Transformative Public Engagement with ARPA in Montgomery County

Course Details

Over the course of ten months, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, created a vision, an office, and a process to put 100 percent of its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding in the hands of the community. Every person or entity in the county was allowed to submit ideas and projects, regardless of whether they had the resources to implement them.

The county's newly created Recovery Office worked with all applicants to determine where ARPA money could allow them to succeed, or where their ideas could be channeled to result in real-world programs and funding opportunities. The transparent process resulted in new ideas worth $1.3 billion, with only $162 million available. Community members were engaged throughout, from setting funding priorities to scoring project submissions.

Moving forward, the county is using this model to inform other funding processes. The entire process is a great example for planners who are tackling large-scale funding opportunities and looking for creative ways to embrace community input and involvement. Learn how the county's plans worked out and where they had to pivot and reassess to get desired results.

Learning Outcomes

• Engage every community and resident in the ARPA funds decision-making process.
• Implement transparent and inclusive processes to guide generational funding opportunities.
• Establish new relationships in the community with transformative, long-term results that go beyond the grant window.