The American Rescue Plan
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), signed into law in March 2021, is a federally approved stimulus plan that provides $350 billion of stimulus funding to State and Local Governments out of the $1.9 trillion-dollar bill. It supports an equitable economic recovery from the economic impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The share expected to be received by the County of Ventura is approximately $164.3 million. For more information about the American Rescue Plan Act, please see Treasury guidance here.
The County’s ARPA methodology follows several guidelines. This includes requirements set by the US Dept. of Treasury, Board of Supervisors priorities and public meetings, internal department subject matter expertise, and diverse community engagement. Ventura County is committed to meeting the requirements of all the listed methods. Outlined below is an overview of the inputs in the County’s ARPA process.
| Treasury Guidelines | Eligible Uses, Financial Reporting, 2 CFR Audit Readiness, Data Analysis, Use of Evidence, Equity – Race, Poverty, etc., One-time Projects, & Measured Approach |
| Board Priorities | Housing & Homelessness, Mental Health, Public Health: COVID-19, Sustainability, Infrastructure, Farmworkers, Economic Recovery, Early Childhood, Park & Recreation, Arts Community, & Emergency Preparedness |
| External Engagement | 600+ Survey Responses, 113 Nonprofit Surveys, 250+ Project Ideas, 49 Nonprofits via Ventura Community Foundation Complete Count Committee, 21 Nonprofits via Economic Vitality Committee, 140,000+ Contacts in English & Spanish, 3 + Board Hearings & Counting, Quarterly Board Hearings and Public Comment, Funding for and Weekly Meetings with 38 Nonprofits Regarding County Programs/Outreach, Tri-lingual Translation and Interpretation Available in Spanish, English and Indigenous Languages |
ELIGIBLE USES FOR ARPA FUNDS
- Support public health expenditures, by, for example, funding COVID-19 mitigation efforts, medical expenses, behavioral healthcare, and certain public health and safety staff
- Address negative economic impacts caused by the public health emergency, including economic harms to workers, households, small businesses, impacted industries, and the public sector
- Replace lost public sector revenue, using this funding to provide government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue experienced due to the pandemic
- Provide premium pay for essential workers, offering additional support to those who have and will bear the greatest health risks because of their service in critical infrastructure sectors
- Invest in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure, making necessary investments to improve access to clean drinking water, support vital wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, and to expand access to broadband internet
In addition to counties receiving funds from the American Rescue Plan, states, cities, tribes, and school districts will also be granted funds. For the U.S. Treasury website, click here.
VENTURA COUNTY RECOVERY PLAN
All States and territories, and metropolitan cities and counties with a population that exceeds 250,000 residents that are recipients of State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) awards are required to produce a Recovery Plan Performance Report (the “Recovery Plan”). The Recovery Plan provides information on the recipient’s projects and how they plan to ensure program outcomes are achieved in an effective and equitable manner.
OTHER LOCAL FUNDING
| City | Estimated CSLFRF Funds |
| Oxnard | $59,540,662 |
| Ventura | $16,321,147 |
| Simi Valley | $15,325,294 |
| Thousand Oaks | $14,008,949 |
| Camarillo | $8,962,170 |
| Moorpark | $8,701,673 |
| Santa Paula | $7,130,229 |
| Port Hueneme | $5,245,165 |
| Fillmore | $3,796,441 |
| Ojai | $1,786,983 |
| TOTAL TO LOCAL CITIES | $140,818,713 |
| Local Education Agency | Estimated ARPA Funding |
| Oxnard | $32,020,108 |
| Oxnard Union High | $24,432,809 |
| Ventura Unified | $16,640,891 |
| Simi Valley Unified | $13,829,713 |
| Hueneme Elementary | $12,858,171 |
| Conejo Valley Unified | $12,323,124 |
| Santa Paula Unified | $10,174,636 |
| Rio Elementary | $6,517,848 |
| Fillmore Unified | $6,346,359 |
| Pleasant Valley | $6,002,182 |
| Ventura County Office of Education | $4,635,997 |
| Moorpark Unified | $3,565,709 |
| Ocean View | $3,270,454 |
| Ojai Unified | $2,868,344 |
| University Preparation Charter School at CSU Channel Islands | $1,086,484 |
| Oak Park Unified | $598,888 |
| Briggs Elementary | $534,413 |
| Peak Prep Pleasant Valley | $527,663 |
| Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education | $370,541 |
| Somis Union | $347,364 |
| Architecture, Construction & Engineering Charter High (ACE) | $326,945 |
| Mesa Union Elementary | $237,545 |
| Mupu Elementary | $127,845 |
| BRIDGES Charter | $84,985 |
| Vista Real Charter High | – |
| Valley Oak Charter | – |
| Santa Clara Elementary | – |
| River Oaks Academy | – |
| Meadows Arts and Technology Elementary | – |
| IvyTech Charter | – |
| Golden Valley Charter | – |
| Camarillo Academy of Progressive Education | – |
| TOTAL TO LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCIES | $159,729,018 |
- For city allocations, click here.
