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3 min read

4 Key Questions About the American Rescue Plan

By Community Resilience Initiative on Jul 14, 2021 2:26:15 PM

Get answers about federal grants and how local governments can benefit

Municipalities and counties across the country are receiving funds from the American Rescue Plan aimed at restoring communities after the economic and public-health devastation of the pandemic. However, for small-to-mid-sized communities, ARP comes with its own set of challenges and questions.

Our team of federal-grant experts are skilled in working with local governments and have put together this list of some of the most frequently asked questions about this $1.9 trillion act.

Topics: covid-19 federal government American Rescue Plan grants
2 min read

Federal Aid & Local Government in 2021

By Shylo Bisnett on Apr 20, 2021 10:03:31 AM

A wrap-up of recent posts on this critical issue

At Azavar, we’ve been a partner to local governments for 25 years, helping grow incremental revenue, stabilize revenue, and stay on top of changing market conditions, from short-term rentals to cable cord-cutting. But the pandemic has sharpened our focus to helping connect municipalities with the funding it needs for the most critical services.

Topics: local government covid-19 federal government disaster relief funds FEMA
4 min read

Local Economic Recovery Spurred by Sales-Tax Revenue

By Shylo Bisnett on Apr 5, 2021 1:44:23 PM

During the past year, many of our customers have seen revenue from sales taxes, food-and-beverage taxes, hotel-motel taxes, and other fees slow to a trickle.

But soon, Americans are going to be vaxxing and relaxing—and spending, too.

Topics: covid-19 localgov economy revenue review local revenue
3 min read

Can vaccine tourism boost local revenue?

By Shylo Bisnett on Apr 1, 2021 10:45:32 AM

Exurban, rural communities say yes

Many local governments across the country have experienced devastating losses due to COVID-fueled lockdowns. Vaccination rates are growing rapidly, but in urban centers it can still be a Sisyphean effort to get jabbed. 

Topics: local government covid-19 client news Illinois New York local revenue tourism
2 min read

The ARP Offers Critical Local Government Funding

By Shylo Bisnett on Mar 15, 2021 12:22:56 PM

Throughout our history as a company, we know how dependent state and local governments are for revenue through various sources, from sales tax to hospitality tax, and beyond.

Topics: covid-19 cares act federal government local budgets American Rescue Plan
2 min read

Small Businesses & COVID Aid

By Shylo Bisnett on Feb 23, 2021 10:10:02 AM

Changes in assistance programs start February 24

Starting this Wednesday, the Biden Administration is limiting applications for the Paycheck Protection Program exclusively to businesses with fewer than 20 employees. This small-business-only period will last for 14 days  and allow lenders to focus on the needs of these businesses, which comprise 98% of small businesses.

Topics: local government covid-19 small business PPP
2 min read

FEMA Update: Feeding Your Community

By Shylo Bisnett on Feb 18, 2021 10:06:27 AM

Increased FEMA reimbursements are a lifeline for local restaurants and hungry residents

During natural disasters, World Central Kitchens, led by chef/humanitarian José Andrés, partners with local restaurants in impacted areas to create fresh meals for hungry folks. For more than a decade, WCK has shown up offering meals to National Guard members during the Inauguration, the bombing in Beirut, and Texas during Hurricane Laura. And that's just in the past year.

Topics: covid-19 disaster relief funds FEMA
6 min read

Local Leaders: Resolutions for a New Year

By Shylo Bisnett on Dec 22, 2020 8:21:31 AM

Onward, 2021. Let’s look at some predictions and plans for what’s next.

To say that 2020 was an annus horribilis (that’s “horrible year” in Latin) is just a vast understatement. But we’re looking ahead to 2021 to be a wonderful year of recovery and rebuilding, powered by access to an affordable vaccine, unprecedented creativity, and the resilience of humanity.

Topics: local leadership covid-19 digitization open data cloud computing revenue review
5 min read

Common Sense Solutions for Revenue, Technology, and Funding During COVID-19

By Scott Shamberg on Oct 12, 2020 2:40:44 PM

May 2021 Note: Since writing this post originally in Oct. 2021, local governments have received aid from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan. We've catalogued all our posts about relief for municipalities, and continue to help customers to secure and manage recovery grants. Let's talk about how our revenue discovery system can help your municipality make long-term investments that benefit your taxpayers.

Topics: covid-19 revenue digitization
5 min read

The Crisis of Uncertainty - How Local Governments Can Survive Our New Normal

By Jason Perry on Oct 7, 2020 5:06:50 PM

Note: April 2021 We first published this piece during the first wave of the pandemic, before any news of a vaccine or substantial federal aid. During this time, Azavar's founder, Jason Perry, remained hopeful that local governments would weather this economic and social storm.

Through programs such as the American Rescue Plan, local governments are receiving support that can turn into short-term stability and long-term strategic investments. Uncertainty is still present, but local governments are more in control of revenue than just a few months ago. However, this piece still has valuable lessons and predictions from a long-time partner to local governments. 

We are all trying to make sense of the current moment, personally, socially, and economically. While we are still at the beginning of what the events of 2020 will mean for society at large, we are starting to discern what the core challenges are—even if we don’t quite see a way to navigate them yet.

As the head of a professional-services firm focused on the needs of local governments, I’m challenged to see this time through the eyes of civic leaders. People like my father, who was a city manager in Illinois, as well as our hundreds of clients. This time presents unique opportunities for local governments and I’ve arrived at a three-prong approach as to how these leaders can take on these issues.

Topics: covid-19 digitization