Today, the Board of Supervisors extended American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to community-based organizations addressing food security, job training, mental health, and rural broadband access. Details of the decision can be found on the County of Sonoma website.
Prior to this extension, the ARPA funds were allocated in May 2022 to 25 designated community projects. President Joe Biden enacted the ARPA in March 2021 seeking to alleviate the pandemic's adverse impact on the most affected communities. Distributing the funds with an Anti-Racist Results-Based Accountability framework, the Board of Supervisors employed the Human Services Department and the Office of Equity to deepen funder-contractor relationships and monitor progress, while simultaneously improving client outcomes.
Supervisor Chris Coursey, the chair of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, asserted the focus on equity in funds allocation, underscoring the transformative potential of nearly $40 million in federal ARPA funds for the county's most vulnerable residents.
A total of $96 million from ARPA was received by Sonoma County, divided into three parts - COVID-19 pandemic response, strategic investments in county services and cultural responsiveness, and the Community Resilience Program. Enter an update from a recent Board meeting that showed the funds' positive impact on recipients. Major impacts include funding nearly half a million meal equivalents, offering financial assistance to approximately 450 people, providing workforce development and career training to over 100 individuals, and arranging intensive mental health support for 175 residents.
Diverse needs were addressed under the Community Resilience Program, funded by $39 million in ARPA money, ranging from financial aid and housing to mental health services and education. Examples of these programs include the Career Technical Education Foundation at Elsie Allen High School, Equitable Access California's Wi-Fi installations in West Sonoma County, and a Guaranteed Basic Income pilot program by First 5, detailed in a Sonoma County article, that offered families $500 per month to enhance economic security.
Among the initiatives, Santa Rosa Junior College's comprehensive job training in the construction industry, On the Move’s financial and mental health assistance programs, and specialized mental health and nutritional education projects coordinated by Nuestra Comunidad and Sonoma County Black Forum deserve a mention. Melding mental health aid and nutritional education targets the unique need profiles of communities, which further verifies the relevance of these investments for community resilience and well-being.
The second cycle of ARPA funding will commence on January 1, 2024. Current funding for successfully performing projects will extend through 2025 with permission granted to the director of the Human Services Department.
