the wildly important, act on

lead measures to track progress, keep a compelling scoreboard, and create a cadence of accountability in

order to achieve bold goals.

All of these strategies and components are incorporated directly into the overall performance

management strategy and the operations of the executive branch. Progress is shared publicly on the

Governor’s Dashboard (pictured below) which was established in 2019 and provides data visualizations

demonstrating progress toward each of the Bold Four goals of the Governor, as well as each executive

branch agency’s WIGs. Progress on dashboard measures are reported monthly by executive branch

agencies, and discussed at both monthly working group meetings and monthly reviews with the Chief of

Staff and Director of Operations.

To keep focus on the WIGs, including the daily activity necessary to work toward them, the Governor’s

Office utilizes Lead Measures that capture the daily, weekly and/or monthly activities each agency or

department is engaging in to achieve WIGs. Lead Measures are intended to provide early insight into the

progress towards the ultimate goal and therefore are generally measured more frequently than the WIG

itself. Guidance to Department directors is that Lead Measures be identified by completing a theory of

change for each WIG, based on the activities that will support progress towards the goal. Like WIGs, the

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 21
Governor expects Lead Measures to be presented in a format that is consistent with 4DX and are

Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound (SMART).

As part of each state agency or department’s Spending Plan, Directors and their teams are required to

identify and track the performance indicators they will collect for each project, including specific output

and outcome measures. Directors are encouraged to align these measures with existing Wildly Important

Goals (WIGs) and Lead Measures (discussed further below). As noted above, agencies will be asked to

collect both geographic and demographic information on their program activities, so that performance

metrics can also be used to identify equity-impacts. Agencies are also encouraged to provide operational

metrics, including throughput or process metrics, which show the volume of goods or services delivered

within a period of time, and customer experience metrics. These will enable data-driven program

management decisions.

As noted earlier, Spending Plans are currently in development for most investments identified in this

report utilizing ARPA funds. Accordingly, key performance indicators, data and plans are not yet

identified for ARPA-funded programs. Colorado expects to begin providing such information in

subsequent Performance Reports.

Use of Evidence

Colorado continues to be a leader in the use of data and evidence in State government. Strong

leadership, performance management and continuous process improvement are critical pieces to this

success and the strong, equitable outcomes it helps drive. In 2020, Results for America again recognized

Colorado as a leading state for its use of data and evidence in key areas of governance. As part of the

Governor’s existing agenda and to strengthen the strategic implementation of each program supported

by investments from ARPA and the Colorado Recovery Plan, in 2021 the state made several additions to

the use of data and evidence in the Colorado Performance Management Guidelines.

In addition to being recognized by Results of America, Colorado has continued to collaborate with the

Pew Charitable Trust’s (Pew) Results First Initiative. Colorado has been recognized by Pew as a leading

state and was recently highlighted for identifying strategies to help sustain evidence-based policy

making. Pew also recognized Colorado for using our existing evidence based policy (EBP) framework to

prioritize resources when revenues decline. This year, OSPB has also contributed to the development of

the Center for Results- Driven Governing at the National Conference of State Legislatures. We look

forward to engaging with other states in that forum to advance EBP.

One of the strengths of Colorado’s approach to EBP has been collaboration between the executive and

legislative branches and the shared use of an Evidence Continuum. The Evidence Continuum utilized and

referenced in the Governor’s Budget aligns closely with the version of the Continuum identified by Joint

Budget Committee staff in a 2018 memorandum to the Committee.

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 22
In particular, there is clear alignment between the Evidence Continuum used by the Governor’s Office

and that laid out by the Committee on the criteria for assessing whether a program is theory-informed,

evidence-informed, or proven. Both the executive and legislative branches have benefited from the

advice and contributions of the members of Colorado’s Evidence-Based Policy Collaborative who

developed the Evidence Continuum.

Colorado’s Office of State Planning and Budget (OSPB) is committed to operationalizing and ensuring the

State’s commitment to the use of evidence and to expanding the influence of EBP. This includes

incorporating EBP into the Governor’s FY 2021-22 budget. As the office did in FY 2020-21 at the

Governor’s direction, OSPB again in FY 2021-22 evaluated each budget request it received to determine

alignment with and the position on the Evidence Continuum.

OSPB uses an evidence speedometer to show where a budget proposal falls along the evidence

continuum.

To build capacity within the State government, the Governor’s Office conducted training for leaders from

across State agencies on how to incorporate data and evidence into agency budget processes. The

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 23
Governor’s Office has also partnered with Pew and the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) at

the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to provide training for State agency staff on using evaluations

to assess program performance. The Governor’s Office will continue to look for opportunities to build

capacity within the executive branch to use data and evidence to improve decision-making.

