GAO Reports that ~40% of ARPA SLFRF Remains Unallocated by States & Localities
Insight into unspent ARPA SLFRF funding
A recent report published by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) shows that states and localities have reported obligating approximately 60% (states) and 54% (localities) of their respective ARPA State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF). The report (dated October 11, 2023) can be found here.
- The analysis is based on US Treasury’s reporting data, which reflects obligations and spending by states and localities as of March 31, 2023. The March 31 data is the most recent publicly available data.
- As an estimate, this leaves over $100B in SLFRF funds – roughly 40% – unallocated.
- Based on ACLP’s analysis of Treasury’s data, approximately $7.6 billion in ARPA SLFRF funds have already been obligated for broadband projects. This represents about 3% of total obligations so far.
- Should that proportion of broadband spending continue across the still-unobligated SLFRF funding, or should it increase, this would yield several billion dollars in additional broadband spending.
Phoebe Kamber is a 4th year at University of St Andrews where she is studying Economics and Social Anthropology, and a Research Fellow at the ACLP.