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Illinois NEU Allocations from ARPA

American Rescue Plan Funds (ARPA) for Non-entitlement Units (NEU) of Local Government (Portal now open)

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) appropriates $19.53 billion to States for distribution to tens of thousands of non-entitlement units of local government (NEUs). ARPA directs the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) to make payments to each State for distribution to NEUs within the State. Illinois' NEU allocation is $742 million. In Illinois, eligible NEUs include more than 1,250 cities, towns and villages that each serve a population under 50,000.

These funds provide a critical source of relief for local governments, including smaller governments which have not received direct financial assistance from the federal government since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Authorized representatives from each NEU can log into the portal, request their allotment and download all the required Treasury documentation. Allocations to communities are made on a per-capita basis in two payments. After completing the allocation request on the portal local governments will receive their allocation in two payments: the first will be made within 30 days of portal completion, the second to be made approximately one year later.

Funds can be used to cover revenue losses and the costs of responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency or to its negative economic impacts on households, small businesses, impacted industries, essential workers, and the communities hardest-hit by the crisis. These funds can also be used to invest in building, maintaining, or upgrading water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure.

Note: Per Treasury guidance, NEUs that did not claim their allotments within 60 days after the State began accepting and processing requests for funding, forfeited their allotment. As of November 19, 2021, the State distributed any remaining funds to NEUs who elected to receive funds. No further re-allocation of funds will be made during the program timeline.

Latest News

October 2024-  All funds must be obligated by 12/31/2024.

August 2024 - If your agency spent 100% funds as of March 31, 2024, you would need to file a closeout report. 

  • Treasury will provide further closeout instructions that will provide information to recipients on how to complete closeout and provide final report information.

October 2023 - The next reporting deadline is on April 30, 2024. In order to report on time please ensure the below access:

  • Verify that your entity can log in to the Treasury portal and update any contact information or access rights ahead of the reporting deadline.
  • If you have administrative changes or know you will have changes, please contact US Treasury technical assistance sooner than April 2024.

June 2023 - The COVID-19 National Emergency ended in May 2023, but based on recent US Treasury guidance, it will not have an impact on recipient's ability to spend funds under the SLFRF program. The only exception is for Premium Pay as described below.

  • The SLFRF statute and final rule provide that recipients can use SLFRF funds to provide premium pay to eligible workers performing essential work during the COVID-19 public health emergency, as defined in the final rule as the period ending when the COVID-19 National Emergency ends (i.e., until termination of the National Emergency described above). Accordingly, recipients may not use SLFRF funds to provide premium pay to essential workers for work conducted after the end of the National Emergency, which ended on April 10, 2023.  Recipients may continue to use SLFRF funds to provide premium pay to essential workers for work conducted before the termination of the National Emergency.  Recipients also may continue to use SLFRF funds to support workers through the public health and negative economic impacts eligible use category.

What is an Illinois NEU?

An NEU is a Non-entitlement unit of local government, as defined in section 603(g)(5) of the Social Security Act, as added by section 9901 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and are local governments typically serving populations of less than 50,000.

Which local governments are eligible?

Cities, villages, and towns with populations of less than 50,000 are eligible for an ARPA NEU Allocation.  See the full list of eligible municipalities and allotments.  Illinois has determined that its minor civil divisions (MCDs) are not eligible for allocations.