Clinton Commissioners Announce Application Process for CARES Money

LOCK HAVEN – Beginning Wednesday, Aug. 12, Clinton County municipalities, small businesses, non-profits, and others may apply for CARES Act funding through the Clinton County Government website.

The Clinton County Commissioners announced the process on Tuesday. The CARES Act was passed by Congress in March, allocating $150 billion in coronavirus relief fund or local governments. Pennsylvania received $4.9 billion in CARES Act funding. Only county governments, those not directly funded by the federal government, are eligible to receive the COVID-19 County Block Grant Program funding through the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). Clinton County received $3.488 million.

Eligible applicants include:

• Offsetting the cost of direct county response, planning & outreach efforts related to COVID-19.
• Small Business Grant Programs to support businesses with fewer than 100 employees and to support businesses and other entities that are primarily engaged in the tourism industry.
• Grant programs to support the following entities for costs related to assisting businesses during the COVID-19 Disaster Emergency: CEDOs, LDDs, IRCs, SBDCs, EDCs.
• Assistance to cities, boroughs, incorporated towns or townships located within eligible counties for response and planning efforts related to COVID-19.
• Behavioral Health & Substance use disorder treatment services.
• Nonprofit assistance programs for entities that are an exempt organizations under section 501(C)(3) OR 501(C)(19) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
• Broadband internet deployment with priority given to unserved or underserved areas.

Applicable requests should apply for cost relief for items that were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of the date of enactment of this section for the State or government; and were incurred during the period that begins on March 1, 2020, and ends on December 30, 2020. Applicants should also be prepared to expend the funding and complete any projects by Dec. 30, 2020.

All applications and awarded funds will be required to provide invoices, accounts payable, and other supporting documentation.

To apply, applicants will go to www.clintoncountypa.com. On the home page under the “News” banner there will be a link to the application. The completed online application will be submitted to the Clinton County Planning office. Once submitted, the applicant will receive a confirmation email. The deadline for applying is Aug. 27.