Please Share: Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness Program Eligible to Local Government Workers

The U.S. Department of Education is offering public servants working in government and eligible non-profits a second chance to quality for student loan forgiveness. The deadline to apply is Oct. 31, 2022.

An estimated 154,000 public service workers in Michigan could be eligible for student loan debt relief under the PSLF waiver. According to the Office of Federal Student Aid’s June report, over 6,000 Michiganders have taken advantage of the PSLF waiver and have had $358 million in loans forgiven.  The recent changes to the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program allow previously ineligible borrowers – those with a non-Direct loan, who are not enrolled in an income driven repayment plan, who have missed a repayment, or made a partial repayment in the past – to receive credit toward loan forgiveness for the years they worked in government or a qualifying non-profit.

The State of Michigan has created a toolkit for local governments, non-profits, and employees to use in spreading the word about the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. The Michigan Municipal League was asked by Governor Whitmer’s administration to share this toolkit with our members because local government employees could be eligible for this program. View the press release and view the toolkit.

“I’m grateful to the countless, dedicated public servants across Michigan that spend their days making our state a better place to live. Whether you are a service member, firefighter, health professional, teacher, social worker, librarian–-the list goes on—thank you for your service,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “Tens of thousands of Michiganders may qualify for this loan forgiveness program, which will help ease the burden of student debt and put money back in people’s pockets. I encourage Michiganders to review the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program and see if they are eligible to have their remaining student loan debt forgiven.”

Here are some details from the toolkit:

Overview: A Second Chance at Student Loan Forgiveness

Through October 31, 2022, the U.S. Department of Education is offering public servants working in government and eligible non-profits a second chance to qualify for student loan forgiveness. There are an estimated 154,000 public servants in Michigan who may be eligible for student loan debt relief.

We need YOUR help to make sure every eligible Michigander takes a second look at this opportunity to see if they qualify.

Who should use this toolkit:
This toolkit makes it easy for employers and partners to share information about Public Service Loan Forgiveness with employees and their networks and connect individuals with resources to learn more.

How could employees qualify for loan forgiveness?
In 2007, Congress created the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program to recruit and retain top talent in public service. If an individual works for government or a qualifying non-profit for 10 years and makes 120 student loan repayments on a federal Direct loan in full and on time, and submits all required paperwork, the federal government will consider their loans “paid in full” and forgive the remaining balance.

Why now?
The Biden administration is offering a temporary waiver to allow previously ineligible borrowers a second chance at student debt relief through October 31, 2022. Every public servant with student loans should check to see if they qualify for debt relief by visiting studentaid.gov/pslf/.

How can your organization help?
• Send an email to your employees and networks promoting this opportunity and sharing your Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN). They will need this to apply.
• Identify an individual to help employees submit the employment certification form.
• Post about PSLF on your social media.
• If you have a large organization or membership, you may also consider co-hosting a webinar with the U.S. Department of Education. You can request to host a webinar by emailing the U.S. Department of Education at fsaengagement@ed.gov.

What do public servants need to do to qualify for PSLF?

  1. Work for a qualifying employer. This includes working for:
    • Government including federal, state, local, or tribal government, or
    • Non-profit organization that provides a public service such as emergency management, military service, law enforcement, legal services, early childhood education, public service for individuals with disabilities and the elderly, public health, public education, or library services.
    Not sure if your organization qualifies? Visit studentaid.gov/pslf/employer-search/search-tool.
  2. Submit paperwork at studentaid.gov/pslf/ to make sure they are on track for forgiveness and receive credit for their work experience and loan payments.
  3. Make 120 payments on a federal Direct Loan while working for a qualifying employer for 10 years.

Where can employees learn more?
Visit the Office of Federal Student Aid website studentaid.gov/pslf/ for more information and to apply today! If they have questions about a specific situation, individuals can contact FedLoan Servicing at 1-855-265-4038.

The toolkit also includes sample email language to send to employees, materials you can print and place around the office, and sample social media graphics and language to use.

Here is the Registration Link for Monday’s U.S. Treasury Live Demo on ARP Funding

The registration link for the second of two U.S. Treasury live demonstrations is now available. The training on how to do the Project & Expenditure Report submission will take place 2 p.m. Monday EST.

