September 30, 2022 SLFRF Reporting Analysis 1

Helping Communities Recover and Rebound from the Pandemic: 

State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds September 2022 Reporting Data Analysis

The State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) provided under President Biden’s 

American Rescue Plan Act continue to play a crucial role in allowing state, local, Tribal, and 

territorial governments to stabilize their budgets, respond to the pandemic, and invest in their 

communities.

An analysis of annual Recovery Plan Performance Reports that cover activity through June 30, 

2022 by the National Association of State Budget Officers found that the median percentage of 

SLFRF funds allocated by state governments was 95% as of that date and that more than 80%

of state SLFRF resources had been budgeted overall.

Local governments also continue to make rapid use of funds to address needs in their 

communities. As of September 30, the largest metro cities and counties1 had cumulatively 

budgeted2all of their first tranche of funds and had already allocated 33% of their remaining 

second tranche funds, which they could not receive until mid-May. SLFRF resources must be 

obligated by the end of 2024 and spent by the end of 2026. 

Building on previously released reporting data for the periods ending on December 31, 2021,

March 31, 2022 and June 30, 2022, as well previously highlighted projects, Treasury continues 

to regularly release SLFRF reporting data received from recipients3; data reported through 

September 30, 2022 can be accessed through Treasury’s dashboard or by downloading this 

spreadsheet. In addition to helping shore up state and local finances—maintaining and rebuilding 

crucial public services while avoiding deeper or continued cuts in employment— the following 

examples4 provide a snapshot of the types of projects that recipients are implementing across key 

categories using SLFRF funds.5

1 Metro cities and counties with populations greater than 250,000 residents

2 Metro cities and counties with populations over 250,000 were required to report adopted budget for each 

project.

3

 Tribally reported information is included in aggregate statistics about the program (e.g., the total number of 

governments using funds for a specific eligible use, total projects reported, etc.); however due to privacy 

considerations, Treasury does not release complete information on all Tribal projects.

4 The examples included throughout this post are based on recipient reports, and their inclusion in this document 

does not constitute an explicit approval of these projects by Treasury.

5 This analysis includes quarterly Project and Expenditure reporting covering the period ending September 30, 

2022 from the largest SLFRF recipients: states, territories, and metro cities and counties with a population over 

250,000 or an allocation over $10 million, non-entitlement units of local government allocated more than $10 

million, and Tribal governments allocated over $30 million. In addition, to provide the full picture of SLFRF 

investments, the figures highlighted in this analysis include previously reported data from smaller SLFRF recipients 
September 30, 2022 SLFRF Reporting Analysis 2

Responding to the Public Health Needs 

More than 1,400 governments report having budgeted over $11 billion for more than 4,900 

projects addressing public health needs including COVID-19 testing, vaccinations, staffing, and 

outreach to underserved communities. For local governments, the provision of COVID-19 public 

health services is one of the top programmatic expenditure categories, likely due in part to 

SLFRF being the first time that most local governments received direct, dedicated Federal 

support to respond to the pandemic and its impacts. State governments, who had received other 

COVID specific funds, also dedicated significant funds to pandemic-related public health

projects; many reported using SLFRF funding to supplement other COVID related funds as well 

as offset their use of other sources of funding to cover public health related emergency spending 

at the pandemic’s outset. 

• The State of Alaska budgeted $40 million to address the state's most critical COVID

public health needs that are not covered by other available funding sources, including 

providing testing equipment and consultation services to address the ongoing needs of the 

pandemic. The state originally appropriated $20 million towards these efforts, but it was 

necessary to increase this appropriation to $40 million due to a rising number of COVID 

infections. 

• El Paso, Texas budgeted more than $16 million for the health department’s COVID-19 

response teams including testing, vaccination, and the response supply center. This 

initiative will also include the design and construction of a new clinic which will provide 

COVID-19 response services to underserved communities. 

• Hidalgo County, TX budgeted $2 million for COVID-19 testing in the county, including 

for disproportionally impacted community members. The testing allows county officials

to efficiently track COVID-19 cases, update safety protocols, and mitigate the spread of 

the virus.

• Milwaukee, WI obligated over $13 million for COVID-19 public health services

including testing, vaccinations, isolation, a COVID-19 hotline, and medical respite care. 

