Sarasota County, FL
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Sarasota County CARES
Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act
At this time, Sarasota County is not accepting new applications for CARES Act funding.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 was a $2 trillion economic relief package designed to mitigate the economic impacts of COVID-19. The program launched locally on Sept. 16, 2020, and the county has allocated all of its $75 million reimbursement.
You may continue to sign up for updates and information about individual and business assistance should more funding become available.
- For business assistance, text SRQCARESBiz to 888777.
- For individual assistance, text SRQCARESInd to 888777.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was signed into law on March 27, 2020, was a $2 trillion economic relief package designed to mitigate the economic impacts of COVID-19.
Through the CARES Act, Treasury Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) provided for payments to any county, municipality, town, township, village, parish, borough or other unit of general government below the state level with a population that exceeds 500,000, based on current U.S. Census Bureau data.
The legislation proceeds that 55 percent of the state allocation be reserved for the state and 45 percent reserved for eligible local government jurisdictions. Approximately $2.47 billion was reserved for county governments with a population size of 500,000 or more while $1.28 billion was disbursed, following a phased approach, to counties with a population below 500,000.
The state of Florida received a total of $8.3 billion in relief funding; of this amount, Sarasota County was eligible to receive funding up to approximately $75.7 million. On July 7, 2020, the Sarasota County Commission approved four funding distribution categories for the funds:
- Health and Medical.
- Economic Recovery.
- Food, Water, Shelter.
- Safety and Security.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) administer the funds on behalf of the U.S. Treasury. Sarasota County, as a subrecipient of these funds from FDEM, as county programs are developed and implemented under Board direction.
The following criteria are inherently eligible and ineligible uses of U.S. Treasury CRF funds and are subject to change from forthcoming U.S. Treasury and FDEM guidance. Sarasota County, as a subrecipient of these funds, may place additional program requirements in accordance with this guidance.
Eligibility criteria include:
- Expenses must have a necessary expenditure incurred due to COVID-19.
- Expenses were not accounted for in the most recently approved budget for the state or government as of March 27, 2020.
- Expenses were incurred between the period of March 1, 2020, and Dec. 30, 2020.
Eligible entities or individuals include:
- Individuals.
- Private businesses.
- Not-for-profit organizations.
- Public and private healthcare facilities and providers.
- Other governmental entities (i.e. Constitutional and elected officials).
- Sarasota County government and municipalities.
Ineligible uses of the CRF
- Replacement loss of revenues for governments (including unpaid property taxes).
- Provision of assistance to meet tax obligations.
- Capital improvement projects that are not necessary expenditures incurred due to COVID-19.
- Expenditures that are already or will be funded through other federal programs or funding sources.
- Damages covered by insurance.
- Payroll or benefits expenses for public employees whose work duties are not substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
- Employee bonuses, except for hazard pay or overtime related to COVID-19 public health emergency.
- Severance pay.
Funding Categories
Health and Medical
This category is designed to provide assistance to support Sarasota County health and medical organizations, to include behavioral health providers, primary care clinics, and long-term care facilities that protect and preserve the health of Sarasota County residents by ensuring adherence to federal and state COVID-19 orders and recommended CDC guidelines. Currently, there is only one program upon in this category:
- Health and Medical Assistance Program
At this time, the Program is open to select health and medical nonprofit corporations that had completed a funding survey administered by Health and Human Services (HHS) staff in August 2020. County HHS staff and the Human Services Advisory Council (HSAC) made a recommendation to the Sarasota County Commission on Aug. 19, 2020. The Commission approved the recommendation to allocate CARES Coronavirus Relief Funds in the Health and Medical category to the organizations that completed the survey.
Eligible applicants for this program include:
- Centerplace Health, Inc.
- Centerstone of Florida, Inc.
- Easter Seals of Southwest Florida, Inc.
- Englewood Community Care Clinic, Inc.
- First Step of Sarasota, Inc.
- Jewish Family and Children’s Services of the Suncoast, Inc.
- Mental Health Community Centers, Inc.
- NAMI Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Inc.
- Neuro Challenge Foundation, Inc.
- Parkinson Research Foundation, Inc.
- Resilient Retreat, Inc.
- Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Housing Council, Inc. (d/b/a: Aviva)
- Sarasota Medical Pregnancy Center, Inc.
- Suncoast Communities Blood Bank, Inc.
- Tidewell Hospice, Inc.
- Tri-County Counseling & Life Skills Center, Inc.
All eligible applicants listed above have completed a funding survey. This Program provides for CARES funding assistance “up to” the amount that the organization requested on their survey. The funding survey was only made available to nonprofit corporations and did not include for-profit corporations. Organizations that did not have the opportunity to participate in the survey may choose to apply for the Sarasota County Small Business Relief Program, so long as they meet all the eligibility requirements of that Program.
Pursuant to policy direction from the Sarasota County Commission, priority during the review process is given to behavioral health providers included on the above list of eligible applicants. All other eligible applicants listed above, to include primary care clinics, long-term care facilities, and other types of healthcare organizations, remain eligible for funding under this Program, and applications will be reviewed in the order they are submitted, with priority given to behavioral health providers. All funding is provided on a reimbursement basis only and is subject to verification and validation during the review and approval process. Organizations will be required to provide supporting documentation for all funding requests, such as receipts, invoices, and proof of payment.
Eligible expenses for this Program include:
- To address increased need for behavioral health.
- Requirements to maintain or expand service delivery.
- Protective measures.
- Virtual technology improvements to increase service delivery remotely.
- COVID-19 Testing.
- Other (must comply with CARES Act & related guidance).
All expenses must have been incurred due to COVID-19. Funding assistance will be provided to cover eligible expenses on a reimbursement basis only.
At this time, this program is now paused and is not currently accepting new applications.
This category is designed to provide assistance to support Sarasota County health and medical organizations, to include behavioral health providers, primary care clinics, and long-term care facilities that protect and preserve the health of Sarasota County residents by ensuring adherence to federal and state COVID-19 orders and recommended CDC guidelines. Currently, there is only one program in this category:
- Health and Medical Assistance Program
The Program provides funding assistance to select health and medical nonprofit corporations that had completed a funding survey administered by Health and Human Services (HHS) staff in August 2020. County HHS staff and the Human Services Advisory Council (HSAC) made a recommendation to the Sarasota County Commission on Aug. 19, 2020. The Commission approved the recommendation to allocate CARES Coronavirus Relief Funds in the Health and Medical category to the organizations that completed the survey. The application period is now open until Nov. 16, 2020, so long as funds remain available.
Eligible applicants for this program include:
- Centerplace Health, Inc.
- Centerstone of Florida, Inc.
- Easter Seals of Southwest Florida, Inc.
- Englewood Community Care Clinic, Inc.
- First Step of Sarasota, Inc.
- Jewish Family and Children’s Services of the Suncoast, Inc.
- Mental Health Community Centers, Inc.
- NAMI Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Inc.
- Neuro Challenge Foundation, Inc.
- Parkinson Research Foundation, Inc.
- Resilient Retreat, Inc.
- Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Housing Council, Inc. (d/b/a: Aviva)
- Sarasota Medical Pregnancy Center, Inc.
- Suncoast Communities Blood Bank, Inc.
- Tidewell Hospice, Inc.
- Tri-County Counseling & Life Skills Center, Inc.
All eligible applicants listed above have completed a funding survey. This Program provides for CARES funding assistance “up to” the amount that the organization requested on their survey. The funding survey was only made available to nonprofit corporations and did not include for-profit corporations.
Pursuant to policy direction from the Sarasota County Commission, priority during the review process is given to behavioral health providers included on the above list of eligible applicants. All other eligible applicants listed above, to include primary care clinics, long-term care facilities, and other types of healthcare organizations, remain eligible for funding under this Program, and applications will be reviewed in the order they are submitted, with priority given to behavioral health providers. All funding is provided on a reimbursement basis only and is subject to verification and validation during the review and approval process. Organizations will be required to provide supporting documentation for all funding requests, such as receipts, invoices, and proof of payment.
Eligible expenses for this Program include:
- To address increased need for behavioral health.
- Requirements to maintain or expand service delivery.
- Protective measures.
- Virtual technology improvements to increase service delivery remotely.