Register in advance for this webinar here: https://ustreasury.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_W81pJmmZSVWa1yKzmfCCoA

This training comes as a key deadline is quickly approaching for Non-Entitlement Units of Local Government (NEU) receiving American Rescue Plan dollars. Each NEU must submit a Project and Expenditure Report by April 30, 2022, and then quarterly or annually thereafter, based on their total allocation. If you are an NEU that received over $10 million, you are required to report quarterly.

The State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) reporting team at Treasury will provide a live demonstration of a Project & Expenditure Report submission. The demonstration will include an example of a revenue loss submission.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

 

Please note that this event has a capacity of 5,000 registrants. If members are unable to access this event, they can instead view any of following videos that offer the demo:

Additionally, any questions about the portal should be directed to SLFRP@treasury.gov. For login related questions such as determining roles, contact COVIDReliefITSupport@treasury.gov. Members can also call Treasury at (844) 529-9527 for further assistance.

Rochester Hills Wins 2021 Community Excellence Award Competition

Rochester Hills wins 2021 Michigan Municipal League Community Excellence Award.

Here’s a press release we just sent out to the media from our 2021 Michigan Municipal League Convention in Grand Rapids.

GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan – The community of Rochester Hills was honored with the Michigan Municipal League’s 2021 Community Excellence Award on Sept. 24 during the League’s annual Convention in Grand Rapids.

The peer-nominated Community Excellence Award (CEA), affectionately called “The Race for the Cup,” was started by the League in 2007 to recognize innovative solutions taking place in Michigan’s cities, villages, and urban townships. It’s the highest and most prestigious award bestowed on a community by the statewide League.

The winning community, which is selected through a ballot-box style vote of League members attending Convention, receives a large trophy cup that they get to have on display for the next year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the last winner was the Uptown Bay City Project in 2019.

Rochester Hills, located in Oakland County with a population of about 76,000, won the CEA for its Reimaging, Reinventing, and Renewing Auburn Road project.

“We are honored to have been selected by our peers,” said Bryan Barnett, Mayor of Rochester Hills.  “We are really lucky to live in what we think is one of greatest communities in Michigan. To take this home for our staff and our residents is a huge honor for our community. I loved our project and was confident, but after I watched the other three finalists, I thought all of them had great presentations and projects. So, to win among such a strong field is a great honor. A huge congratulations to all the finalists.”

After decades of discussion, Rochester Hills engaged in deliberate planning to transform the city’s aging Auburn Road corridor into a safe and attractive place for vehicles and pedestrians with the goal of creating a more walkable environment, encouraging (re)development opportunities, increasing parking, incorporating art and landscaping, and developing public open space to create a vibrant, desirable district. The project has served as a catalyst for community redevelopment, igniting investment and a true entrepreneurial ecosystem for businesses. The result is a safer, more connected and walkable corridor that supports economic development, spurs people to engage, and renews community pride.

Here’s a look at the other three finalists:

  • Delta Charter Township brought together regional partners to coordinate the Waverly Pathway Project with the reconstruction of a county road and a $60 million freeway project. Delta and adjacent Lansing Charter Township worked with multiple agencies to plan the new shared-use pathway to solve a lack of facilities and serious hazards to walkers and bikers in the project area. Neither community could afford to build the pathway on its own, so they worked together to secure three different grants totaling $874,000. The Waverly Pathway project was made possible through extraordinary multi-agency collaboration that improved safety, strengthened multimodal transportation connectivity, and enhanced recreational opportunities for residents of both communities.
  • East Lansing’s Nighttime. Anytime. Place Project” was originally envisioned to help the city’s downtown business community address the complex challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic by providing enhanced options for outdoor dining and curbside pickup. As the city’s vision evolved, the project was expanded to include simple, cost-effective tactical urbanism techniques that reactivated and enhanced East Lansing’s downtown district through an eclectic mix of interesting, comfortable places, activities, and amenities. An underutilized parking garage was transformed into a farmers market; more than 300 pieces of K-12 student art were deployed at local businesses through an Art Popup Program; grass turf, tables and chairs, and hammocks were installed to create safe, welcoming spaces for relaxing, socializing, and outdoor dining, and more. Although these creative placemaking strategies were driven by the pandemic, the city hopes the “Daytime. Nighttime. Anytime. Place Project” results in long-term, community-driven enhancements and increased citizen engagement in downtown East Lansing.
  • Sterling Heights’ REcreating Recreation project is a transformational placemaking initiative that represents the single largest investment in quality-of-life services in the city’s history. Funded by a new millage, the ambitious project has provided opportunities for current and prospective residents to connect with their community in new, exciting, fun and inclusive ways, such as a new community center; an outdoor splash pad; a summer farmers market pavilion that transforms into a refrigerated ice rink in winter; a captivating skate park for all ages that prevents damage to other buildings; a mini-turf soccer field and an indoor bocce ball court; a new dog park for breeds of all sizes; a trail linking a city park with the city’s nature preserve featuring multiple respite and bike repair stations; and universally accessible paddle docks on the Clinton River for canoers and kayakers of all abilities, even those in wheelchairs.

