On Feb. 17, 2009, President Obama signed the $790 billion American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) into law as an effort to stimulate the struggling economy and create jobs. It is the goal of Sarasota County to take advantage of funding available through ARRA and deploy those funds through projects that will have the greatest impact on our community. Federal stimulus dollars will come to Sarasota County through various state and federal government agencies and each have a detailed set of regulations on how the money can be utilized and specific deadlines that must be met.

How will federal stimulus funding be spent in Sarasota County?
Federal stimulus funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will impact numerous local projects and programs. Residents of Sarasota County will benefit from the federal stimulus funds in many different ways.

Sarasota County Project List
Federal stimulus dollars are being distributed across a wide variety of areas including transportation, transit, housing, criminal justice, health and human services, energy and environmental protection. A detailed list of proposed projects and estimated funding can be found here:

Proposed Project List  92KB

Understanding the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
The Florida Office of Economic Recovery has published a comprehensive funding spreadsheet that outlines of the provisions of the Recovery Act including descriptions of the many federal programs that funds are being distributed through and additional resources to find more detailed information.

Click on graphic to enlarge

Sarasota County is working diligently to ensure ARRA funds are working effectively for the community to create jobs and stimulate the economy. The community will also see ARRA funding come to the area through organizations such as the Suncoast Workforce Development Board and the Sarasota Housing Authority. In addition, the Penny Wise Program that was approved in May 2008 is currently being implemented, infusing approximately $290 million into the economy and creating as many as 2,000 jobs over a 72 month period.