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Arkansas cities, towns and counties encouraged to apply for CARES Funding

  • Posted Date: 10/17/2020
  • Office: All DFA
  • News:

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

    October 17, 2020

     

    FOR MORE INFORMATION:

    Scott Hardin, Spokesperson

    Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration

    501-352-9351, scott.hardin@dfa.arkansas.gov

     

    Arkansas cities, towns and counties encouraged to apply for CARES Funding

    $150 million available for COVID-19-related expenditures

     

    LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas (October 17, 2020) - Arkansas cities, town and counties may now apply for reimbursement of COVID-19-related expenditures via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).  A total of $150 million has been reserved specifically for cities, towns and counties.

    The $150 million has been divided evenly with cities and towns receiving $75 million along with $75 million for counties.

    The relief funds are a portion of the $1.25 billion the state received via the CARES Act earlier this year.

    “As Arkansas communities and counties approach the end of 2020 and begin planning for 2021, we want to ensure local leaders are aware of the CARES funding available to them,” said Larry Walther, Department Secretary for the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA), the department administering the local relief funds. “From the smallest communities to the state’s largest cities, COVID-19 had a significant impact on local budgets.”

    Expenditures that are eligible for reimbursement include those that are incurred due to the COVID-19 public health emergency that are not already accounted for in any recently approved state government budgets. The expenditures must have been incurred from March 1, 2020 and no later than December 15, 2020.

    Cities, town and counties may be reimbursed for the following COVID-19-related expenditures:

    • Payroll for Public Health and Safety Employees
    • Budgeted Personnel and Services Diverted to a Substantially Different Use
    • Public Health Expenses
    • Personal Protective Equipment
    • Improve Telework Capabilities of Public Employees
    • Other – not listed above

     

    The allocation for towns and cities may be found at www.arml.org while allocation by county is available at www.arcounties.org.    

     

    Cities, towns and counties must submit application for the funding by November 16, 2020 and expenditures for reimbursement no later than December 15, 2020.

     

    “Resources are in place to effectively walk local leaders through this process,” said Paul Louthian, State Comptroller and DFA Deputy Director. “I encourage communities and counties to utilize these resources as soon as possible to identify the expenses for which they may be reimbursed.”

     

    DFA’s website contains an informational page with details on the program. It can be found at https://www.dfa.arkansas.gov/administrative-services/covid-19-cares-act/municipalities-and-counties.