The 2021 Race for the Cup began in the spring. The awards program received 25 entries this year, which is the most in a single year since the program started 14 years ago. Communities were encouraged to enter based on Civic Engagement, Innovative Delivery of Services, Intergovernmental Cooperation, Placemaking, Redevelopment, and COVID-19 Response & Recovery.

The competition included an online voting component open to the public with the top online vote getter (Sterling Heights) automatically advancing to the final four to compete at the Convention. The other three projects (Delta Charter Township, East Lansing, and Rochester Hills) were selected by a panel of judges.  The projects’ final score was based on the judges’ ranking (75 percent) and online voting (25 percent).

Judges for this year’s competition were Alfredo Hernandez, Racial Equity Officer, Michigan Department of Civil Rights; Amy Hovey, Special Projects Coordinator, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation; and Chad Livengood, Senior Editor, Crain’s Detroit Business.

“We always get some amazing projects, programs, and initiatives for our Community Excellence Award program and this year was no exception,” said Dan Gilmartin, CEO and Executive Director of the Michigan Municipal League. “The four finalists all gave fantastic presentations at our Convention, and I’m told the voting among our members was extremely close. Congratulations to all the participants in this year’s record-setting CEA program.”

Representatives from the final four presented their projects at the League’s 2021 Convention in Grand Rapids, Sept. 22-24. After hearing the presentations, Convention attendees voted for their favorite project, with Rochester Hills receiving the most votes. View past CEA winners here.

For photos of the CEA winners, go to the “Awards and Honors” album on flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/michigancommunities/albums/72157710904993143

Additional photos can be downloaded from the League’s flickr page for free. We just ask that the following photo credit be given: Michigan Municipal League/mml.org

For additional information, contact the League’s Matt Bach, assistant director of strategic communications, at (810) 874-1073 (cell) and mbach@mml.org.

Michigan Municipal League is dedicated to making Michigan’s communities better by thoughtfully innovating programs, energetically connecting ideas and people, actively serving members with resources and services, and passionately inspiring positive change for Michigan’s greatest centers of potential: its communities. The League advocates on behalf of its member communities in Lansing, Washington, D.C., and the courts; provides educational opportunities for elected and appointed municipal officials; and assists municipal leaders in administering services to their communities through League programs and services. Learn more at mml.org.

MAR and MSU Offering Free Workshops for Local Government about American Rescue Plan Funding

The Michigan Association of Regions and members of the Michigan State University (MSU) Extension faculty are offering a series of free workshops in the coming weeks for local government officials on the American Rescue Plan.

MSU asked the Michigan Municipal League to share this information with our members.

Go here to view the full schedule and to register.

Member regions of the Michigan Association of Regions will host the MSU Extension faculty and local and tribal government officials to explore Local Fiscal Recovery Fund spending opportunities in a regional context. Join other local leaders to learn about:

  • ARPA Local Fiscal Recovery Fund Basic Rules
  • Best Practices for Local Fiscal Recovery Fund Spending
  • Practical Considerations for Contracts, Accounting, and Project Management
  • Group Discussions Related to Regional Collaboration
  • Leveraging Other State and Federal Funding and Priorities

The workshops are intended for regional planning and development board members, other local elected and appointed officials, tribal government officials, economic development practitioners, and other public and non-profit community development organization staff.

Program Details:
All workshops run 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (registration opens at 9 a.m. for in-person programs). Format varies by region from virtual (exclusive Zoom), hybrid (choice of in-person or Zoom attendance), or in-person.

