The end of COVID-era federal funds approaches this year, and while Lake County has used the majority of its $135 million for infrastructure improvements, pandemic relief and other one-time expenditures, a handful of programs started with federal money are still searching for post-2026 funding.
Those include Lake County’s Gun Violence Prevention Initiative, the Digital Growth Initiative, and two Regional Office of Education programs related to workforce development and student mental health. If funding is not secured, it could mean the loss of programs that local leaders have praised for their positive impacts.
While the pandemic may seem like a distant memory, the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act is only just coming to a close when 2026 ends. A Lake County webpage provides a breakdown of investments the county made using its portion of the funds.
About $31 million went to infrastructure projects, largely related to water or sewer services. Deputy County Administrator Matt Meyers said those projects “fit the bill” for the county’s broader goals for the funds.
“One of the guiding tenets that we put together back in 2021 was that there should be a focus on regional investments, especially with our critical infrastructure,” Meyers said. “Things that provide long-term benefits and are non-recurring.”
One of the single largest allotments, $17 million, was for the Regional Operations Center, a major part of the county’s 911 consolidation efforts.
Millions went to various existing programs — such as eviction and mortgage foreclosure mediation — which saw a jump in need during the pandemic. But that increased funding was not planned to be permanent, instead continuing as they had pre-COVID, County Administrator Patrice Sutton said.
Any ARPA-related staffing needs were addressed either through a temporary staffing agency, Sutton said, or absorbed by existing staff.
Funding uncertainties
Meyers said one of their original “guiding tenets” when planning what to do with the federal funds was to take into consideration post-ARPA funding options.
“It’s always top-of-mind to figure out how we’re going to ensure these are going to keep going into the future,” he said.
That meant that very few of the approved projects would face questions about funding after 2026, according to Meyers.
The Gun Violence Prevention Initiative, launched by the State’s Attorney’s Office in 2022 in the wake of the Highland Park mass shooting, has been credited with helping reduce firearm homicides and non-fatal firearm injuries in the three communities in which it has been operating.
Utilizing an increasingly popular violence interruption model, the program has a team of local “credible messengers” who help reduce community tensions and connect high-risk individuals with resources and put them on paths away from violence. The program also does other related work to address the root causes of gun violence.
It’s financially clear for 2026 after earlier this month, the Lake County Board approved a $1.5 million grant awarded to the State’s Attorney’s Office from the Illinois Department of Human Services. The money will cover funding from January through June 30.
Another $650,000 in one-time county funding was approved in the county’s budget last November to fund it through the end of 2026, a move that saw resistance from some board members who called it a departure from the county’s typical policy of letting such programs end if continued funding is not secured.
While the money partially shifted the gun violence initiative to county funding for the time being, it will likely need to find more funding outside of Lake County for the future.
The Digital Growth Initiative will also likely have to find future funding outside of the county. Created to help “bridge the digital divide,” according to Digital Equity Manager Keay Crandall, the initiative has trained thousands of residents on basic digital literacy and computer skills, and given out roughly a thousand laptops.
The initiative also includes efforts to bring public Wi-Fi to downtown areas in Waukegan and North Chicago.
County Administrator Patrice Sutton said that if they don’t secure funding, the programs would have to make a new program request for the 2027 budget to become a part of the county government.
After that, it would be up to the County Board to decide what happens. But that raises “difficult prioritization decisions,” Sutton said, since they are not mandated services for county government.
While both programs will look into future funding as 2026 progresses, they will face challenges. Meyers said that some grant opportunities for the digital equity initiative were lost when the new administration came in.
“We’re looking for what opportunities we can find to ensure that program continues,” Meyers said.
While it was too early to say what the future holds for the digital equity initiative, the “worst case” is having to scale back, he said. “We certainly don’t want to lose the program.”
For the gun violence prevention initiative, inconsistent funding can be devastating, Lake County Chief of Government Relations and External Affairs Steve Spagnolo previously said. Cutting violence interruption programs can see spikes in violence that take years to bring back down.
Regional Office of Education
There are two programs with the Lake County Regional Office of Education started with Lake County’s ARPA money, that the ROE has taken over responsibility to fund — Career Connect and CareLink.
Career Connect is an initiative meant to connect employers and students and provide students with career exploration tools and opportunities. It includes the annual Navig8 career fair, which sees thousands of students learn about more than 100 area businesses.
CareLink provides mental health care for residents, connecting kids and families with mental health resources. According to statistics provided by Regional Superintendent of Schools Michael Karner, more than 700 treatment sessions were funded through CareLink, and over 800 families received care navigation support.
Karner said officials are working to finalize funding, but he guarantees that Career Connect will continue. He also expressed confidence that CareLink’s work will continue as well.
The programs are some of the biggest things he’s done for the county, Karner said, praising their impact. Funding opportunities from state or federal grants are being examined, as well as potentially looking at local fundraising or partnerships.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/23/covid-federal-funds-lake-county/