As part of each state agency or department’s Spending Plan, Directors and their teams are required to

identify the evidence level of their proposed project as well as any evaluation strategies that will be

implemented to assess the program’s effectiveness.

Community Engagement

Even before taking office, Governor Polis held a strong commitment that authentic community

engagement was critical to effective public service and governance. In addition to the expectation that

all agencies and departments regularly engage their stakeholders, consumers and constituents, the

Community Engagement Department was created under the Polis Administration and is part of the

Communications Team, focused on ensuring that various constituency groups are engaged in

government and have regular correspondence and shared activity with the Administration. Members of

Colorado’s legislature also engage regularly with their constituents through in-person and, during the

pandemic, virtual town-halls, community input sessions and opportunities for dialog.

In April of 2021, as Colorado state leaders continued their work to craft a stimulus bill as part of the

economic recovery and officials in Washington, D.C. worked on the details of the American Rescue Plan

Act (ARPA), a significant challenge was unfolding: How to maximize the impact of those funds. As part of

preparing for that challenge, Governor Polis, in collaboration with State Treasurer Young, State House &

Senate Leadership and legislators from both sides of the aisle convened a series of meetings to hear

directly from Coloradans from across the State’s diverse communities, industries and areas of interest.

The state leaders had a simple yet ambitious goal: Listen to and learn from thousands of Coloradans with

unique perspectives and expertise to inform and help focus the use of state and federal stimulus funds.

The Build Back Stronger (BBS) listening tour was designed to gather this input and to help state leaders

prioritize spending of the approximately $3.8 Billion in ARPA funds over which the state has a level of

discretion (within federal guidelines). Build Back Stronger listening sessions were scheduled across seven

geographical regions and ten additional audience or topic specific sessions were held.

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 24
The listening sessions were conducted via Zoom with options for dialing in by phone and to watch

live-streams of the sessions on multiple online platforms including YouTube and Facebook. Each session

included welcoming remarks from state leaders including the Governor, Treasurer and state legislators

followed by a presentation on state and federal stimulus packages by leaders from the Colorado Office of

State Planning and Budget (OSPB) (See Addendum A for the presentation). Following the presentations,

the majority of the time in each session was dedicated to listening and learning from attendees who

were split into multiple smaller breakout groups.

During the breakout sessions, participants offered their thoughts on three questions:

● What is one big idea you think could contribute the most to the economic recovery?

● What are the top 3 investments you think should be prioritized and how do you see them

leveraging Colorado’s (or regional) unique contexts to support economic recovery?

● If we maximize our use of federal + state programs and Colorado’s assets, what should the world

look like for Coloradans in 2-5 years and beyond?

These questions were selected and designed to help state leaders understand, from each participant’s

and each group’s perspectives, how to leverage the stimulus funds to spur the recovery, what types of

bigger system level changes were sought by the public and the aspirational vision of the future

Coloradans have and believe progress toward reaching can be made by strategically investing the funds.

These listening sessions gathered the input of thousands of Coloradans directly and the public was

invited to share additional thoughts through a dedicated website. That online forum generated

thousands more comments, letters and suggestions while dozens more organizations, trade groups or

industry associations submitted letters, reports or input. All of this public input was incorporated into a

194 page report that was shared with the Governor, Treasurer, State House and State Senate and the

general public. Following that report’s publication, members of the State House and Senate held a series

of internal meetings, meetings with the Governor’s Administration and other state leaders to craft a

spending agenda that is responsive to the input from and needs of the people of Colorado.

The robust community engagement that informed Colorado’s use of ARPA funds was not a “one and

done” initiative but rather is part of the Governor’s approach to leadership nor was it an isolated

example for state leaders across branches of government. As part of the legislative process and protocol,

the Governor regularly holds signing ceremonies for key pieces of legislation in communities impacted by

the legislation. In 2021, the Governor’s team collaborated with legislative staff to ensure these events

were held in geographically, demographically and politically diverse communities all across the state and

included bipartisan elected leaders as well as impacted stakeholders. This intentional approach and

collaboration provided ongoing opportunities for community engagement and for Coloradans to share

their stories, their input and their ideas with the Governor and other state leaders.

The Interim Committees discussed previously are one of numerous continued efforts to ensure ongoing

public and key stakeholder engagement as Colorado continues to make investments in the State’s

recovery. In addition to continued formal and informal community engagement, the equity and outcome

based components of each Spending Plan, the requirement for each plan to include specific actions to

promote equitable outcomes and the monitoring and oversight provisions all reinforce the commitment

to ensuring impacted communities are engaged at the strategic and programmatic levels.