- COVID-19 Testing.
- Other (must comply with CARES Act & related guidance).
All expenses must have been incurred due to COVID-19. Funding assistance will be provided to cover eligible expenses on a reimbursement basis only.
At this time, this program is now paused and is not currently accepting new applications.
The Individual Assistance Program will provide funding, up to $10,000 per household, for eligible expenditures
These individual assistance funds will be made directly to vendors to cover eligible expenses that have been approved for payment. No payments will be made directly to the individual applicant, except for government-owned utilities.
Eligibility Overview
- Household income must have been negatively impacted by COVID-19.
- The applicant must be a Sarasota County resident and at least 18 years of age.
- The applicant must be a U.S. citizen or qualified alien.
- Total income for all household members, for the period of time for which the applicant is requesting assistance, cannot exceed 120% Area Median Income.
|
120% AMI - Sarasota County |
|
|
# in Household |
Annual Income |
|
1 |
$64,320 |
|
2 |
$73,440 |
|
3 |
$82,680 |
|
4 |
$91,800 |
|
5 |
$99,240 |
|
6 |
$106,560 |
|
7 |
$113,880 |
|
8 |
$121,200 |
Eligible types of expenditures incurred due to COVID-19 (if not covered by another federal/state/local/private funding source) include:
- Rent and Mortgage Assistance, excluding real estate taxes
- Childcare Expenses
- Assistance to cover care when school or care centers are not available, and legal guardians needed to hire childcare to maintain their jobs at an increased cost to them from pre-COVID.
- When a legal guardian lost their job due to COVID-19 and has regained employment but has not received a paycheck. Assistance is limited to the first four (4) weeks from the employment date.
- Workforce Assistance
- To assist an individual re-entering the workforce after lay-off when expenditure is completed between March 1, 2020, and Dec. 15, 2020, (date subject to change based on funding and guidance from the US Treasury).
- Vehicle Assistance
- Vehicle payments and necessary car repairs
- Telecommunications for School, Work or Healthcare tele-visits
- Phone, Cell, Internet Service
- Utilities
- Water, Sewer, Electric, Gas, Solid Waste Collection
At this time, this program is now paused and is not currently accepting new applications.
The Human Services Assistance Program is designed to provide assistance to select nonprofit corporations that provide direct services to individuals in need due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
The Program provides funding to select Sarasota Human Services Nonprofit Organizations that had completed a funding survey administered by Health and Human Services (HHS) staff in August 2020. County HHS staff and the Human Services Advisory Council (HSAC) made a recommendation to the Sarasota County Commission on Aug. 19, 2020. The Commission approved the recommendation to allocate CARES Coronavirus Relief Funds in the Food, Water, Shelter category to the Human Services Assistance Program for organizations that completed the survey. All funding requests will be verified and validated during the review and approval process upon submission of this application.
Eligible Applicants for this Program include:
- Academy at Glengary, Inc.
- All Faiths Food Bank
- Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Suncoast, Inc.
- Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota County
- Catholic Charities
- Children First, Inc.
- Community Assisted and Supportive Living, Inc.
- Community Haven for Adults and Children with Disabilities
- Epilepsy Services of Southwest Florida
- Family Promise of South Sarasota County
- Forty Carrots of Sarasota, Inc.
- Girls, Inc.
- Habitat for Humanity Sarasota, Inc.
- Habitat for Humanity South Sarasota County, Inc.
- Harvest House
- Horizons Unlimited Christian Academy
- Insight Counseling Services, Inc.
- Laurel Civic Association
- Learning and Families, Inc.
- Legal Aid of Manasota
- Loveland Center
- Meals on Wheels of Sarasota
- Mothers Helping Mothers, Inc.
- North Port Meals on Wheels
- Safe Children Coalition, Inc.
- Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center, Inc.
- Sarasota Housing Authority
- School Readiness Coalition of Sarasota County (d/b/a: ELC)
- Senior Friendship Center
- Sky Family YMCA
- St. Vincent de Paul CARES
- Teen Court
- The Florida Center
- The Salvation Army
- Venice Area Mobile Meals, Inc.
- Women’s Resource Center of Manatee, Inc.
