Discussion Paper

The Rural Reach of ARPA’s Development Grants in the Fifth District

Abstract: The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), enacted in March 2021, contained economic development funding to invest in locally driven projects aimed at securing long-term regional growth. Proposals for these ARPA grants were solicited among American communities through six separate programs to address regional economic goals such as harnessing new industries, supporting workforce development, and enabling infrastructure. Through September 2022, $3 billion was ultimately awarded across 780 projects through a competitive process by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA). This article examines the reach and potential impact of the ARPA community grants throughout the Fifth District. We will start with an overview of the ARPA grant programs and then summarize the 112 grants that were awarded to communities in the Fifth District. Our analysis reveals that projects in rural areas received higher funds per capita where they are projected to have a higher impact on job growth and further private investment.

Keywords: American Rescue Plan; ARPA; 5th district; Build Back Better; rural;

Bibliographic Information

Provider: Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

Part of Series: Regional Matters

Publication Date: 2023-02-03