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 25
Labor Practices

Colorado will use strong workforce and labor practices on infrastructure projects, particularly those

projects that are funded in the SLFRF expenditure category labeled, infrastructure. As of the date of this

report, no programs or initiatives are at an operational stage that would have or present opportunity for

defined labor practices. When approved to commence, we will work to include strong labor standards to

promote effective and efficient delivery on projects while supporting economic recovery through strong

employment opportunities for workers.

During the 2019 Legislative Session, Colorado passed Senate Bill 19-196, which implemented a Prevailing

Wage and Apprenticeship program for Public Projects that do not receive federal funds. Any construction

contract awarded for $500,000 or more is subject to the requirements of prevailing wage and any public

project construction in the amount of $1 million dollars or more is required to comply with the

Apprenticeship utilization requirements of C.R.S. §24-92-115. As we move forward with SLFRF projects,

we will continue to evaluate ways to implement these principles.

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 26
Required Reporting Data:

Expenditure Table

Category Cumulative

expenditures to

date ($)

Amount spent

since last

Recovery Plan

1 Expenditure Category: Public Health $13,582,002 $13,582,002

1.1 COVID-19 Vaccination $1,894,007 $1,894,007

1.2 COVID-19 Testing $9,016,345 $9,016,45

1.8 Other COVID-19 Public Health Expenses (including

Communications, Enforcement,

Isolation/Quarantine)

$2,671,650 $2,671,650

2 Expenditure Category: Negative Economic

Impacts

$0 $0

3 Expenditure Category: Services to

Disproportionately Impacted Communities

$0 $0

4 Expenditure Category: Premium Pay $0 $0

5 Expenditure Category: Infrastructure $0 $0

6 Expenditure Category: Revenue Replacement $0 $0

7 Administrative and Other $0 $0

Project Inventory

PHF101: COVID-19 Vaccination

Funding amount: $55,000,000

Project Expenditure Category: 1.1 COVID-19 Vaccination

Project overview:

The project provides for COVID-19 vaccination Point of Dispensing (POD) sites and mobile clinics,

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) administration software, support contracts, and outreach efforts.

● Mass vaccination sites for points of dispensing to serve the majority of Colorado's citizens.

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 27
● Mobile clinics for vaccine convenience and underserved population groups. Going to the

locations of lower vaccinated population bases to promote the vaccine and go into unvaccinated

communities for convenience.

● Vaccination software for tracking of patient information.

● Media outreach for vaccine hesitancy initiatives, including ad buys to target population groups

through social media and influencers.

● Laboratory staffing contracts for laboratory capacity for distribution of vaccines across the state.

Major Activities:

● Partnership with Centura Health for large scale mass vaccine sites strategically located across

Colorado. Service up to 6,000 vaccines a day.

● Colorado busses for distribution of COVID-19 vaccine.

● Purchase of Prepmod tracking software to hold patient information and analytics on vaccine

data within the State.

● Price agreement temporary services for staffing the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine and

inventory of the federal kits to administer.

● Price agreement media vendor to complete ad buys for information campaign of Colorado

Department of Public Health's vaccine initiatives.

Project Goal:

● Vaccinate the population of Colorado to prevent the spread of COVID-19 through media

outreach and targeted efforts in mass vaccination, convenience vaccines, and going to

underserved populations. All of these efforts are being tracked and analyzed through prepmod,

the State’s vaccine software.

Timeline:

● Services are provided through December of 2021. FEMA reimbursement for these initiatives are

projected out through March and backdate for current initiatives to the beginning of the project

period. Extensions of these contracts past December for this funding source will be determined

based on FEMA 100% cost share decisions.

Primary Delivery Mechanisms:

Direct contracts with third party vendors. Private sector partnerships to accomplish the initiatives of the

response efforts:

● A Yankee Line, Inc.

● Ambulnz Inc.

● Community Vaccination Sites (PODs)

● CENTURA HEALTH CORPORATION

● Control Solutions, Inc.

● EXPRESS SERVICES INC

● Hustle, Inc.

● Maximus US Services

● SERVICES INC

● Metco Landscape, Inc.

● SIGMA ALDRICH INC

● UPPER PINE RIVER FIRE PROT DIST

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 28
● VeriCor, LLC

Intended Outcomes:

● Reach mass vaccination and herd immunity to end the pandemic and minimize, to the extent

possible, the loss of life from COVID-19. Developing pathways and relationships to give out

booster shots for the new recommendations of the CDC for the Delta variant. Targeting the

most vulnerable population groups and combating vaccine hesitancy.

