American Rescue Plan State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds First

Recovery Plan Performance Report‐Dane County Wisconsin Through

July 31, 2021

Executive Summary

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) was adopted by Congress on March 10, 2021.  The ARP included

approximately $350 billion for the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds program.  These funds were

distributed directly to states, counties and municipalities with a population of 250,000 or more.  Funds

were distributed to smaller municipalities through each state. Dane county was allocated $106,189,095

in funding under the American Rescue Plan State and Local Fiscal Assistance Fund.  The funds are

available for expenditure through December 31, 2024.

As of July 31, 2021, the county has initially allocated the funds as follows:

Uses of Funds

Purpose       Amount    Provider

Food Bank Support     $10,000,000    Second Harvest Food Bank

Small business Assistance    $15,000,000    Dane Buy Local, Inc.

Non‐profit Assistance     $5,000,000    Madison Community Foundation

Broadband Investments     $5,000,000    N/A

Nursing Home Isolation Section   $1,200,000    N/A

Artist Direct Support     $1,000,000    N/A

Expo Center Air Purification    $1,035,000    N/A

Grass Roots Assistance     $5,000,000    Various

School Based Mental Health    $1,300,000    Various

Badger Needs Network Facility    $2,000,000    BP Needs Network

Hotel Sheltering    $2,400,000    N/A

Rehousing Initiative     $13,200,000    N/A

Government Services       $40,200,000    N/A

   
Promoting Equitable Outcomes

The county has targeted most of its allocation of ARP funds to programs designed to address the

unequal impact of the pandemic’s economic impact on lower income households.  By funding programs

to provide food security, non‐congregate sheltering, small business support, school based mental

health, and creative assistance to households, the county believes that expenditures of ARP funding will

reach those most disadvantaged in our community.   

Community Engagement

The county has a robust system of county board committees and commissions that assure through their

public meeting processes that the community is informed and engaged in the initiatives funded with

ARP dollars.   

Labor Practices

The county has prioritized the application of its ARP allocation on services within the community over

investments in infrastructure.  So, specific labor practices have not been considered.  Further, Wisconsin

law does not allow for many preferred labor practices by local governments such as prevailing wage

requirements, living wage requirements, equal benefit requirements or project labor agreements.  

Use of Evidence

The county is not pursing evidenced based interventions.

Table of Expenditures

Below is a table of obligations and expenditures by expenditure category as of this reporting period.

       Obligated    Expended

Mental Health Services       $1,367,634    $99,353

Capital Improvements to address COVID  $1,032,347    $449,754

Aid to Non‐Profit Organizations     $5,000,000    $5,000,000

Other Economic Support     $2,867,500    $867,500

Small Business Assistance     $15,000,000    $15,000,000

Housing for Unhoused Persons     $387,000    $117,100

Provision of Government Services    $1,116,173    $279,259

   
Project Inventory

The following is a brief inventory and description of projects initiated or in process as of the report date.

Food Bank Support

The county will use ARP funds to continue its support of the Second Harvest Food Bank to address the

growth in food insecurity caused by the pandemic.  The county used CRF funding through 2020 and the

first seven months of 2021 to support the food bank’s purchase of food for distribution to local pantries.  

The $10 million contract begins in August of 2021 and ends at the end of July 2022 and provides

monthly support of $833,333.  

Small Business Support

The county will use ARP funds to assist local small businesses through a partnership with Dane Buy

Local, Inc (DBL).  The county previously used $14,800,000 of CRF funding through the same type of

partnership with DBL.  The $15 million in ARP funding will be awarded through an open grant program

managed by DBL.  It is open to any small business operating within the county.  

Non‐profit Assistance

The county will use ARP funds to assist local non‐profit organizations through a partnership with the

Madison Community Foundation (MCF).  The county has dedicated $5 million for this initiative.  MCF will

manage a grant program to award funds to local non‐profits that experienced a reduction in revenue or

increased expenses as a result of the COVID‐19 pandemic in 2020.  MCF has developed an online

application and will conduct two webinars to explain the program.  Applications will be reviewed by MCF

who will make recommendations for the award recipients and amounts.  

