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Eligible Use of Funds

What can the funds be spent on?

Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Funds ("CLFR") released to NEUs 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. NEUs will be responsible for ensuring that the CLFR funds are spent on eligible uses.

Treasury's Rules on use of funds more specifically detail how they may be utilized, but generally funds can:

  • Support urgent COVID-19 response efforts to continue to decrease spread of the virus and bring the pandemic under control.
  • Replace lost revenue for eligible state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments to strengthen support for vital public services and help retain jobs.
  • Support immediate economic stabilization for households and businesses.
  • Address systemic public health and economic challenges that have contributed to the inequal impact of the pandemic.

What are the restrictions on the uses of funds?

ARPA and the Treasury guidance restricts spending CLFR funds on the following: 

  • Deposits into any pension fund are not permitted uses.
  • Funding certain debt service; legal settlements or judgments unless it requires the provision of services or aid that directly responded to the COVID-19 public health emergency; and deposits to rainy day funds or financial reserves are not permitted uses.
  • General infrastructure spending is not covered as an eligible use outside of water, sewer, and broadband investments or above the amount allocated under the revenue loss provision unless the project responds to a specific pandemic public health need or a specific negative economic impact.
  • CLFR funds are subject to pre-existing limitations provided in other federal statutes and regulations and may not be used as non-federal match for other federal programs whose statute or regulations bar the use of federal funds to meet matching requirements. 

NEUs should consult Treasury's NEU webpage & all related Treasury guidance for specific details on use of funds and restrictions.