American Rescue Plan Act

The American Rescue Plan Act

Kootenai County has been allocated a share of federal funds through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) amounting to approximately $32 million dollars. These funds are to be used for direct or indirect response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. 

In addition to direct payments to eligible state, local, territorial, and tribal governments, the ARPA also directs funding through numerous existing state and federal programs such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The Idaho state legislature published a detailed review of each bucket of ARPA funding earmarked to finance services for Idaho citizens. 

Learn More

• The White House ARPA home page contains guidance for individuals, households, and small businesses on accessing existing federal programs for medical and economic coronavirus relief. 
• The Department of the Treasury page on ARPA Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds contains more information, including downloadable links to the Final Rule and Compliance and Reporting Guidance which Kootenai County must follow, as well as FAQs and various other reference materials.

Kootenai County

The County created an ARPA Task Force to ensure that every use of the ARPA funds meets all compliance, reporting, regulatory, and statutory requirements provided by the Treasury. These requirements are governed by the Treasury’s Interim Final Rule and by the Final Rule, which was adopted on January 6, 2022, and will officially go into effect on April 1, 2022. 

Governor Brad Little and the Idaho State Legislature recommend that the state of Idaho seek to complement federal programs instead of duplicating them. They further recommend that the state use its share of ARPA funding carefully, with an emphasis on long-range investments that will benefit citizens for years to come without imposing new financial burdens on taxpayers after the ARPA funding period closes at the end of 2026. 

Kootenai County agrees with these recommendations and is working to select a portfolio of projects that align with the highest level of fiscal responsibility and community benefit, both during the COVID-19 public health emergency and beyond. 

Requests for Kootenai County ARPA funding are now under deliberation. If you have any questions or comments about the American Rescue Plan Act or Kootenai County’s allocation of ARPA funding, please direct them to the ARPA_TF@kcgov.us email address.

Kootenai County ARPA Task Force Recommendation: State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Project and Expenditure  (04/07/2022)