Broadband Investments

The county has allocated $5 million to improve broadband access in accordance with the guidelines in

Treasury’s interim final rule.  The County Board of Supervisors has established a Broadband Task Force

to study ways that the county might assist in broadband expansion. The form and timing of assistance

has not been determined as of this report date.

Nursing Home Isolation Section

Badger Prairie Healthcare Center is a skilled nursing facility operated by Dane County.  The county will

apply approximately $1.2 million to establish a COVID isolation unit.  Construction of the unit is

projected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2021

Artist Direct Support

The county will use $1 million of ARP funds to assist local artists who were negatively impacted by the

pandemic.  Many local artists in both the visual and performing realms were negatively impacted by

social distancing guidelines due to galleries and venues being closed.  Grants of up to $2,500 will be

made to individuals through an online application process.  Applications are to be reviewed by a

committee organized by the county’s Office of Cultural Affairs.  
Expo Center Air Purification

The county operates an exhibition center campus, the Alliant Energy Center.  In order to improve safety

for attendees of events at the center, the county will invest approximately $1,035,000 for the

installation of ionization air purification equipment at the various buildings at the campus.  

Grass Roots Assistance

The county will use $5 million of ARP funds to make grants to local community organizations that

provide direct assistance to low income households.  The county will solicit grant proposals.  Minimum

grant amounts will be $50,000.  Distribution of grant funds is projected to be in September 2021

School Based Mental Health

The county will use $1.3 million to award grants to local school districts to augment district resources

available to address mental health challenges experienced by students as a result of the COVID

pandemic.

Badger Needs Network Facility

The county will use $2 million to assist the Badger Prairie Needs Network, Inc. to expand its facility.  The

facility serves as a major food pantry to the southwestern portion of Dane County.  The expansion will

augment their capability to address food insecurity through the pantry.  The expansion will also allow for

expansion of regular congregate meals.  In addition, the space will be used in an emerging job training

initiative involving local employers and the Latino Academy of Workforce Development, Latino Chamber

of Commerce, Verona and Fitchburg Chambers of Commerce and others.   The project is anticipated to

break ground in the Fall of 2021 and be completed in approximately eight months.  

Hotel Sheltering

Beginning in April of 2020, the county initiated a robust non‐congregate sheltering program for persons

experiencing homelessness.  Throughout the pandemic, this effort has housed nearly 300 individuals

and families in local motels.  The effort involves renting lodging rooms in local facilities, providing food,

medical isolation, security and case management.  CRF funding has been used to support the effort

through June 2021.  The $2.4 million of ARP funding dedicated to this effort will allow the effort to

continue through August 2021.  The emergence of effective vaccines and relaxation of social distancing

requirements are diminishing the need to continue the effort.  In addition, lodging facilities have

indicated that they are reluctant to continue to make their facilities available to the county.  

Rehousing Initiative

The county will use an estimated $13.2 million over two years to launch and maintain a rehousing

initiative to transition households experiencing into permanent housing through concerted case

management services and rental subsidies.  The effort will immediately focus on household that have

been housed in local hotels and may expand to other homeless households.   

Providing Government Services

The county experienced substantial losses in revenue due to the pandemic.  Based on the formula in the

Interim Final Rule, the county’s losses total $34,419,517 in fiscal year 2020.  The County Board has
authorized $4,000,000 for information technology investments related to the pandemic under this

permitted use.  These investments will allow for the upgrade of county meeting rooms to facilitate

hybrid meetings, fund licenses for Zoom meetings, offset costs for cybersecurity upgrades, purchase

equipment to facilitate hybrid work arrangements, and the cost of an information technology staff

position.   

The county will fund additional service provisions such as investments in air purification equipment for

county facilities and other services in the future as need arises.  

Performance Report and Programmatic Data

As of the report date, most projects are only beginning to be implemented and thus performance data is

limited at this time.  Future reports will include such data.