All eligible applicants listed above have completed a funding survey. This Program provides for CARES funding assistance to those organizations that have completed a survey “up to” the amount that was requested on the survey.
Eligible Expenses for this Program include:
- To facilitate food and feeding programs.
- Requirements to maintain or expand service delivery.
- Reimbursement for protective measures.
- Virtual technology improvements to increase service delivery remotely.
- COVID-19 Testing.
- Other (must comply with CARES Act & related guidance).
All expenses must have been incurred due to COVID-19. Funding assistance will be provided to cover eligible expenses on a reimbursement basis only.
Please click here to review the Sarasota County Contracted Human Services page.
At this time, this program is now paused and is not currently accepting new applications.
The Small Business Relief Grant Program provides grants up to $49,999.99 to small businesses and 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) organizations, negatively impacted by COVID-19, for COVID-19-related expenditures.
A for-profit Business Applicant that meets ALL the following criteria may qualify:
✔ Applicants must have had 100 or fewer full-time equivalent employees, including the owner(s), at the time of application. For the benefits of this Program, a full-time-equivalent employee is defined as an employee who works at least 40 hours per week. If an employee works 20 hours per week, they would be considered half of an FTE.
✔ Applicants must have had a negative impact due to COVID-19 and either describe the negative impact in their application or have the proper documentation to demonstrate the negative impact.
✔ Applicants must be businesses with a principal location in Sarasota County that is legally operating and licensed within Sarasota County and the State of Florida.
✔Applicant is a for-profit non-publicly traded company and is not a subsidiary or partially owned by a publicly traded company or hedge fund.
✔All Business Owners are United States citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents.
✔ Business is current on all Payroll taxes, Sales and Unemployment taxes, Property taxes, and Federal Income taxes.
✔Business has no current unpaid Sarasota County code enforcement liens.
✔All for-profit Business Owners have not been convicted of, pleaded guilty, or pleaded nolo contendere to any felony involving fraud, dishonesty, bribery, embezzlement, or a false statement in a loan application or an application for federal financial assistance within the past five years.
✔All for-profit Business Owners and the Business entity are not presently involved in any bankruptcy and are not planning to file for bankruptcy prior to December 30, 2020.
✔All for-profit Business Owners and the Business entity are not presently suspended or debarred from participation in transactions by any federal department or agency.
A Nonprofit 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) Applicant that meets ALL the following criteria may qualify:
✔ Nonprofit 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) applicants must have had a negative impact due to COVID-19 and either describe the negative impact in their application or have the proper documentation to demonstrate the negative impact.
✔Applicant must be a nonprofit corporation with a substantial presence in Sarasota County and that is legally operating and licensed within Sarasota County and the State of Florida. Substantial local presence is defined as a staffed facility, office, or portion of a residence in Sarasota County dedicated exclusively to that organization, available to members of the public seeking its services or benefits. The office may be staffed by volunteers.
✔Nonprofit 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) corporation has no current unpaid Sarasota County code enforcement liens.
✔Applicants must have had 100 or fewer full-time equivalent employees at the time of application.
✔The nonprofit 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) Director or Executive Director is a United States citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident.
✔The nonprofit 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) Director or Executive Director has not been convicted of, pleaded guilty, or pleaded nolo contendere to any felony involving fraud, dishonesty, bribery, embezzlement, or a false statement in a loan application or an application for federal financial assistance within the past five years.
✔ The nonprofit 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) Director or Executive Director and the 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) corporation entity are not presently suspended or debarred from participation in transactions by any federal department or agency.
✔The 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) organization is not presently involved in any bankruptcy and is not planning to file for bankruptcy prior to Dec. 30, 2020.
✔Applicants must be current on any Payroll taxes, Sales taxes, and Unemployment taxes if the Applicant entity is not exempt.
Eligible types of expenditures include:
- Rent
- Mortgage
- Utilities (water, sewer, electric, gas, solid waste collection, phone, internet)
- Payroll
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- COVID-19 testing
- Supplies and equipment necessary for facilitating social distancing or otherwise adapting the business to comply with CDC guidelines related to COVID-19
- Marketing related to reopening
- Perishable inventory related to reopening
Important funding request restrictions:
- Eligible entities may submit requests for funding assistance based on demonstrated negative impact due to COVID-19.