Use of Evidence:

● These initiatives are based on national research, conversations and data from other initiatives in

other states, and the building blocks for new initiatives such as incentive based vaccinations that

the Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDPHE) is doing now.

PHF102: COVID-19 Testing

Funding amount: $26,000,000

Project Expenditure Category: 1.2 COVID-19 Testing

Project overview:

The project provides for COVID-19 testing through testing contracts, including EuroFIns and MicroGenDX

contracts. This encompasses waivers for the Delta variant at FCFs, as well as work with AmeriCorps for

ringless voicemail and texting initiatives.

● Third party laboratories doing mass testing at public locations, long term care facilities, and

school locations.

● Genetic sequencing to identify COVID-19 variants.

● Purchase of reagents for the State of Colorado Laboratory testing efforts.

● Strategic testing facilities throughout Colorado for particular population groups and locations.

● Shipping of tests and supplies throughout Colorado.

● Laboratory equipment to increase capacity at the state lab and governmental partners.

● Personal protective equipment.

Major Activities:

● Partnerships with Eurofins, Vale Clinic, Biodesix and other testing companies to provide overflow

testing for the State lab.

● Reagents purchases for the state lab, partnerships with the University of Colorado, , as well as

contracts with Genetic Testing.

● Laboratories to do genetic sequencing for COVID variants.

● Fisher Scientific, Life Sciences and pierce instruments to increase capacity of the State lab to

perform testing for COVID-19.

● Amazon, Federal express and others deliver tests to the State lab for processing.

Project Goal:

● Through partnerships with third party testing companies, and reagent vendors, creating a

strategic testing strategy for identifying COVID-19 and the variants within Colorado. These efforts

directly correlate to the State and local contact tracing efforts within Colorado. Testing identifies

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 29
the people, population groups, and locations of outbreaks in order to use our epidemiological

branch to quarantine and slow the spread of COVID-19.

Timeline:

● Services are provided through December of 2021. FEMA reimbursement for these initiatives are

projected out through March and backdated for current initiatives to the beginning of the

project period. Extensions of these contracts past December for this funding source will be

determined based on FEMA 100% cost share decisions.

Primary Delivery Mechanisms:

Direct contracts with third party vendors. Private sector partnerships to accomplish the initiatives of the

response efforts:

● Abbott Laboratories and US Subsidiaries

● Amazon Capital Services Inc.

● American Hawk Security LLC

● APP-UNIPATH LLC

● BIODESIX INC

● BISCOM INC

● Colorado Medical Waste, Inc.

● COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

● DENVER HEALTH & HOSPITAL AUTHORITY

● Distribution Management Company, Inc.

● Duda Energy LLC

● Eurofins VRL Inc.

● EXPRESS SERVICES INC

● FEDERAL EXPRESS CORP

● FISHER SCIENTIFIC COMPANY LLC

● Genetic Testing Laboratory

● Kleen Tech

● INLINE MEDIA INC

● LIFE SCIENCE PRODUCTS INC

● MEDLINE INDUSTRIES INC

● PIERCE INSTRUMENTS INC

● REGENTS OF UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO

● RMH GROUP INC

● SERACARE LIFE SCIENCES INC

● SIGMA ALDRICH INC

● SK&T INTEGRATION INC

● Southwest Regional PCR LLC

● Swift Biosciences, Inc.

● Swift Courier Services Inc.

● TECAN US INC

● Thomas Scientific, LLC

● VAIL CLINIC INC

● VWR INTERNATIONAL LLC

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 30
Intended Outcomes:

● Slow the spread of COVID-19 through third party labs, the State lab through staffing agencies

and the purchase of reagents for testing, genome sequencing to identify variants, all to inform

our Epidemiological team for their contract tracing efforts and quarantine practices.

Use of Evidence:

● These initiatives are based on national research, conversations and data from other initiatives in

other states, and the building blocks for new initiatives such as incentive based vaccinations that

the Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDPHE) is doing now.

PHF108: Administrative and Needs/Gaps Efforts in Response to COVID-19 Public Health Crisis

Funding amount: $10,828,737

Project Expenditure Category: 1.8 Other COVID-19 Public Health Expenses

Project overview:

This project provides administrative support for the health department to staff and complete tasks in

conjunction with the response. Program and fiscal staff across the department for implementation of

projects and needs/gaps identified through the response.

Major Activities:

● Support for COVID-19 response. Staffing to help operationalize initiatives, incentives, and help

with day to day operations.

