Cities Preparing for Life After American Rescue Plan Funding Ends

Two-thirds of cities planning to navigate possible fiscal challenges after federal funding runs dry.

President Joe Biden speaks about the American Rescue Plan Act in response to coronavirus, at the White House in Washington on Feb. 22, 2021. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Three years after the American Rescue Plan Act delivered billions in direct and flexible aid to every county in the nation, cities are preparing for life after federal funding.

When President Joe Biden signed the landmark $1.9 trillion economic stimulus legislation in March 2021, cities, towns, and villages were offered financial assistance from the $65.1 billion set aside under the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) program.