County Magazine

Counties nationwide have been busy planning how to use the first half of the $65.1 billion in direct aid that they began receiving last spring as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The next 50% begins arriving in county accounts in May. Texas' 254 counties will receive a total of about $5.7 billion.

The National Association of Counties (NACo) played a key role in making sure counties received federal money directly as part of ARPA.NACo has created key resources to help counties navigate the ARPA process and share best practices. Among them are:

County investment plan database. Sourced from official county documents, this searchable database collects examples from across the country of how counties are planning to use their ARPA funds. The database currently includes plans from at least 255 U.S. counties, 18 of them in Texas.

Recovery fund resource hub. This resource serves as a clearinghouse of ARPA-related information and includes analysis, official guidance, tips, FAQs and templates.

Untold Stories campaign. This project offers counties the opportunity to highlight the steps they've taken to help their communities build a post-pandemic future. Resources include a media relations guide, social media templates and tools to engage residents to help them share their own stories.

Find these and other ARPA-related resources at www.naco.org. You can also follow NACo on Twitter at @NACoTweets