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Oakland 80 and Oakland Thrive face funding cliff as federal and state grants decline; county asks for targeted support
Summary
Economic development leaders told commissioners that ARPA‑funded Oakland 80 and supportive services delivered substantial services but that federal and state grant reductions mean the county will need local funding to sustain capacity. Jennifer Lewellen said ARPA investments supported thousands of navigator interactions and flexible supports; staff requested $500,000 in the county executive's FY27 budget.
Laura Dodd, deputy county executive for economic development and aviation, and Dom Holmes, director of economic development, presented budget highlights tying recent revenue swings to ARPA investments in Oakland Thrive/Oakland 80 programs. Holmes explained that a $1.05 million ARPA invoice in FY25 drove a large year‑over‑year increase and that subsequent years will normalize.
Jennifer Lewellen, manager of workforce development and lead on Oakland 80 implementation, described program outcomes supported by ARPA funding: $4.4 million to serve adults (career and education navigators), $4.8 million for youth navigators, and $9.2 million for flexible supportive services that paid for repairs, books, eviction prevention and other needs. "We've been able to deliver 23,551 on‑one services to 8,420 adults" under the adult navigator program, Lewellen said, and navigators have conducted extensive outreach to residents who applied for Michigan Reconnect but did not enroll.
Lewellen warned that state and federal funding declines will reduce capacity: several federal or state grants that previously supported barrier removal and supportive services were discontinued, and the department is asking for $500,000 in the executive's budget to partially replace those funds. She said the county's Oakland 80 team has secured other grants (e.g., a $912,000 state grant to support navigator training) but that the steep drop from ARPA‑level resources will cut service levels; staff estimated a decline in full‑time navigator counts if ARPA and barrier removal funds are not replaced.
Commissioners asked about marketing for veteran services (a newly awarded $282,563 state grant was discussed), revolving loan fund changes and the Clean Slate program (discussed separately). Economic development staff described work on a place‑based Pontiac funder collaborative and other philanthropic relationships to supplement public grants.
No vote was taken at the hearing; staff said they would follow up with fiscal details and bring grant adjustments to appropriate committees.
