ARPA Offerings

American Rescue Plan Act: State & Local Government Funding for Software and GIS Solutions
With the recent government funding in response to the pandemic, we at North Point Geographic Solutions wanted to provide you with some insight and ideas on how you can maximize this funding. While you ultimately need to confirm all of the details with your agency, we hope this will provide you with an overview and some options for your agency’s GIS projects.
 
Use of Funds

The Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds provide eligible state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments with a substantial infusion of resources to meet pandemic response needs and rebuild a stronger, and more equitable economy as the country recovers. The U.S. Department of Treasury has released guidance on the State and Local Coronavirus Fiscal Recovery Fund (Recovery Fund), part of the American Rescue Plan Act. The U.S. Treasury recently opened a new portal agencies must use to receive Fiscal Recovery Funds. The bill includes $65.1 billion in direct, flexible aid to every county in America, as well as $45.6 billion to metropolitan cities, and $20.0 billion to Tribal governments.

Within these overall categories, recipients have broad flexibility to decide how best to use this funding to meet the needs of their communities. North Point Geographic Solutions provides several eligible services including but not limited to:

  • Land Use & Permitting Solutions (SmartPermit solution)
  • Government Agency GIS Implementations/Upgrades and Data Management
  • Forest Management (SmartFor solution)
Allocations
Each government agency received an allocated amount from the American Rescue Plan Act. If you are not sure how much your county received, go to https://bit.ly/NACOCountyAllocations. States and territories will receive their allocations within 60 days of submitting to Treasury a certification signed by an authorized officer that the funds are needed to respond to the pandemic and will be used in compliance with the eligible uses. A part of the funds have already been distributed. Another sum will be distributed in May 2022. The agencies can then report through the portal how they are allocating their funds. The interim report is due to the U.S. Treasury by August 31, 2021 and reports funds used through July 31, 2021. The quarterly project and expenditure reports are due October 31, 2021 and cover spending through September 30, 2021. All funds need to be incurred by December 31, 2024.
Implementation Examples
  • Bayfield County Land Use & Permitting Application (SmartPermit)
    • Developed a permitting application to allow for less in-person contact and improved departmental and economic efficiencies.
  • State of North Dakota
    • Provide ongoing web GIS and data management solutions across state departments.
  • Amherst H. Wilder Foundation/MN Compass Project
    • Developed a Census Data visualization solution to assist analysts in assessing economic impacts and aid in determining how to reach the demographics most affected by housing and food insecurities.
  • Red Lake Band of Chippewa Department of Natural Resources
    • SmartFor web-based forest management solution for 342,000 acres of commercial forest land.
Resources