These services are targeted to disproportionately impacted low-income and minority

communities as these were identified as the most vulnerable populations based on 

socioeconomic status, housing type, and transportation access. 

• The State of New Hampshire spent more than $11 million to purchase COVID-19 tests

to increase access to testing in order to reduce the spread of disease throughout New 

who report their spending activity annually in April. These annual reporters include metro cities and counties with 

populations less than 250,000 and an allocation less than $10 million, Tribal governments with an allocation less 

than $30 million, and non-entitlement units of local government allocated less than $10 million. These recipients

are required to file Project and Expenditure Reports annually by April 30. In 2022, these Project and Expenditure 

reports covered the period from March 3, 2021 to March 31, 2022. 
September 30, 2022 SLFRF Reporting Analysis 3

Hampshire, limit the strain on the medical care system, and keep schools and businesses 

open.

• Union County, NJ spent nearly $4.5 million to support the county’s vaccination 

campaign, including staffing, acquisition of equipment or supplies, facilities costs, and

mobile vaccine clinics. The county launched a campaign to reach its most vulnerable 

populations to spread awareness about the vaccine, assist the community in locating 

vaccinations, and clarify misinformation about the vaccine.

Investing in Housing Affordability

Expanding access to affordable housing is a top priority for Treasury and the Administration. 

Treasury is playing a key role in this work by encouraging jurisdictions to consider using SLFRF 

for affordable housing or to supplement other American Rescue Plan programs aiding renters 

and homeowners, such as the Emergency Rental Assistance program and the Homeowners 

Assistance Fund. In July of 2022, Treasury also announced new flexibilities and tools to make 

support for housing affordability investments even easier, including increasing flexibility to fully 

finance certain long-term affordable housing loans. SLFRF recipients have responded by 

budgeting $14.2 billion through September of 2022 on nearly 1,800 housing affordability related

projects that focus on short-term assistance and long-term development, an increase of 16% in 

the number of projects since the last reporting period in July.

• Denver, CO budgeted $28 million for the development and preservation of affordable 

housing. Priorities include rental projects that have deeply affordable units with 

supportive services or large units for families. Planned projects that may be supported by 

this fund include 400 newly constructed rental units, 200 preserved rental units, 50 newly 

constructed homeowner units, and 1-2 projects to acquire existing unsubsidized 

affordable and hotel buildings.

• The State of Idaho has budgeted $50 million for gap financing to eligible low- and 

moderate-income-targeted multifamily housing developments and down payment/closing 

cost assistance for low- and moderate-income homebuyers. This will ensure that those 

who were the most economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the directly 

resulting affordable housing crisis have access to long-term, high-quality, affordable 

housing. 

• Greenville County, SC allocated $10 million for the production of multi-family and 

single-family affordable housing units; preservation of current affordable housing units;

and a signature project in a qualified census track that would include new infrastructure 

as well as new multi-family units. 

• The State of Illinois has allocated $75 million to the Illinois Housing Development 

Authority to provide gap funding for qualified developments eligible for federal low-
September 30, 2022 SLFRF Reporting Analysis 4

income housing tax credits. The grant funds will help developers overcome increased 

construction costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic-created supply shortages.

• Mobile, AL has budgeted more than $4 million to work with housing developers and the 

local Public Housing Authority to revitalize neighborhoods with affordable housing for 

unhoused and first-time homebuyers.

• Pensacola, FL has allocated $3 million to improve access to stable, affordable housing 

for unhoused individuals as well as programs to assist the unhoused.

• Rochester, NY is dedicating over $13 million focused on the creation of homeownership opportunities for low-income residents in neighborhoods that have faced 

challenges even before the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes constructing new singlefamily houses on previously vacant city-owned land in targeted neighborhoods and

incorporating sustainability and energy efficiency in construction. 

• Snohomish County, WA allocated more than $9 million for the identification, planning, 

and purchase of a multi-unit non-congregate shelter building that will include services for 

individuals experiencing homelessness as well as a flexible space for emergency 

response. 

• Tarrant County, TX has put nearly $34 million into expanding permanent supportive 

housing as the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for additional housing to serve 

its most vulnerable populations. The project includes grant awards to nonprofits that 

focus on housing and was facilitated through an application process run by the Tarrant 

County Housing Finance Corporation. 