- For other school district allocations, click here.
- For State allocations, click here.
- For tribal government allocations, click here.
RESOURCES AND DOCUMENTS
American Rescue Plan Act Ventura County – Community Meeting March 4, 2022 from County of Ventura on Vimeo. Spanish Interpretation & Presentation Translation Was Made Available.
Local Information
- Oct 11, 2022 Update to the County of Ventura Board of Supervisors
- Apr 26, 2022 Update to the County of Ventura Board of Supervisors
- Nov 16, 2021 Update to the County of Ventura Board of Supervisors
- Oct 5, 2021 Update to the County of Ventura Board of Supervisors
EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT
The County’s community engagement framework for ARPA implementation is broad and focused on connecting with hard-to-reach groups such as people of color, people with low incomes, limited English proficient populations, and other traditionally underserved groups. The chart below provides an overview of this collaborative process.
Website, Survey, and Community Projects
600 + community surveys submitted in Spanish & English
Digital and In-person Multilingual Community Outreach
Presentation to and listening session with 30+ community organizations through the Ventura County Community Foundation provided in English and Spanish
One-on-one meetings with community based organizations and non-profits by request
113 nonprofit survey respondents
49 nonprofits engaged via Ventura Community Foundation Complete Count Committee
38 nonprofits receive funding for multilingual outreach and join weekly information sessions
21 nonprofits engaged via Ventura Economic Vitality Committee
Tri-lingual interpretation in Spanish, English and the indigenous language of Mixteco for Board meetings
Additional Engagement
Info & print materials and paper surveys were available at county libraries (English and Spanish). Training provided to all library staff about the overall effort and survey
4 + Board hearings / Quarterly Board hearing scheduled with opportunities for public comment
Board hearings with reports, funding analysis, data visualization, graphs, and public comment
E-newsletter with ARPA information sent to 140,000 community members in English & Spanish
Translation of Recovery Plan, fact sheets, charts, tables, and website material as needed (Spanish)
SURVEY RESULTS
The survey period is now closed. Results will be posted soon. This process included 600+ responses in English and Spanish, 113 nonprofit responses, and 250+ project submissions. Additional comments can be guided to arpa@ventura.org. The Board plans to make investments in every category. This includes Housing & Homelessness, Mental Health, Public Health: COVID-19, Sustainability, Infrastructure, Farmworkers, Economic Recovery, Early Childhood, Park & Recreation, Arts Community, & Emergency Preparedness.
Following its historic practice, the County will prioritize programs and services for hard-to-reach people, low-income regions, and racial minorities.
PREVIOUS FEDERAL FUNDING
The charts below outline County of Ventura’s strategy for the previous round of pandemic-related federal funding. The County prioritized the region’s most disadvantaged communities during the 2020 cycle. Looking ahead to the American Rescue Plan, the County looks to continue and expand support for vulnerable groups.
Click chart to view larger image
