Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen, City Of Champaign | City Of Champaign website
Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen, City Of Champaign | City Of Champaign website
The City of Champaign has been recognized for its use of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to advance equity. This recognition comes from a multiyear study conducted by the Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy at The New School. The City's ARPA investment strategy is highlighted in the Institute’s Budget Equity Project, which examines how local governments across the country are using ARPA recovery funds to support equity.
Champaign’s Garden Hills Neighborhood Infrastructure and Improvement Project is featured as a case study showcasing innovation, impact, and best practices in equitable public investment. “It is an honor for the City of Champaign to be recognized by the Institute’s Budget Equity Project and to be highlighted as a featured case study,” said Champaign Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen. “I am proud of the intentional work Champaign did to engage with our residents while determining the most impactful ways in which we could use our ARPA funds."
Across the United States, ARPA provided $130 billion in flexible funding for cities and counties for COVID-19 pandemic relief and longer-term investments. These funds were guided by an equity policy targeting resources for communities disproportionately impacted by systemic inequities.
The Budget Equity Project's findings are detailed in a new report titled "Advancing Equity with the American Rescue Plan’s Local Recovery Funds." The report includes ARPA Equity Assessments of 170 U.S. cities and counties and over 40 case studies of innovative ARPA investments.
Led by economist Dr. Darrick Hamilton, the Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy aims to understand structural inequalities and promote equity. Dr. Hamilton stated, “The distribution of flexible ARPA recovery funds was part of an unprecedented fiscal response that included some direct investment in the productivity and wellbeing of the American people.”
Sarah Treuhaft, Director of Policy and Partnerships at the Institute, noted, “Our study shows the positive impact and ripple effects of flexible federal recovery funds when anchored by clear equity guidelines.”
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About the Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy
The Institute advances research to understand structural inequalities and promotes equity through innovative thinking about power, structure, design, politics, economics, and society.
About the Budget Equity Project
The project aims to equip community leaders with tools to support equitable local budgeting by tracking how local governments invest their federal American Rescue Plan Act recovery funds.
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