Share Your Ideas for a Resilient Recovery

The City of Fort Collins is developing a Recovery Plan to guide long-term recovery efforts, including the spending of funds received through the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

Signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021, ARPA established $1.9 trillion in COVID-19 relief funding. The act included $350 billion to aid state and local governments, and the City is set to receive approximately $28.1 million of this funding. Funding can be used to invest in recovery from the pandemic and its negative impacts, with a specific emphasis on equitable recovery efforts, and can be spent over the next five years.

On May 25, City Council and staff discussed how to best utilize the $28.1 million for immediate, short-term recovery needs while also developing a long-term recovery plan. Council has allocated and appropriated approximately $4.3 million (15%) of these funds for short-term response efforts to be spent in the next 12-18 months.  Some ARPA funding may also be used to fund 2022 budget items related to recovery efforts, as a part of the ongoing Budgeting for Outcomes process. The other funds will be used for longer-term recovery efforts and allocated as part of the City’s Budgeting for Outcomes Process. The Recovery Plan will help guide recovery-related spending and identify community priorities related to building back better.

The plan will focus on more than just economic recovery. It will also focus on equity and community recovery as well as health and environmental resilience. This triple-bottom-line approach will lead to a more balanced recovery and take into account perspectives from many different stakeholders and community members.

“It is important that we are intentionally reaching and listening to diverse community perspectives,” said City Recovery Manager SeonAh Kendall. “By understanding our community’s experiences through the pandemic, we can work together to create a resilient recovery that benefits all.”

As the Recovery Plan is developed, the City wants to hear your ideas about what a vibrant and resilient recovery looks like for our community. What priorities should be focused on? How can the Fort Collins community build back stronger?  Learn more about recovery planning and share your ideas at OurCity.FGov.com/ForFoCo.