The first workshop is Thursday, Sept. 23, in Traverse City and the last is a virtual option on Oct. 28.Other in-person workshops are happening in Sault Ste Marie, Marquette, Hancock, Gaylord, Lawrence, and Gladwin. There is no cost to attend the workshops. Instructors include Eric Scorsone, PhD, Associate Professor and Director of the MSU Extension Center for Local Government Finance and Policy; Arnold Weinfeld, Director for Workforce and Economic Development Partnerships, Office for Public Engagement and Scholarship; Associate Director – Institute for Public Policy and Social Research, College of Social Science; MSU Extension – Government & Community Vitality educators; and regional staff.

Michigan Municipal League Applauds Infrastructure Plan Approved in U.S. Senate

Dan Gilmartin, MML

Michigan Municipal League released a statement earlier this week about the U.S. Senate approving a $1 trillion plan to address the nation’s infrastructure needs. The statement is from Dan Gilmartin, the League’s CEO and Executive Director.

Here is the statement we sent out to the media:

“The Michigan Municipal League applauds the U.S. Senate’s vote today approving the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This investment takes a critical step toward ensuring access to safe roads, clean drinking water, reliable public transit, and high-speed broadband across Michigan and the nation. We implore the House to act quickly so these resources can be deployed. Bold action must continue in our effort to strengthen communities and improve the quality of life for residents. Congressional leaders should continue to work toward providing resources that support communities, address our housing needs, invest in our workforce, and foster sustainable and resilient places. It is time to meet this challenge and fully realize our nation’s enormous capacity to equitably invest in community wealth building, and we are ready and willing to add our voice to the process.”

For additional information, contact the League’s Matt Bach, assistant director of strategic communications, at (810) 874-1073 (cell) and mbach@mml.org.

Michigan Municipal League is dedicated to making Michigan’s communities better by thoughtfully innovating programs, energetically connecting ideas and people, actively serving members with resources and services, and passionately inspiring positive change for Michigan’s greatest centers of potential: its communities. The League advocates on behalf of its member communities in Lansing, Washington, D.C., and the courts; provides educational opportunities for elected and appointed municipal officials; and assists municipal leaders in administering services to their communities through League programs and services. Learn more at mml.org.

 

Accept your American Rescue Plan Funds AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

Time is running out for Michigan communities to accept the American Rescue Plan dollars. The Michigan Department of Treasury has provided regular updates to the Michigan Municipal League on this issue and told us a large majority of our communities have submitted their application for this funding. Thank you to all those communities that have accepted the funding!

But state officials tell us there are still a number of communities that need to complete the submission portal. The original deadline to declare intentions for the funding was Tuesday, July 27, but Treasury officials said they will continue to accept requests for this funding through the state’s submission portal here.

There are 1,724 cities, villages and townships classified as Non-Entitlement Units (NEUs) that are eligible to receive American Rescue Plan Act dollars. State officials tell us that nearly all Michigan’s NEU cities and a majority of the NEU villages have accepted the funding.

Please submit your requests ASAP. The League’s ServeMICity program is here to help. Simply email servemicity@mml.org and someone will respond quickly with support for your questions.

The ServeMICity program can help you do two things:

  1. Fill out the submission request to ensure your funds are not wasted or given away.
  2. Assist you in deciding how to use the American Rescue Plan funding for your community once you’ve accepted it. Remember, the funding does not need to be budgeted until the end of 2024 and fully spent until the end of 2026. There is no risk in accepting the funds now and taking your time to figure out how to spend the dollars.

Here is a very helpful and detailed, step-by-step Treasury Department video with the instructions. Please note you have three options in filling out the forms, and the video explains each: Time stamps to skip forward: Option 1: Accept the funds (6:36); Option 2: Decline the funds and transfer  your community’s money to the state of Michigan (10:33); Option 3: Decline the funds and distribute your community’s money to other local units of government (13:40).

Here are step-by-step instructions from the Treasury Department for NEUs filling out the portal:

  • Log on to the ELITE system portal.
    • Select form “ARPA CLFRF Request.”
    • If you do not already have a login for Michigan Treasury’s ELITE system, select “Request Access New User” from the login page.
  • Filing instructions can be found on the state website.
  • All application documents must be saved as PDFs and uploaded during the submission process.
  • The data entered into the ELITE system must match the data entered on all forms or your submission will be denied (i.e., CAO name does not match), and resubmission will be required.
  • For assistance in calculating your Top Line Budget, please review Michigan Department of Treasury Numbered Letter 2021-5. Please note, this calculation is your approved budget with any amendments as of January 27, 2020.