• Victorville, CA has budgeted nearly $11 million for a Wellness Center Campus that will 

include a low-barrier shelter, recuperative care facility, medical clinic, interim housing,

and wraparound support services. This will be the first facility of its kind in San 

Bernardino County. 

Supporting Workers

In response to the negative economic impacts of the pandemic on communities, SLFRF 

recipients have budgeted over $10 billion in SLFRF funds for more than 3,000 projects to 

support and expand the workforce. A focus on helping more Americans secure good-paying jobs

is critical and many SLFRF projects are using their funds to help impacted workers enter indemand careers, with a particular focus on assisting people that have barriers to employment and 

preparing for industries of the future. This can help prepare more Americans for the critical jobs 

being created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as well as the CHIPS and Science Act, 

Inflation Reduction Act, and American Rescue Plan. 

• Arapahoe County, CO has allocated $5 million to provide short term certifications, 

work-based learning, incumbent worker training, and supportive services for individuals 

experiencing unemployment or under employment due to the pandemic. The Re-Train 
September 30, 2022 SLFRF Reporting Analysis 5

Arapahoe program will provide up to $10,000 per individual to provide training, 

certifications, and a laptop to improve digital access and literacy.

• Detroit, MI budgeted nearly $59 million for Detroiters for Skills for Life, a training and 

career readiness program for residents that continue to face economic hardships 

exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program provides employment and skilland career-building activities and assists in removing barriers to employment by offering

disconnected workers on-ramps so that they may earn income while building critical 

skills to improve long-term employment and job retention prospects.

• The State of Idaho budgeted $13 million for the Learning Idaho workforce training 

project. This initiative will consist of four components designed to identify and align 

workforce training to high quality jobs; invest in infrastructure, equipment and 

curriculum to provide training; provide financial assistance to Idahoans to access the 

training; and improve technology resources that connect individuals to jobs, including 

work-based learning. 

• The State of Maine budgeted $1.5 million for the Maine Apprenticeship Program that is

specifically focused on building high quality pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship 

programs for the clean energy sector in partnership with businesses, industry 

associations, unions, education and training providers, and community-based 

organizations.

• Pima County, AZ budgeted over $5 million for a ‘Micro-Pathways’ program to provide 

participants with financial support to access short-term programs that lead directly into 

in-demand jobs with family-sustaining wages. The county will also support

apprenticeships and other workforce programs focused on high growth career fields. 

• Racine, WI budgeted $2 million for the city to expand its youth summer jobs program to 

help at risk youth to get real world job experience. Funding provides stipends for at least 

50 summer youth jobs, starting in summer of 2022. 

• Roanoke, VA obligated $3 million to the Star City Works program devoted to 

identifying the needs of employers in high-growth, high-potential sectors and to filling 

any gaps that may exist in the local workforce. The program includes training, workbased learning opportunities, and wrap-around supportive services (transportation, 

childcare, food assistance, utility/mortgage assistance). 

• St. Paul, MN budgeted more than $11 million towards "Learn and Earn" models and an 

investment for occupational training. Residents will be able to access funds to assist in 

paying tuition, books, and technology costs, as well as receive subsidized wages, stipends 

for leaning, and paid internships. 

• Salt Lake City, UT obligated $1.5 million to cover payroll and benefits to hire positions 

that were unfilled due to the negative economic impact of the pandemic on public sector 

employment.
September 30, 2022 SLFRF Reporting Analysis 6

Stimulating Local Economic Growth through Small Businesses

To ensure sustainable growth for the future, many governments have invested in a wide variety 

of support programs that recognize small businesses’ important role as key employers and 

drivers of the local economy. Through September 30, governments had budgeted over $4 billion6

for over 950 projects to support small businesses and small business development; this 

complements other Administration investments including the American Rescue Plan’s State 

Small Business Credit Initiative.

• Cincinnati, OH spent $1 million to deliver operational grants and training to new and 

established women-owned businesses to create job opportunities for residents and 

entrepreneurship opportunities for women - including women in business that have 

carried a disproportionately high burden in managing the social challenges of the 

pandemic.

• Cook County, IL allocated more than $10 million to provide no cost technical assistance

to small businesses to help them address their unique needs, use new tools, and navigate 

resources to address their business needs with a COVID-19 recovery lens.