Project Goal:

● Staff the Department of Corrections and provide support for current Colorado Department of

Health and Environment (CDPHE) staff to reduce the impact on COVID-19.

Timeline:

● Services are provided through December of 2021. FEMA reimbursement for these initiatives are

projected out through March and backdated for current initiatives to the beginning of the

project period. Extensions of these contracts past December for this funding source will be

determined based on FEMA 100% cost share decisions.

Primary Delivery Mechanisms:

Direct contracts with third party vendors. Private sector partnerships to accomplish the initiatives of the

response efforts:

● EXPRESS SERVICES INC

● GUIDESOFT INC

● Healthcare Workforce Logistics Holdings LLC

● MASTERWORD SERVICES INC

● REGENTS OF UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO

Intended Outcomes:

● Slow and even stop the spread of COVID-19 and mitigate loss of life.

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 31
Revenue Loss Calculation

Based upon US Treasury’s formulas, Colorado has calculated a revenue loss of $1,204,669,544 for

Calendar Year 2020.

Step 1 - Identify Revenues in FY 2019 to Establish Baseline Revenue

FY 2019 Revenue = $23,603,251,050

Step 2a - Calculate Average Annual Growth Rate Prior to COVID-19 Emergency

FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019

Revenue $19,092,792,462 $19,713,621,894 $21,748,242,480 $23,603,251,050

Growth Rate N/A 3.252% 10.321% 8.529%

Average Annual Growth Rate = average(3.252%, 10.321%, 8.529%) = 7.367%*

Step 2b - Using Average Growth Rate from 2a, Estimate Counterfactual Revenue

Counterfactual Revenue = $23,603,251,050.66 * [(1+.07367) ^ (18/12)] = $26,259,113,687

Step 3 - Identify Actual Revenue Collected in CY 2020

CY 2020 Revenue = $25,054,444,143

Step 4 - Calculate Reduction in Revenue

Reduction in Revenue = Counterfactual Revenue - Actual Revenue

Reduction in Revenue = $26,259,113,687 - $25,054,444,143 = $1,204,669,543

Ineligible Activities: Tax Offset Provision

Based upon US Treasury’s formulas, Colorado did not use SLFRF to offset a net reduction in total

revenue. Colorado’s revenue was larger than the calculated baseline revenue and revenue reducing

covered changes during the reporting year were below a de minimis amount.

A. Revenue-reducing Covered Changes

Revenue Reducing Covered Changes for Reporting Year of March 3, 2021 to July 1, 2021

Description Bill

Date

Signed

Date

Provision

Goes Into

Effect

Estimated

Revenue Loss

3/3/21-7/31/21

Business Personal Property Tax

Exemption

HB21-1312 6/24/21 Immediately $1,575,000

Extension of sales tax relief for

restaurants, bars, and food service

contractors

HB21-1265 6/14/21 Immediately $30,000,000

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 32
Extension of Beetle Kill Wood sales tax

exemption

HB21-1261 6/24/21 7/1/21 $43,722

Expansion of Rural Jump Start Program SB21-229 6/15/21 Immediately $138,561

Modifications to Conservation Easement

Income Tax Credit

HB21-1233 6/30/21 Immediately $1,925,000

Total $33,682,283

Baseline Estimate $24,446,829,886

Covered Changes as a % of FY 2021 Revenue 0.14%

B. Baseline vs. Actual Revenue Comparison

Step 1: Establish FY2019 Revenue for "Baseline"

FY 2019 Revenue $23,603,251,050

Note: Colorado is using an accrual method for both revenue loss and tax offset calculations.

Step 2: Create "FY 2021 Baseline" by Inflating FY 2019 Revenue Using the BEA Deflator

Year BEA Deflator Index Adjusted Revenue

FY 2019 FY 2019 Average 111.36 $23,603,251,050

Inflated to 2021 FY 2021 Average 115.34 $24,446,829,886

Source: Index for GDP Deflator: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/GDPDEF

Step 3: Actual Tax Revenue in Reporting Year

FY 2021 Actual Revenue $25,425,285,751

Note: Colorado is using an Accrual method. Final revenue data will not be confirmed until an audit

opinion in December 2021.

Step 4: Difference from actual vs. "Baseline"

FY 2021 Baseline Revenue $24,446,829,886

FY 2021 Actual Revenue $25,425,285,751

Difference -$978,455,865

C. Revenue Increasing Changes

Revenue Increasing Covered Changes for Reporting Year of March 3, 2021 to July 1, 2021

Description Bill Date Signed

Date

Provision

Goes Into

Effect

Estimated

Revenue

Increase

3/3/21-7/31/21

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 33
Disclosure of tax-related information

from a gasoline distributor that fails to

provide necessary or correct reporting

or tax with taxpayers with similar cases.

