Details on applying for millions in Manatee CARES Act funds to be announced in virtual meetings July 9, 10
MANATEE COUNTY, FL (July 6, 2020) – Manatee County officials will go over details on when and how to apply for millions of dollars in Manatee CARES Act funds during two virtual meetings this week. Full details and Zoom meeting links are listed at www.mymanatee.org/ManateeCares.
The first meeting, Thursday, July 9 at 9 a.m. is for local small business owners (15 or fewer employees) who experienced financial losses attributable to the COVID-19 outbreak and quarantine period. CARES Act funds will be available for one-time capital investments to assist with expenses such as: sanitation, safety and COVID-19 PPE; improved signage and marketing; outdoor seating and renovations to comply with social distancing; inventory, equipment, supplies and software.
The second meeting, Friday, July 10 at 9 a.m. is for non-profit agencies, hospitals, medical, mental health and substance abuse providers to learn how to apply for CARES funding that can go toward expanded COVID-19 testing, antibodies testing and contact tracing, training to ensure effective COVID-19 disinfecting and sanitizing practices, personal protective equipment (PPE) and more.
NOTE: A third virtual meeting will be held later this month to announce details on how individuals may apply for CARES Act funding if they lost a job or experienced other financial losses related to COVID-19.
Manatee County Commissioners in June approved the plan to provide financial assistance of $17.5 million that will go to help those hit hardest by the coronavirus. The funding is the first phase of Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act federal funding arriving through the State of Florida. Manatee County's plan distributes funding into four categories: Public Health/Safety (30 percent), Economic Recovery (30 percent), Community Health and Wellbeing (30 percent), and Government and Community Facilities (10 percent).
The funds are available with certain restrictions and can only be used for expenses that are necessary expenditures incurred due to COVID-19 between March 1 and December 30, 2020, that were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of March 27, 2020.
For more information on Manatee County Government, visit www.mymanatee.org or call (941) 748-4501. You can also follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/manatee.county.fl and on Twitter, @ManateeGov.