• McHenry County, IL obligated more than $1 million for the Advance McHenry County 

Manufacturing Initiative, which provides manufacturers with customizable technical 

assistance and training solutions to rebound from the pandemic, be more globally 

competitive, and increase resilience to future economic shocks. The program is a 

partnership between the county’s college system and workforce network board that offers 

ten categories of technical assistance aligned with the US Department of Commerce’s

Baldridge Performance Excellence Framework.

• Lee County, FL obligated $250,000 to assist small businesses disproportionately 

affected by COVID-19 by targeting businesses in Qualified Census Tracts and low- and 

moderate-income designated areas who had substantial declines in gross receipts and 

have less access to credit. The project will provide technical assistance, counseling, or 

business planning services to provide individualized and group training in business 

planning and improvement. 

• The State of Maryland budgeted $70 million to provide financial support to new or 

expanding businesses, including by designating funds for the Maryland Small, Minority, 

and Women-Owned Businesses Account, which gives grants to eligible fund managers to 

provide investment capital and loans to small, minority, and women-owned businesses. 

• Sacramento County, CA budgeted nearly $3 million to provide assistance to small

businesses that were negatively impacted by COVID-19 through outreach, technical 

assistance, training, and one-on-one consulting in various languages to engage hard-toreach businesses using culturally appropriate methods. 

6 This amount reflects a $1.5 billion reduction from the last reporting by the State of California, which transferred a 

small business project to the state’s general fund. 
September 30, 2022 SLFRF Reporting Analysis 7

• Mesa, Arizona budgeted $3 million for a restaurant and food business incubator that will 

be paired with a modern dining facility that will provide business development support 

and cultivate the success, sustainability, and resiliency of local food entrepreneurs.

Making Transformative Investments in Key Infrastructure

SLFRF is allowing state, local, Tribal, and territorial governments to make key investments in

infrastructure projects that respond to needs that were highlighted by the pandemic and that will 

support future economic growth. Overall, more than 2,500 governments have budgeted more 

than $21 billion for over 6,000 critical infrastructure projects that support expanded access to 

high-speed internet and clean water. SLFRF is helping states and localities to further supercharge 

the historic federal investments in infrastructure delivered by the Biden-Harris Administration 

through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and complementing the American Rescue Plan 

investment in expanded affordable highspeed internet access through Treasury’s Capital Projects 

Fund.

• The State of Alabama budgeted $51 million to develop a statewide middle-mile fiber 

network that will support, catalyze, and facilitate future last-mile projects. 

• American Samoa budgeted $10 million for broadband development as the pandemic 

made clear that remote work, distance learning, and telehealth are essential services. The 

territory will work with local internet service providers to support the delivery of internet 

service that reliably meets or exceeds symmetrical upload and download speeds of 100 

mbps. 

• Bay City, MI obligated $6 million to remove lead pipes in the city by hiring a crew of 

four new Water Department employees that will be solely dedicated to lead service line 

replacement. 

• Box Elder County, UT has spent $1.5 million to provide engineering, permitting and 

construction resources for last-mile infrastructure investments to bring high-speed 

internet service to underserved rural communities in the county. This will help stabilize 

rural access to remote education, health care, and economic opportunity where privatelyfunded expansion is not feasible due to distances and low density.

• Carroll County, MD budgeted $15 million to make investments in broadband 

infrastructure in response to COVID-19 when households and businesses lacking reliable 

high-speed service were at a significant disadvantage in areas such as educational, 

economic, and health opportunities. Carroll County will increase access to the 12% of 

Carroll households and businesses currently unserved by a high-speed connection by 

providing 100/100 mbps service that will include an option for low-income customers.

• Erie County, NY allocated $34 million to address the broadband needs of unserved 

areas, improve services in underserved areas of the community, and enable broadband 

deployment county-wide. The fiber optic backbone will be owned by the county but 

managed and controlled by ErieNet, a not-for-profit local development corporation. 
September 30, 2022 SLFRF Reporting Analysis 8

ErieNet will be open for any viable entity to use or provide services to support broadband 

technologies and services. 

• Janesville, WI budgeted over $2 million in order to improve drinking water quality by 

replacing publicly owned lead pipes. 

• Rankin County, MS budgeted $26 million for 45 projects that are improving water 

quality protection, floodplain management, environmental restoration, and wetlands 

restoration. 

• The State of Tennessee budgeted $500 million to facilitate broadband access while 

promoting programs that encourage broadband adoption and use. 