As noted by the fiscal note, this may

result in a tax revenue increase if the

bill change leads to greater compliance,

although the fiscal note said this impact

was indeterminate.

SB21-065 3/21/21 Immediately Indeterminate

Modification to Annuities Exemption HB21-1312 6/24/21 Immediately $4,608,333

Clarifications to sales tax code

(mainframe computer access, packing

and crating, and photocopying)

HB21-1312 6/24/21 Immediately $879,167

Modification to oil and gas severance

tax deduction for transportation,

manufacturing, and processing costs

HB21-1312 6/24/21 Immediately $1,666,667

Total $7,154,167

Colorado Recovery Plan Performance Report for May 18, 2021 – July 31, 2021 34
Appendices:

Appendix A: Spend Plan Template and/or Guidance 

Confidential Work Product of the Governor

State/Federal Stimulus Spending Plan

Title of Department

Program Name [Insert Name]

Funding Source: 

(X in one box)

ARPA Direct to 

department

SLFRF and/or 

State Stim

Total Federal 

Funding Amount $X.XXM FY22 $X.XXM FY23 $X.XXM

Total State 

Funding Amount $X.XXM FY22 $X.XXM FY23 $X.XXM

Citation of Funding Source

(Federal and State, if State is applicable)

Summary of Program1

[Summarize the expected American Rescue Plan funds and the department’s proposed uses.]

Key Items to include in this section:

● Total amounts of funding

● Program description (50-250 words)

Funds Expected

[Detailed overview of funds expected]

Key Items to include in this section:

● Detail the amount and timing of funds expected

● Breakdown of funds from various sources that will be used for the program

● Any deadlines or expiration date of funds

● Any substantive statutory requirements

1 Treasury defines “project” as activities closely related activities toward a common purpose/goal, new or existing services or

investments, or activities funded in whole or in part by SLFRF funding.
2

Existing Funding

[Detail the existing state funds, including state funds in your or other agencies, previously 

allocated Federal funds, and any other expected funding serving similar purposes. Identify gaps 

in these existing funds that the proposed spending would address.]

Key Items to include in this section:

● Existing funding for similar purposes

● Gaps this would address

Proposed Use of New Funds

[Detail the department’s proposed use and timing of the use, including how this use aligns with 

statutory and other Federal requirements, is coordinated with the department’s strategic plan, 

addresses gaps in existing funding and programs. Include discussion of how the use relates to 

the department’s state statutory authority, stakeholder interests, and implementation 

considerations, etc. Include, if available, discussion of any data and evidence that are available 

to assess the effectiveness of the proposed uses.]

Key Items to include in this section:

● Proposed use

● Timing of funds

● Alignment with statutory and federal requirements and how use addresses gaps in 

funding and programs

● Any community engagement in the development of the proposal

● Existing data and evidence (if it is an evidenced-based program that has higher levels of 

evidence, see Appendix X, and rank the level of evidence)

Promoting Equitable Outcomes

Especially for SLFRF, Treasury is requiring reporting on promoting equitable outcomes. 

Programs that relate to “Negative Economic Impacts” and “Services to Disproportionately 

Impacted Communities” must have equitable outcome goals. Equity is also a strong component 

of the Governor’s Budget and all programs should discuss how they are promoting equitable 

outcomes.

[Describe efforts to promote equitable outcomes, including how programs were designed with 

equity in mind. Please include in your description how your program will consider and measure 

equity at the various stages of the program, including: 
3

● Goals: Are there particular historically underserved, marginalized, or adversely affected 

groups that you intend to serve within your jurisdiction? Have unintended consequences 

for these groups been evaluated?

● Awareness: How equal and practical is the ability for residents or businesses to become 

aware of the services funded by the program? 

● Access and Distribution: Are there differences in levels of access to benefits and services 

across groups? Are there administrative requirements that result in disparities in ability 

to complete applications or meet eligibility criteria?

● Outcomes: Are intended outcomes focused on closing gaps, reaching universal levels of 

service, or disaggregating progress by race, ethnicity, and other equity dimensions 

where relevant for the policy objective?] 

Key Items to include in this section:

● How your program will address equity gaps

● Measurable goals for equitable outcomes

Proposed Administration, Monitoring, and Oversight

[How will the department use available state and/or federal funds to administer new activities 

and programs? How will the funds be monitored and overseen? What resources are required to 

ensure proper oversight and prevention of fraud?] 

