Recovery

American Rescue Plan Act

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provides emergency relief funding to local governments. Clackamas County has received a total of approximately $81.2 million (one-half in May 2021, the other in June 2022). All funds must be dedicated by December 2024 and spent by December 2026.

Criteria to spend these funds is outlined by the federal government, which details how this money can be used to best recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

With these funds, Clackamas County is committed to supporting our community. Below, please find the five areas which funds can be allocated toward and their descriptions, and how much of the $81.2 million we have currently committed.

The funding commitments information on this page was last updated on July 13, 2022.

How will the funds be dispersed?

As of July 2022, Clackamas County has committed $40,495,607 of the $81,227,382 APRA funds received, leaving $40,731,775 to be committed. 

In addition to the breakdown below, $2 million was also committed for ARPA funding administration/software.

Support Public Health Response

Address Negative Economic Impacts

Replace Public Sector Revenue Loss

Invest in Water, Sewer, and Broadband infrastructure

Premium Pay for Essential Workers

Support Public Health Response

This funding can go toward certain public health-related activities that help stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and address treatment/care stemming from it. Thus far, Clackamas County has committed $4 million in the continued operation of public health efforts by our Emergency Operations Center, which has been staffed since COVID-19 was first detected in Oregon. Another $2,234,455 has been committed to cover the costs of a hotel/motel emergency sheltering program (11/2/21), and another $156,000 was dedicated to temporary hotel shelter/other warming shelter activities (2/2/22). 

Address Negative Economic Impacts

This funding can go toward providing much needed relief to struggling local businesses, nonprofits, industries, workers, and other public sector entities. Thus far, Clackamas County has committed $6 million in nonprofit support, and $200,000 for the Gladstone Library. Please note that $4 million in business support was committed on July 15, 2021, but this money was returned back to the ARPA general pot on June 2, 2022. Please see video links/materials below to watch/review how this decision was made. In no way does this action change other commitments, nor does it preclude the county from investing dollars back into this area in the future.

Replace Public Sector Revenue Loss

This funding can go toward restoring lost funding that the county experienced in delivering its services. Clackamas County has invested $11,797,970 in this area.

Invest in Water, Sewer, and Broadband Infrastructure

This funding can go toward investments the county wants to make in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure. Thus far, Clackamas County has committed $10.1 million in broadband infrastructure, specifically to expand the Clackamas Broadband Exchange to those lacking reliable internet connectivity.

Premium Pay for Essential Workers

This funding provided premium pay to workers who put themselves at the greatest risk early during the pandemic, as their jobs required them to do so. Clackamas County has committed $4,007,182 in this area, with no additional investments expected. 

Webinars for nonprofits

During late Spring/Summer 2022, #ClackCo is holding webinars for community based organizations (CBOs) and nonprofits, in order to help facilitate the grant process for them to apply for ARPA funds. Thus far, a total of $6 million in nonprofit support has been approved by #ClackCo Commissioners. These webinars cover a general orientation of ARPA-funded grant opportunities and details about the next steps of the process.

Information about upcoming webinars will be posted near the top of this webpage once details are finalized. Previous webinars are available below.

• July 27, 2022 | slides
• April 13, 2022 webinar

Questions about these webinars and related inquires can be directed to ARPA Community-Based Organization Liaison Jennifer Hardnett at jhardnett@clackamas.us.

Survey Results

Prior to commissioners allocating the vast majority of the first round of APRA funding, in May 2021, Clackamas County invited residents to take an unscientific survey to gauge how the community values different uses of the funds. Our community responded! More than 3,600 people took the survey, which was the second-most survey responses in county history. The survey results were just one of many resources county commissioners rely on when making decisions about how best to invest funds.

You can view the full survey results and analysis. Please note that respondents who failed to indicate they live in Clackamas County were filtered out of these results.

News/Meetings

Disclosures

• August 31, 2021 Performance Report and Interim Recovery Plan
• Recovery Plan Performance Report: July 2022