Access to federal COVID-19 financial assistance for state and local governments was the compelling issue to unite the Coalition. NSDC was and continues to advocate for special districts’ inclusion in federally funded pandemic responses, measures to address major disasters and national emergencies, and economic recovery initiatives. As a national issue with many federal touchpoints, Coalition members have access to legislative advocacy resources created for state and local grassroots efforts.

Successful COVID-19 relief advocacy priorities over Presidential Administrations included special districts’ access to state and local government relief programs that (1) reimbursed expenditures made to respond, mitigate, and prevent the spread of the coronavirus, (2) addressed fiscal impacts stemming from low-income households’ hardships to keep utility payments current, (3) covered revenue loss due to the pandemic, (4) supported frontline workers responsible for continuity of critical public services, and (5) supported economic stimulus and job programs, such as infrastructure investments, related to federal pandemic recovery efforts.