American Rescue Plan Act: The Last Minute Effort

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 was signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021. ARPA is a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus package. The State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) is a significant component of the ARPA. The SLFRF allocates $350 billion to state, local, territorial, and tribal governments. The purpose of these funds is to provide governments with the resources needed to respond to the pandemic, replace lost revenue, and support economic recovery.

Grant Management Solutions Lead and Advisory Manager Kat Kizior and co-host and Grants Management Senior Associate Paula Heller join forces to address the upcoming ARPA SLFRF obligation deadline on December 31, 2024. Kat and Paula focus on what can and cannot be done at the last minute to obligate funds that are compliant with ARPA’s Final Rule and Obligation Interim Final Rule (IFR). As part of Cherry Bekaert’s GPS Grants Management podcast series, this episode covers:

  • The definition of “obligation” as stated in the Interim IFR and the exploration of what it is not
  • The usage of estimates for legal, admin, staff and indirect costs through 2026
  • The way to determine if you have any unobligated funds
  • Methods for obligating that are achievable is the short timeline left

Cherry Bekaert’s Grant Lifecycle Management team manages grants end-to-end, bridging the service gap to improve internal controls and staff success to help your organization maximize every opportunity. If you have any questions specific to your business needs, Cherry Bekaert’s Government & Public Sector team is available to discuss your situation with you.

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Kimberly Konczak

Risk Advisory Services

Manager, Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC

Kathleen Kizior

Grants Management

Manager, Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC

Past Episodes

Podcast

February 9, 2025

31:11

Speakers: Denise Lippuner, Kathleen Kizior

Learn what the 2025 federal grants freeze means for organizations. Get insights on funding policies, compliance, and government budget changes.

Government Contracting Podcast thumbnail

Podcast

February 3, 2025

26:48

Speakers: Eric Poppe

Learn the steps to take after receiving a stop-work order, from consulting your contracting officer to documenting costs and managing contract compliance.