13 - Authorizing necessary documents to pursue the Coronavirus Relief Fund created by the CARES Act

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County and City Leaders May 11, 2020 Page 3 The first allocation from the $1.85 billion in local funds will be made available to these cities and counties on a $55 per capita allotment. Twenty percent of each jurisdiction's allocation will be available immediately upon certification to the State that grant terms will be followed. Importantly, Treasury has provided strict guidelines for local governments to receive funds. Treasury affirmed that the State can transfer funds to local governments "provided that the transfer qualifies as a necessary expenditure incurred due to the public health emergency and meets the other criteria of section 601(d) of the Social Security Act. Such funds would be subject to recoupment by the Treasury Department if they have not been used in a manner consistent with section 601(d) of the Social Security Act." Treasury has also instructed that "funds may not be used to fill shortfalls in government revenue to cover expenditures that would not otherwise qualify as an eligible expenditure." Also, all costs must be incurred before December 30, 2020, to qualify for funding. Once jurisdictions provide documentation on the initial funding, they will then be able to access the remainder of their allocation on a reimbursement basis. The unallocated funds will be reserved for local expenses as future outbreaks and the long-term impacts of COVID-19 are better known. Cities below 500,000 population within Counties exceeding 500,000 population The direct Treasury disbursements to the 12 counties were calculated based on their population, less the total population inside cities larger than 500,000 that reside within those counties. In the same way that cities and counties across the rest of the state will be provided funding on a per capita basis, and are encouraged to work together to address expenses that cross jurisdictional lines, the 12 counties that received direct funding from Treasury based on the total number of residents in their counties (excluding those in the six largest cities) are expected to use their funds to address expenses incurred by incorporated areas with a population less than 500,000 that are located in those counties as well as the needs of residents in unincorporated areas of those counties. Each of the incorporated areas located in a county that received a direct allocation from Treasury should seek funding for COVID-19 expenses directly from that county. How to Apply The Texas Division of Emergency Management (IDEM) will administer the reimbursement process for the CRF. IDEM is partnering with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension to provide individual assistance to each of you throughout the process, and that work is already underway. All of the information to apply for the CRF, as well as guidance about eligible uses, can be found at the following website: ww_w.tdem.texas. gov/crf. Questions can also be emailed to IDEM at CRF(atdem.texas ov.