$40M Awarded By Chester County Commissioners In ARPA Funds

WEST CHESTER, PA - Chester County commissioners Wednesday approved 73 groups to receive nearly $40 million in the first round of American Rescue Plan Act grant recipients.

Commissioners Marian Moskowitz, Josh Maxwell, and Michelle Kichline stressing the grants will provide an equitable infusion of resources to meet local pandemic recovery needs and help accelerate the rebuilding of Chester County’s economy.

Chester County received more than 300 applications for funding requests from a wide array of municipalities, public authorities, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations.

“The funds are going to organizations of all sizes and across the whole of the county, to improve services within our communities that were hardest hit by the pandemic,” Moskowitz said.

Funding for the recommended projects is broken down as follows:• $7.4 million for housing

• $13 million for behavioral health
• $1.4 million for workforce development
• $1.6 million for community facilities and programs
• $900,000 for childcare
• $1.6 million for food security
• $8.7 million for public health
• $5.2 million for public safety.

The recommendations were provided to the commissioners by a committee of 36 volunteers divided equally by Chester County residents and county staff.

Maxwell said that having the community involved in the decision-making process has been extremely exciting and rewarding.

“They know their local communities best and evaluated and selected projects that address needs across our county, and that are going to help make Chester County better for all of us,” Maxwell said.

The County continues evaluating additional projects, and expects to announce further awards at a later date, potentially before the end of the year, Kichline said.

“We received hundreds of worthy applications and I wish we had the ARPA funding to support all who are doing amazing work across the county,” Commissioner Michelle Kichline added.

A list of the first round of Chester County American Rescue Plan Act fund awards can be found at www.chesco.org/arpa.