Milwaukee County Releases 2024 Annual Report on American Rescue Plan Act Projects

MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley is highlighting the latest annual report on the County’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) initiatives. The report details how Milwaukee County allocated $183 million in ARPA funds across 73 projects in alignment with federal guidelines and the County’s Strategic Plan. Over the last year, these projects have impacted 100% of Milwaukee County zip codes and served nearly 83,000 residents aged 13 years old and over.

“When Milwaukee County received $183 million in federal funding through the American Rescue Plan Act, my administration realized an opportunity to advance our vision of racial and health equity, invest back into our community, and support working families,” said County Executive Crowley. “By strategically deploying ARPA funding across Milwaukee County, we witnessed our community’s transition from a state of emergency to a state of recovery. Thanks to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, I am looking forward to the future benefits that these ARPA investments will deliver for Milwaukee County residents and families.”

Milwaukee County’s 73 ARPA projects are grouped into four categories: Community Support, COVID-19 Mitigation, Fund Administration and Revenue Loss Recovery. These categories strategically prioritize the County’s fiscal position, community needs, and challenges, with the majority of funding supporting the following efforts:

• Community Support: The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors approved $40 million in ARPA funds for Community Support, encompassing service areas in Household Assistance, Mental & Behavioral Health, and Other Social Determinants of Health. 40% of allocated funds in this category have been expended. Key projects include affordable housing development, mental health services, community violence interventions and assistance to non-profits. Projects in this category have created over 400 affordable housing units, supplied over 78,000 on-demand bus rides, and provided mental and behavioral health programming for hundreds of youth and adults.
• Revenue Loss Recovery: The Board of Supervisors allocated over $132 million to fund programs across three service areas: Fiscal Health Challenge, Five-Year Capital Plan, and Operational Need. This work includes strategies for cost savings and revenue generation, projects to address deferred maintenance and capital project needs, and short-term investments to support operations. These programs have supported over 500 critical positions in public safety and public health, addressed dozens of capital expenditure backlog items, and awarded over $3 million to minority- and women-owned businesses.
• COVID-19 Mitigation: Over $3 million was allocated to reduce the ongoing risk of COVID-19 to employees and those served in congregate settings. Funding supports communication and strategy development, COVID-19 testing, the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE), and prevention efforts in congregate settings. To date, almost 70% of funds allocated in this expenditure category have been spent, addressing 49 requests by County departments for mitigation measures.
• Fund Administration: Almost $8 million was allocated to ensure strong programmatic support and fiscal accountability, timely reporting, and alignment with supplementary funding. Investments in this category have led to the creation of evaluation plans for all 73 ARPA projects, fiscal and metrics tracking and support for 21 ARPA projects, and the successful submission of all required quarterly and annual reports.

While many of the County’s 73 projects will continue through 2026, they have already begun making an impact that will last beyond ARPA funding. For example, the Milwaukee County Office of Equity (OOE) developed standard practices and frameworks for community engagement, with an emphasis on communities of color and vulnerable populations across Milwaukee County. As part of these efforts, OOE sponsored 47 programs and events, issued an ARPA newsletter to 8,541 individuals, and partnered with over 20 community-based organizations in community engagement activities.

One of the most significant projects, the construction of the Marcia B. Coggs Health and Human Services Center, was allocated $32 million in ARPA funds and broke ground in 2023. To date, over 61,000 square feet of the space have been developed. When completed, it will be the first building fully dedicated to health and human services in the County’s history. “The elimination of physical barriers to receiving care will improve access to resources and services for families and individuals,” noted Crowley.

Alongside vital community-centered programming, Milwaukee County is funding program evaluation and performance measurement standards for all ARPA programs. This initiative will help the County and community understand the effectiveness of these programs, particularly towards addressing disparities and advancing equity. With a deeper understanding of a program’s performance, the County can measure return on investment, including impacts on residents and the County’s fiscal health, and inform future decision-making for Milwaukee County.

Read the full report HERE.

Learn more about Milwaukee County ARPA-funded projects HERE.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.