For more detailed step-by-step instructions click here.

More information and resources on CLFRF are available at Michigan.gov/ARPA.

Questions regarding the CLFRF can be directed to the Michigan Department of Treasury by e-mail at Treas-ARPA@michigan.gov.

If you need help, contact the League’s ServeMICity team at servemicity@mml.org.

 

Submission Portal Now Open for Michigan Communities to Receive American Rescue Plan Support

The portal select Michigan communities are to use to obtain the American Rescue Plan funding assistance is now open. Communities classified as Non-Entitlement Units (NEUs) of Local Government must use this portal to request funding through the Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Non-entitlement units are defined as primary local governments (cities, villages, townships) other than federally defined metropolitan cities and counties under ARPA.

The Michigan Department of Treasury launched the portal this week and all non-entitlement units must complete the online process whether requesting or declining funds. NEUs are asked to make their submissions through the portal by Tuesday, July 27.

The Michigan Municipal League strongly encourages all League members to seek out this one-time federal assistance that will come in two parts over two years. The funding does not need to be allocated until the end of 2024 and doesn’t need to be fully spent until the end of 2026. This means there is time for our community leaders to be collaborative and deliberate in determining how best to invest this assistance in ways that impact our residents and businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The League realizes that navigating this funding can be daunting, time-consuming, and overwhelming, and we’re here to help our members. We launched the ServeMICity program to help you think creatively about taking this investment to the next level and help you answer questions you may have about the American Rescue Plan funding. Together, we can chart a path forward to stabilizing your community through big-picture thinking, asking tough questions, and fostering equitable engagement.

Through the ServeMICity program, we can help you identify investments that do things like build dynamic places, inspire community well-being, provide safe and accessible housing, ensure universal broadband access and equity, and enable the creation of holistic health and public safety systems. The League is here to help make your ARP dollars count. Let’s build our future together by starting here.

Tune into Monday’s Live with the League discussion at noon to hear about the portal and how the League’s ServeMICity program can help. Register for free here.

Here are the step-by-step instructions from the Michigan Department of Treasury about the NEU submission process:

  • Log on to the ELITE system portal.
    • Select form “ARPA CLFRF Request”.
    • If you do not already have a login for Michigan Treasury’s ELITE system, select “Request Access New User” from the login page.
  • Filing instructions can be found on the state website.
  • All application documents must be saved as PDFs and uploaded during the submission process.
  • The data entered into the ELITE system must match the data entered on all forms or your submission will be denied (i.e., CAO name does not match), and resubmission will be required.
  • For assistance in calculating your Top Line Budget, please review Michigan Department of Treasury Numbered Letter 2021-5. Please note, this calculation is your approved budget with any amendments as of January 27, 2020.

More information and resources on CLFRF are available at Michigan.gov/ARPA.

Questions regarding the CLFRF can be directed to the Michigan Department of Treasury by e-mail at Treas-ARPA@michigan.gov.

American Rescue Plan Guidelines Discussions

In case you missed the recent webinar by the National League of Cities about the new American Rescue Plan guidelines, no worries – the Michigan Municipal League has you covered in a couple ways.

First, we have the PowerPoint presentation that the NLC gave on Wednesday and you can view that here. Want to watch it again? Or maybe you missed it live? Go here to watch the on-demand recording, download the slides, or view all the other great resources shared. Visit the NLC’s  COVID-19 resource hub here.

Second, on Monday at noon, the Michigan Municipal League will host a special edition of our Live with the League show featuring the NLC’s Michael Gleeson. Gleeson and our Lansing team will discuss the new American Rescue Plan guidelines and what they mean for your community. We’ll also answer as many of your questions as we can. Register for the free Live with the League event here.

Here are some key takeaways from Wednesday’s NLC event and things we will discuss further on Monday:

  • Final allocations for Metropolitan cities (populations over 50k) have been released and they can begin requesting funds.
  • Guidance for Non-Entitlement Units of Local Government (populations below 50K), including allocations and receiving instructions, is expected to be released in the coming days.
  • Framework for Interim Rule are divided into three categories: non-exclusive lists of allowable expenditures, encouraged expenditures, and prohibited expenditures.