Key Items to include in this section:

● Administrative plans

● Staff that will be hired from funds for oversight

● Additional administrative needs from OSC or beyond administrative funding provided 

through existing resources

Performance Management and Outcomes

Agencies should identify and track the performance indicators they will collect for each project 

utilizing SLFRF below. The Operations team will review, make recommendations on, and 

reserve the right to approve all performance and operational metrics selected for these 

purposes.

Performance Measures include:

A. Outcome metrics, which measure the experience of Coloradans. For SLFRF funds, please 

note that Treasury guidance allows funds to be used for evaluations of program impact. 
4

Outcome measures selected should align with those being evaluated where applicable. 

For examples of outcome metrics, see this document on types of metrics and the 

spending plan guidance.

B. Output metrics, which measure the goods/services provided. See Types of Metrics for 

examples. 

C. Required metrics for SLFRF. While the state has some flexibility to set its own 

performance measures for most programs, specific program areas have a required set of 

metrics or additional details that must be reported to the Treasury. Those categories 

and frequency include:

a. Housing Assistance & Affordable Housing (EC 2.1-2.5 Quarterly/Annually)

b. Employment & Job Training Enrollment (EC 2.7 Annually)

c. Small Business Economic Assistance & Tourism Assistance (EC 2.9, 2.11, 2.12 

Quarterly)

d. Premium Pay to Essential Workers (EC 4.1, 4.2 Quarterly)

e. Early Childhood Enrollment & Services (EC 3.6-3.9 Quarterly and Annually)

f. Tutoring Program Enrollment (EC 3.1-3.5 Annually)

g. School District Funding (EC 3.1-3.5 Quarterly)

h. Public Sector Hiring (EC 2.14 Quarterly)

i. COVID-19 Response ?

j. Revenue Loss Calculations (EC 6.1 Quarterly)

k. Distributions to NEU Local Governments (EC 7.4 Quarterly)

l. Water, Sewer, Broadband & Other Infrastructure Projects (EC 5 Quarterly)

m. Payroll for Public Health and Safety Employees (EC 1.9 Quarterly)

For more details on the specific indicators, see pages 19-22 & 28 of the Treasury 

Guidance.

Where possible, we encourage agencies to align their output and outcome measures with 

existing WIG and lead measures. If your measures do not align with existing WIGs, you will need 

to select new measures specifically for this stimulus project. Please reach out to your 

Operations Advisor if you would like to capture any of these new metrics in your FY 2021-22 

WIGs. 

Operational Measures

A. Throughput and process metrics, which show the volume of goods or services delivered 

within a period of time. These can also be metrics that address bottlenecks, or backlogs. 

For example, DOLA is working to distribute emergency rental assistance dollars, and 

applications are submitted complete and accurately on the first try only 15% of the time, 

driving up processing time and creating a backlog. DOLA might choose to focus on 
5

increasing this percentage in order to reduce the backlog. These may be developed later 

in the process.

B. Customer experience metrics, which show how customers are experiencing the product 

or service. Key elements here include customer experience time, and the level of 

customer service being delivered to actual human beings. 

These metrics will enable us to identify operational challenges with stimulus programs by 

Recovery Officers, the Governor's Office, and other leadership. These metrics are not required 

by the U.S. Treasury but it is expected by the Governor’s Office that agencies are tracking and 

reporting on metrics like this to ensure operational excellence is met with everything that we 

do. As we continue to develop more understanding and awareness of your programs and 

spending plans, we will ask that you add these additional operational metrics, depending on 

the problems that pop up throughout implementation. 

Metric Type Proposed Metrics to Track

Can you collect:

Geographic 

Detail? (Y/N)

Demographic 

Detail? (Y/N)

Performance

Output(s)

Outcome(s)

Required 

metric(s) (per 

Treasury 

guidance)

Operational (optional at this stage)

Throughput/

Process

Customer 

Experience

Other

Other/Misc.
6

For programs receiving SLFRF that have required performance measures, please use the table 

above to identify those requirements and provide suggested measures to meet those 

requirements. Please feel free to add any narrative below to explain or elaborate upon any of 

the metrics included above, if needed.

Planned Evaluation and Evidence of Effectiveness

[The State of Colorado is a national leader in using data and evidence to inform resource 

allocation.

The US Treasury’s Compliance and Reporting Guidance for the SLFRF requires that the State:

“...identify whether SLFRF funds are being used for evidence-based interventions and/or 

if projects are being evaluated through rigorous program evaluations that are designed 

to build evidence. Recipients must briefly describe the goals of the project, and the 

evidence base for the interventions funded by the project. Recipients must specifically 

identify the dollar amount of the total project spending that is allocated towards 

evidence-based interventions for each project in the Public Health (EC 1), Negative 

Economic Impacts (EC 2), and Services to Disproportionately Impacted Communities (EC 

3) Expenditure Categories.”2

C.R.S. 24-75-226 created the American Rescue Plan cash fund to make SLFRF available for 

appropriation.That section requires that departments expending money from the fund “comply 

with any program evaluation requirements established by [OSPB].”]

