Dubuque Mayor Highlights Local Investments on One-Year Anniversary of American Rescue Plan Act Passage

DUBUQUE, Iowa – Tomorrow (March 11) marks the one-year anniversary of the enactment of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and Dubuque Mayor Brad Cavanagh is highlighting the ways this historic legislation is driving economic recovery in Dubuque and creating opportunities for major infrastructure improvements.  

ARPA grant funds have helped Dubuque businesses and organizations address critical needs as they continue to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic, while also making investments for the future.   

“The tax dollars returned to Dubuque through the ARPA have been a tremendous boost to hundreds of local businesses and non-profits as they’ve struggled to recover from the impacts of the pandemic,” said Cavanagh. “Additionally, the City of Dubuque is using these funds to improve and expand critical infrastructure and services.”  

To date, over 410 Dubuque business have been awarded a total of more than $37 million dollars in loans and grants, the majority through the Economic Injury Disaster Program as part of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) assistance with pandemic recovery efforts. That total includes 30 local businesses that received $4.2 million through the SBA’s Restaurant Revitalization Fund. 

Five Dubuque non-profits and one business have received a total of nearly $3 million through the SBA’s Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Program. Recipients include the Dubuque County Historical Society, Colts Drum and Bugle Corps, Grand Opera House, Bell Tower Productions, Dubuque Symphony Orchestra, and Phoenix Theatres. 

To date, the City of Dubuque has been awarded $9.3 million in ARPA funds through competitive grants for public transportation improvements, sub-granting to local arts organizations, Five Flags Center (Shuttered Venues Operators Grant), AmeriCorps Program expansion, and healthy homes grants to address health and safety hazards in low-income housing.   

Another critical component of the ARPA was the direct relief funding for American cities, counties, and states, including nearly $27 million to the City of Dubuque (approximately $13 million this year and $13 million next year) and almost $18 million to Dubuque County for pandemic relief and infrastructure.  

Cavanagh said the City plans to pursue additional ARPA funds as well as funding available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to support the City’s current infrastructure priorities: 14^th Street overpass, 16^th Street detention basin flood gates and pumps, Catfish Creek sanitary sewer system improvements, NW Arterial and HWY 20 intersection improvements, Schmitt Island Master Plan implementation, flood wall maintenance/improvements, trail plan update and expansion, green alleys, mitigation of impacts of Canadian Pacific/Kansas City Southern Railroad merger, water system maintenance and upgrades, Water & Resource Recovery Center enhancements, and support for economic development efforts. 

Regularly updated information as Dubuque continues to pursue ARPA and BIL grants, including the City’s infrastructure priority list, grant tracking, grant opportunities, and grant writing resources, is available at wwww.cityofdubuque.org/ARPA.

Please do not reply to this message.  If you would like additional information on this issue, please contact the staff person identified at the top of the message or contact the City of Dubuque Public Information Office at rgehl@cityofdubuque.org or 563.589.4151.