Here are some additional documents and links from the NLC and MML detailing the guidelines and allocations:

In addition, the NLC is asking our members to share their ARP-related story and questions using this tool. Sharing your American Rescue Plan Act questions and your municipality’s story will assist the NLC in amplifying the issues our communities are tackling. Your continued feedback and patience will be very helpful as NLC works to catalogue the influx of questions. The NLC and the MML will continue develop and share guidance that is critical to your response efforts over the course of the next two months.

Here is a video from the League about our new talking points (printable pdf of the talking points is here):

 
 

Additional Briefings from White House About American Rescue Plan Guidelines Set for Today and Tomorrow

Here are some of ineligible uses of the American Rescue Plan support for municipalities. These were shared Monday as part of a presentation by the U.S. Department of the Treasury during a webinar Monday.

Due to the overwhelming interest in this topic, the White House and U.S. Department of the Treasury are having additional briefings on the new guidelines municipalities must follow for the American Rescue Plan assistance. The National League of Cities and the Michigan Municipal League also have free informational virtual events to share Michigan-specific information later today and Monday. Register for today’s NLC event here and the MML’s Live with the League conversation on Monday here when we will discuss the new guidelines and what they mean for our members.

The new guidelines, which are 151 pages long (view them here and view an MML break-down of them here), were released Monday and White House briefings for municipalities reached capacity so these new briefings have been scheduled for 5 p.m. today (May 12) and 4 p.m. tomorrow (May 13). Register here for today’s briefing and here for tomorrow’s briefing.

In addition, here are some resources provided by the White House and Treasury Department:

Here are some additional resources provided by NLC and the federal government:

The National League of Cities has sent the MML the following documents detailing the guidelines and allocations:

Here is a video from the League about our new talking points (printable pdf of the talking points is here):

 

New Talking Points About American Rescue Plan for League Members

New Update: The National League of Cities (NLC) and the Michigan Municipal League (MML) will each have events about the new guidelines in the coming days. The NLC will have a Federal Advocacy Update Call at 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 12 (register here) and the MML will unpack the guidelines for you during our Live with the League conversation Monday, May 17. Register for that here.

Update: The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs will host two identical 30-minute introductory briefings with state and local associations and stakeholders TODAY (May 10, 2021) at 4:00 PM EDT (link) and 6:45 PM EDT – (NEW LINK here). The Michigan Municipal League encourages our members to attend.

The guidelines that communities must follow in administering the American Rescue Plan assistance have been released by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Here are some ineligible uses of the American Rescue Plan support for municipalities as presented by the U.S. Department of the Treasury during a webinar Monday.

The Michigan Municipal League and National League of Cities are currently analyzing the guidelines and we will have a webinar very soon to break it all down for you. Keep a close eye on your emails for details on the upcoming webinar.

The National League of Cities has sent the MML the following documents detailing the guidelines and allocations. Here are links to those documents:

Now that these long-awaited guidelines for the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds are out, the Michigan Municipal League anticipates that many of our member communities will likely get contacted from the media, businesses, and residents about how they are going to utilize this support within these guidelines.

To help, the League has come up with the following talking points for our community leaders to use if they would like. View talking points at the end of this post.

Also, the ServeMICity program generously supported by the Michigan Municipal League Foundation is there to help your community navigate all COVID-19-related financial assistance that’s out there, including these ARP dollars. If you are interested in that program please contact the League’s Shanna Draheim at sdraheim@mml.org.

If you have any questions about these talking points or the American Rescue Plan in general, please contact the League’s Chris Hackbarth at chackbarth@mml.org, John LaMacchia at jlamacchia@mml.org, or Matt Bach at mbach@mml.org.

Please stay tuned to the League’s Inside 208 blog and the League’s social media outlets for the latest information about the American Rescue Plan, including upcoming informational webinars, videos, and discussions that the League is currently working on related to these guidelines.

Here is key information about the guidelines from a U.S. Department of the Treasury Press release.

  • Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced the launch of
    the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, established by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, to provide $350 billion in emergency funding for state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments. Treasury also released details on the ways funds can be used to respond to acute pandemic-response needs, fill revenue shortfalls among state and local governments, and support the communities and populations hardest-hit by the COVID-19 crisis. Eligible state,
    territorial, metropolitan city, county, and Tribal governments will be able to access funding directly from the Treasury Department in the coming days to assist communities as they recover from the pandemic.
  • While the need for services provided by state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments has increased —including setting up emergency medical facilities, standing up vaccination sites, and supporting struggling small businesses—these governments have faced significant revenue shortfalls as a result of the economic fallout from the crisis. As a result, these governments have endured unprecedented strains, forcing many to make untenable choices between laying off educators, firefighters, and other frontline workers or failing to provide services
    that communities rely on. Since the beginning of this crisis, state and local governments have cut over 1 million jobs.
  • The Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds provide substantial flexibility for each jurisdiction to meet local needs—including support for households, small businesses, impacted industries, essential workers, and the communities hardest-hit by the crisis. Within the categories of eligible uses listed, recipients have broad flexibility to decide how best to use this funding to meet the needs of their communities.
  • In addition to allowing for flexible spending up to the level of their revenue loss, recipients can use funds to:
    • Support public health expenditures, by – among other uses – funding COVID-19
    mitigation efforts, medical expenses, behavioral healthcare, mental health and substance misuse treatment and certain public health and safety personnel responding to the crisis;
    • Address negative economic impacts caused by the public health emergency,
    including by rehiring public sector workers, providing aid to households facing food, housing or other financial insecurity, offering small business assistance, and extending support for industries hardest hit by the crisis
    • Aid the communities and populations hardest hit by the crisis, supporting an
    equitable recovery by addressing not only the immediate harms of the pandemic, but its exacerbation of longstanding public health, economic and educational disparities
    • Provide premium pay for essential workers, offering additional support to those who have borne and will bear the greatest health risks because of their service during the pandemic; and,
    • Invest in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure, improving access to clean
    drinking water, supporting vital wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, and expanding access to broadband internet.
  • Insufficient federal aid and state and local austerity under similar fiscal pressures during the Great Recession and its aftermath undermined and slowed the nation’s broader recovery. The steps the Biden Administration has taken to aid state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments will create jobs and help fuel a strong recovery. And support for communities hardest-hit by this crisis can help undo racial inequities and other disparities that have held too many places back for too long.
  • For more information, visit Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds on
    Treasury.gov.

Here are the talking points (get printable pdf here):

Charting Our Future: ARP Talking Points

  • After weeks of waiting and speculation, the guidelines for the American Rescue Plan (ARP) have now been released.
  • This support represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for [MUNICIPALITY] to reflect on the needs of our community and strategically invest these resources in our future, building community wealth for our residents and businesses.
  • Our community is currently reviewing the new American Rescue Plan guidelines and will continue to be deliberate and collaborative in deciding how to best use this funding in ways that are impactful and have long-term benefit for [MUNICIPALITY].
  • To maximize the impact, we will also work with our partners at the Michigan Municipal League and National League of Cities to explore ways to leverage and amplify the funding we have received with other available resources.
  • The good news is, we have time, and don’t need to rush our decision on how we spend these funds. A key part of the American Rescue Plan is that the estimated money we are to receive does not have to be allocated until the end of 2024. Providing us the time to work with you to determine how this support is best utilized.
  • Our community, like all Michigan municipalities, has faced tough times and tough decisions over the past two decades. The American Rescue Plan gives us an opportunity invest in ourselves, and emerge from the pandemic stronger than we were before.
  • This community has stepped up time and time again to find creative, innovative ways to move us forward.
    • Michigan communities have endured through [Insert your own examples, such as population decline, once in a lifetime flooding, infrastructure failure, social and racial unrest, economic devastation, major demographic shifts, drug epidemics, declining public health—both physical and mental—] topped off by a global pandemic that threatened to bring us to our knees. We wish we could say that was the end of the list.
  • Together, we have risen to the occasion to help each other, and to keep the wheels turning on the basics of local government (public safety, roads and infrastructure, parks, etc.). While the pandemic might be global, its affects are felt locally.
    • Many of us have lost loved ones and friends.
    • Our restaurants and small businesses have suffered tremendously.
    • Our children and schools have struggled to adapt to remote learning.
  • In short, now is the time to invest in the needs of our community.
  • Local government belongs to its residents. By working together, we will create a plan that responsibly invests in our people and our overall economic recovery while also paying dividends long into the future.