- All funding assistance requests are subject to review and approval.
- Expenses for which reimbursement is being requested must be COVID-19-related.
- Eligible expenditures must have been incurred between March 1,2020, and the date of application.
- Entities cannot request or receive funding assistance from this Program for an expense if the entity has received, or will receive, financial assistance from ANY other source for that same expense. There cannot be a duplication of benefit.
- In addition to the above restrictions, 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(6) organizations CANNOT receive funding assistance for revenue losses, even if due to COVID-19, to include reduced fundraising due to cancelled events or uncollected membership fees or donor reimbursements.
At this time, this program is now paused and is not currently accepting new applications.
The Arts and Cultural Assistance Program provides CARES funding assistance to the Sarasota Arts and Cultural Sector Organizations that have received FY20-FY21 Tourist Development Cultural/Arts (TDC/A) Grants from Sarasota County, in an amount not-to-exceed three (3) times the organization’s FY21 TDC/A grant award amount.
This Program is only available to select Sarasota Arts and Cultural Sector Organizations approved by the Sarasota County Commission.
Eligible applicants for this program include:
- Art Center Sarasota, Inc.
- Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota, Inc.
- Asolo Theatre, Inc.
- Avenida de Colores, Inc.
- Center for Architecture Sarasota, Inc.
- Embracing Our Differences, Inc.
- Florida Studio Theatre, Inc.
- Florida West Coast Symphony, Inc. d/b/a Sarasota Orchestra
- Gloria Musicae, Inc. d/b/a Choral Artists of Sarasota, Inc.
- Guitar Sarasota, Inc.
- Jazz Club of Sarasota, Inc.
- Key Chorale, Inc.
- La Musica di Asolo, Inc.
- Mote Marine Laboratory, Inc.
- New College Foundation, Incorporated
- Ringling College of Art and Design, Inc.
- Ringling College of Art and Design, Inc. o/b/o Englewood Art Center
- Sarasota Ballet of Florida, Inc.
- Sarasota Concert Association, Inc.
- Sarasota Contemporary Dance, Inc.
- Sarasota Film Festival, Inc.
- Sarasota Opera Association, Inc.
- Sarasota Pops Orchestra, Inc.
- The Circus Arts Conservatory, Inc.
- The Florida State University on behalf of The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art Foundation, Incorporated
- The Hermitage Artist Retreat, Inc.
- The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Inc.
- The Perlman Music Program/ Suncoast, Inc.
- The Players, Inc.
- The Sarasota Cuban Ballet School, Inc.
- The Venice Chorale, Inc.
- The Venice Symphony, Inc.
- Urbanite Theatre, Inc.
- Van Wezel Foundation, Inc.
- Venice Art Center, Inc.
- Venice Institute for Performing Arts Center Management, Inc.
- Venice Theatre, Inc.
- Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe of Florida, Inc.
- WSLR, Inc.
Eligible Expenses for this Program include:
- Rent
- Mortgage
- Utilities (Water, Sewer, Electric, Gas, Solid Waste Collection, Phone, Internet)
- Payroll
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- COVID-19 testing
- Supplies and equipment necessary to facilitate social distancing, adapt the organization to COVID-19, or to otherwise comply with recommended CDC guidelines
- Perishable items inventory for reopening
- Marketing for reopening
All expenses must have been incurred due to COVID-19. Funding assistance will be provided to cover eligible expenses on a reimbursement basis only.
Important notes about funding:
Organizations may be eligible to receive funding assistance from more than one Sarasota County CARES program so long as any funding applied for or received is not used to cover the same expenses. There cannot be a duplication of benefit. For example, an Arts and Cultural Organization may be eligible to receive funding assistance from the Small Business Relief Program as well, so long as the funding from the two programs is not used to cover the same expenses.
This category is designed for public sector response service expenses and community safety expenses incurred due to COVID-19. To date, there have been no programs developed in this category.
The Sarasota County Commission voted to delay funding in this category to focus on directing funds out to the community. Reevaluation of available funds for this category will occur later if the County receives the potential remaining CRF funds for Sarasota County.