MissouriSt Louis
See how St Louis performed on our equity assessment of its ARPA Local Fiscal Recovery Fund investment strategy.
Total Equity Focused ARPA Funds
$277,879,874$277,879,874
Overall Score
High
ARPA Equity Assessment of St Louis, MO
Overall Equity Focus
HighWas racial and economic equity an explicit focus of the jurisdiction's ARPA investment strategy?
95% of locations met this criterion.81% of locations met this criterion.86% of locations met this criterion.Equity Decision Making Tools and Resources
HighAre equity tools, frameworks, and structures in place to support equitable investment project identification, design, and implementation?
38% of locations met this criterion.St. Louis set forth equity-focused goals for the ARPA fiscal recovery funds, including: 1) improving health and educational outcomes of disproportionately impacted households; 2) strengthening disproportionately impacted communities; and 3) reducing racial and economic disparities. Additionally, the City’s approach to allocating its ARPA funds focused on engaging and listening to diverse community perspectives and prioritizing direct relief for residents.
24% of locations met this criterion.31% of locations met this criterion.In 2022, the City, in partnership with the St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC), released the Economic Justice Action Plan, which aims to leverage ARPA funds and additional investments to drive economic empowerment, equitable development, and neighborhood transformation in the City’s marginalized neighborhoods, particularly in North St. Louis. The Economic Action Plan was designed with insight from local businesses, community partners, and residents.
51% of locations met this criterion.St. Louis has a Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer that focuses on how both qualitative and quantitative data can help inform the city’s decisions when it comes to closing the income gap and increasing equity among St. Louis residents.
31% of locations met this criterion.The Stimulus Advisory Board, which set the City’s initial ARPA priorities, used the St. Louis City Equity Indicators to evaluate proposals, ranking nine priorities based on how they would impact Black/white racial disparities and finding that rent/mortgage/utilities assistance, direct cash support, and services for the unhoused addressed the greatest inequities. Later, the Economic Justice Action Plan developed the Economic Justice Index to more rigorously target programs for maximum impact. Further, SLDC developed a scorecard to review processes to improve accountability, increase transparency, and ensure all projects are evaluated with economic justice in mind.
48% of locations met this criterion.72% of locations met this criterion.38% of locations met this criterion.Community Engagement
HighDid the jurisdiction engage community members in decision making about the ARPA funds, conduct targeted outreach to historically excluded communities, and implement strategies to reach underserved communities?
94% of locations met this criterion.64% of locations met this criterion.54% of locations met this criterion.Equitable Labor Practices
MiddleDoes the jurisdiction use best practices for ensuring public investments deliver family-supporting jobs to residents who have faced barriers to good jobs and economic prosperity?
36% of locations met this criterion.16% of locations met this criterion.70% of locations met this criterion.29% of locations met this criterion.11% of locations met this criterion.Equity Investments
HighDid the jurisdiction make investments that have the potential to advance equity by targeting the communities most harmed by the pandemic and addressing systemic inequities?
62% of locations met this criterion.71% of locations met this criterion.64% of locations met this criterion.82% of locations met this criterion.63% of locations met this criterion.81% of locations met this criterion.45% of locations met this criterion.33% of locations met this criterion.32% of locations met this criterion.64% of locations met this criterion.64% of locations met this criterion.31% of locations met this criterion.67% of locations met this criterion.56% of locations met this criterion.50% of locations met this criterion.Transparency & Accountability
MiddleDoes the jurisdiction set performance goals, collect data to monitor progress toward equitable outcomes, and provide the public with information about how funds are being used?
55% of locations met this criterion.70% of locations met this criterion.64% of locations met this criterion.75% of locations met this criterion.