• The State of Vermont budgeted nearly $146 million to support and accelerate the State’s 

goal of achieving universal access to reliable, high-quality, affordable broadband by 

providing service to unserved or underserved households and businesses through 

symmetrical 100 Mbps download speed and upload speeds. 

Stabilizing Government Finances 

In the Great Recession, spending cuts by state and local governments were a drag on the 

economy for years and caused elevated rates of unemployment.7 However, thanks to the BidenHarris Administration’s economic recovery programs, these same governments have had the 

resources to avert painful cuts to spending that otherwise might have persisted throughout the 

recovery from the pandemic. SLFRF has been a key vehicle to provide governments with fiscal 

stability to ensure that they do not have to cut their budgets. 

Over 13,000 governments reported to Treasury that they budgeted more than $89 billion for over 

26,000 projects to provide fiscal stability. (In total, recipients have reported $274 billion in 

revenue losses resulting from the pandemic to date; many recipients reporting revenue loss, 

however, may choose to report funds in other eligible use categories instead.) Without fiscal 

recovery funds, there would have been devastating cuts to public services (like police, fire, 

emergency medical services, and education) as a national survey of mayors before the passage of 

the American Rescue Plan Act found that 70% anticipated making dramatic service cuts. Instead, 

these governments’ strong fiscal health meant that they were able to deliver vital services to their 

residents during the most intense periods of the pandemic. Moreover, using SLFRF, 

governments have also been able to boost economic growth in their communities, advance 

equity, and increase affordability for households. Examples of how governments used SLFRF to 

avert fiscal distress include: 

• Pittsburgh, PA spent $52 million to avoid layoffs across all city departments that would 

otherwise have been necessary due the negative impact of COVID on the city’s revenue. 

7 The Great Recession’s Lessons on State and Local Aid’s Importance in Combating an Economic Downturn and 

Supporting Children | Urban Institute
September 30, 2022 SLFRF Reporting Analysis 9

• San Antonio, TX expended $112 million to replace lost city revenue, stabilize the city 

budget, and address community needs exacerbated by the pandemic including mental 

health, domestic violence, housing assistance, customer service, and community 

navigators. 

• Syracuse, NY spent nearly $22 million to support the city’s operations at pre-pandemic 

levels. Due to an estimated revenue loss of $141 million from the COVID-19 pandemic, 

the city would have had to reduce staffing levels across all departments, including police 

and fire, without these revenue replacement funds. 

In sum, the latest project and expenditure data, including the information reported for the period 

ending September 30, 2022, reflects the important and transformative effect of State and Local 

Fiscal Recovery Funds on the fiscal health of state, local, Tribal, and territorial governments as 

well as the degree to which these funds are addressing the immediate impacts of the pandemic 

while also helping the country be better prepared for any future crises. 
September 30, 2022 SLFRF Reporting Analysis 10

* This chart includes all the most recent project and expenditure reporting received by Treasury 

for all recipients. Specifically, it includes data reported by quarterly reporters (states, territories, 

and metro cities and counties with a population over 250,000 or an allocation over $10 million; 

Tribal governments with an allocation over $30 million; and non-entitlement units of local 

government allocated more than $10 million) through September 30, 2022 and data from annual 

reporters (metro cities, counties, and non-entitlement units of local with populations less than 

250,000 and an allocation less than $10 million, Tribal governments with an allocation less than 

$30 million) through March 31, 2022. 

**Includes vaccinations, testing, contact tracing, PPE, prevention in congregate facilities,

medical expenses, and other public health measures.

Key Investments through September 30, 2022 for State, Local, Territorial, and Tribal Governments*

Category

Reported Funds 

Budgeted

Number of 

Governments 

Pursuing

Number of 

Projects 

Reported

Housing: Emergency Aid, Affordable Housing, 

Homelessness

$14.2 billion 725 1,827

Infrastructure: Water, Sewer, and Broadband $21.0 billion 2,597 6,669

COVID-19 Public Health Response** $11.4 billion 1,462 4,992

Worker Support: Unemployment Aid, Job Training, 

Public Sector Workforce, Essential Worker Premium Pay

$10.3 billion 1,822 3,281

Small Business Assistance $4.0 billion 512 964

Childcare and Early Learning $759.2 million 194 290