New programs established to respond to the pandemic tended to create confusion and administrative burden that made several communities hesitant to spend relief funds. Image: Jason Raff/Shutterstock.com
A report on the impact on local communities of federal pandemic relief efforts cites lessons learned for the future, including prominently the advantage of federal agencies working through established programs rather than creating new channels.
“We believe the themes identified in our work provide valuable insights to policymakers, program officials, and the American public as they assess the federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for the next major emergency,” said the report from the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, an interagency body of IG offices.
The report was a follow-up to one issued last year using six areas as case studies that focused on data issues that made it difficult to track how much money was provided to each under which programs, and what it was spent on. The current report focused on views of leaders in those communities about working with federal agencies.
It said that while most local officials said they received enough funding to deal with the pandemic’s immediate impact—and that they appreciated it—they “had mixed reviews about program guidance and administration of the financial assistance programs.”
“New programs established to respond to the pandemic tended to create confusion and administrative burden that made several communities hesitant to spend relief funds for fear of unintentionally misspending the funds due to a lack of clarity about program requirements and later being required to pay the money back to the federal government,” it said. “Alternatively, existing programs tended to get better reviews because recipients already knew points of contact, program requirements, and reporting systems, “it said.
“Officials also noted that the expiration dates for some funding affected their ability to be more strategic with their spending, and as a result they spent funding in a more reactive way,” it added.
Local officials also said that federal agencies should recognize that: they know their community and are better suited to tailor programs to their specific needs; even if receiving new money, they still must deal with pre-existing constraints such as outdated systems and lack of personnel; and that they “had to deal with, and were still dealing with, ongoing non-health-related impacts of the pandemic such as food insecurity, public safety, and supporting local businesses and the local economy.”
Key Bills Advancing, but No Path to Avoid Shutdown Apparent
TSP Adds Detail to Upcoming Roth Conversion Feature
White House to Issue Rules on RIF, Disciplinary Policy Changes
DoD Announces Civilian Volunteer Detail in Support of Immigration Enforcement
See also,
How Do Age and Years of Service Impact My Federal Retirement
The Best Ages for Federal Employees to Retire
How to Challenge a Federal Reduction in Force (RIF) in 2025
Should I be Shooting for a $1M TSP Balance? Depends…