Departments should use this section to describe the following:

● How the proposed use of funds align with the Federal and State definitions related to 

Evidence-Based Policy (See Appendix 1).

● The dollar amount of the total project spending that is allocated towards evidencebased interventions.

● A plan to evaluate proposed interventions, including the funds to be used for evaluation, 

the outcomes to be evaluated, and the timeline for completion of the evaluation.

○ Note that the outcomes identified for evaluation should also be tracked in the 

performance measures identified in the Performance Management and Outcomes 

section above.

2 US Treasury SLFRF Compliance and Reporting Guidance, Page 26, Section 6, Use of Evidence
7

Appendix 1: Evidenced-Based Intervention Additional Information 

What is evidence-based? 

For the purposes of the SLFRF, evidence-based refers to interventions with strong or 

moderate evidence as defined below: 

● Strong evidence means the evidence base that can support causal conclusions for 

the specific program proposed by the applicant with the highest level of confidence. 

This consists of one or more well-designed and well-implemented experimental 

studies conducted on the proposed program with positive findings on one or more 

intended outcomes. 

● Moderate evidence means that there is a reasonably developed evidence base that 

can support causal conclusions. The evidence base consists of one or more quasiexperimental studies with positive findings on one or more intended outcomes OR 

two or more nonexperimental studies with positive findings on one or more intended 

outcomes. Examples of research that meet the standards include: well-designed and 

well-implemented quasi experimental studies that compare outcomes between the 

group receiving the intervention and a matched comparison group (i.e., a similar 

population that does not receive the intervention).

● Preliminary evidence means that the evidence base can support conclusions about 

the program’s contribution to observed outcomes. The evidence base consists of at 

least one nonexperimental study. A study that demonstrates improvement in 

program beneficiaries over time on one or more intended outcomes OR an 

implementation (process evaluation) study used to learn and improve program 

operations would constitute preliminary evidence. Examples of research that meet 

the standards include: (1) outcome studies that track program beneficiaries through 

a service pipeline and measure beneficiaries’ responses at the end of the program; 

and (2) pre- and post-test research that determines whether beneficiaries have 

improved on an intended outcome.

The State of Colorado has adopted analogous definitions to guide evidence-based decision 

making. C.R.S. 2-3-210 specifies the following definitions:

● Proven program or practice means a program or practice that reflects a high or 

well-supported level of confidence of effectiveness, ineffectiveness, or harmfulness 

as determined by one or more high-quality randomized control trials, multiple 

evaluations with strong comparison groups, or an equivalent measure.

● Evidence-informed program or practice means a program or practice that reflects a 

moderate, supported, or promising level of confidence of effectiveness, 

ineffectiveness, or harmfulness as determined by an evaluation with a comparison 

group, multiple pre- and post-evaluations, or an equivalent measure.

● Theory-informed program or practice means a program or practice that reflects a 

moderate to low or promising level of confidence of effectiveness, ineffectiveness, 

or harmfulness as determined by tracking and evaluating performance measures 

including pre- and post-intervention evaluation of program outcomes, evaluation of 
8

program outputs, identification and implementation of a theory of change, or 

equivalent measures.

● Opinion-based program or practice means a program or practice that reflects a low 

level of confidence of effectiveness, ineffectiveness, or harmfulness, as based on 

satisfaction surveys, personal experience, or for which there is no existing evidence 

about the effectiveness, ineffectiveness, or harmfulness of the program or practice.

The below table provides an approximate crosswalk between the evidence definitions 

included in the SLFRF Reporting and Compliance Guidance and those currently used by the 

State of Colorado, for reference. Alignment is imperfect and may not apply for your 

particular program.

Colorado Evidence Definitions / Continuum Federal ARPA EBP Categories

Proven program or practice - Step 5 Strong Evidence

Evidence-informed program or practice - Step 4 Moderate Evidence

Theory informed program or practice - Step 3 Preliminary Evidence

Theory informed program or practice - Step 2 n/a

Theory informed program or practice - Step 1 n/a

Opinion-based program or practice n/a

For additional guidance on using evidence to inform resource allocation decisions, please 

visit OSPB’s Research & Evidence website: https://www.colorado.gov/governor/researchevidence