Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted announced on Dec. 6, 2021, details of a proposal that would invest hundreds of millions of dollars into initiatives to protect Ohio's citizens from violence and support first responder resilience and recovery. The proposal would award $250 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to state and local first-responder agencies to counter increases in violent crime and to mitigate impacts to staffing levels and first-responder wellness caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of $175 million in ARPA funds would support the work of state and local law enforcement to prevent and solve crimes in communities that have experienced an increase in violence or have faced difficulties combatting violence during the pandemic.  A total of $75 million would go toward supporting the resilience and recovery of first-responder entities that have faced new challenges and stressors brought on by COVID-19.

ARPA Funding Ends December 31, 2024

• Although individual grants will likely have shorter timeframes, the ARPA funds are allowable for costs incurred during the period from March 3, 2021 through December 31, 2024.
• Funds for obligations incurred by December 31, 2024 must be expended by December 31, 2026.