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Dear USET/USET SPF Family,
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has extended the deadline for the submission of the first Project and Expenditure Report for the Fiscal Recovery Fund (FRF) from October 31, 2021 to January 31, 2022. Further instructions regarding this first Project and Expenditure Report will be provided at a later date. Treasury will also be updating its existing guidance, as well as providing a user guide to assist FRF recipients to gather and submit information through Treasury’s Portal. Once this information has been released, USET SPF will provide an updated Alert sharing these details. For more information, please visit Treasury’s website at www.Treasury.gov/SLFRPReporting, and any questions should be directed to SLFRP@treasury.gov.
On July 16, 2021 USET SPF submitted comments
to Treasury in response to an Interim Final Rule (IFR) to implement the FRF. USET SPF urged Treasury to uphold its obligations to Tribal Nations by ensuring that FRF reporting is not unduly burdensome, compliance requirements reflect our sovereign, political status, and that maximum deference is given to Tribal decision-making as we seek to recover from the devastating effects of COVID-19 and build a better future for our people.
Background on the ARPA Fiscal Recovery Fund
Under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) $20 billion was allocated to Tribal Nations and the first FRF payment of $1 billion was distributed equally to each Tribal Nation based on Tribal Nation enrollment data submitted to the Bureau of Indian Affairs in April 2021. On Treasury's website the eligible uses for FRF funds includes support for public health expenditures, addressing negative economic impacts caused by the public health emergency, replace lost public sector revenue, provide premium pay for essential workers, and to invest in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure. Treasury also recognized that Tribal governments must have broad flexibility to decide how best to use FRF funding to address COVID-19 impacts on their communities and expanded eligible uses to also include: addressing health disparities and the social determinants of health; building stronger neighborhoods and communities; addressing education disparities exacerbated by COVID-19; and promoting healthy childhood environments.
For more information, please contact Brian Howard, USET SPF Senior Policy Analyst, at bhoward@usetinc.org.
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