Apply for Sedgwick County CARES funding

FOR ORGANIZATIONS INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR COVID-19 COST REIMBURSEMENT THROUGH THE SEDGWICK COUNTY CARES PROGRAM 

The information below explains how Sedgwick County’s allocation of Federal funds through the Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act may be used in accordance with the law.  The funds provided to potential recipients are available under section 601(d) of the Social Security Act, as added by section 5001 of the CARES Act. 

Entities will submit an initial application for review by Sedgwick County staff and advisors; if approved, County staff will create an account for the entity and advise the designated contact.  At that time, the entity will be asked to enter an agreement with the County and will submit more detailed documentation for review.  The information will be reviewed by County staff, submitted to the Federal Stimulus Review Team (a 7-member entity) that will consider and recommend reimbursement, to the Sedgwick County Board of County Commissioners.  Upon approval by the Board, entities will provide vendor registration information to Sedgwick County allow for payment.  Additional monitoring may be necessary. Additional instruction and frequently asked question documents will be posted routinely. 

Entities that seek to receive the funding will be asked to certify that funds will only be used in accordance with the following:

1. Are necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to COVID-19;
2. [For governmental entities only] Were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of March 27, 2020.  A cost meets this requirement if:
   1. The cost cannot lawfully be funded using a line item, allotment, or allocation within that budget; OR
   2. The cost is for a substantially different use from any expected use of funds in such a line item, allotment, or allocation; and
3. Were incurred during the period that begins on March 1, 2020, and ends on December 30, 2020. 

Examples of eligible expenses include COVID-19 related expenses of public hospitals, clinic, and similar facilities; expenses for establishing and operating public telemedicine capabilities for COVID-19 related treatment; expenses for acquisition and distribution of medical and protective supplies, including sanitizing products and personal protective equipment, for medical personnel, police officers, social workers, child protection services, and child welfare officers, direct service providers for older adults and individuals with disabilities in community settings, and other public health or safety workers in connection with the COVID-19 public health emergency; expenses for disinfection of public areas and other facilities; expenses for quarantining individuals; expenses for food delivery to residents, including, for example, senior citizens and other vulnerable populations, to enable compliance with COVID-19 public health precautions; expense to improve telework capabilities for public employees to enable compliance with COVID-19 public health precautions; expenses for care for homeless populations provided to mitigate COVID-19 effects and enable compliance with COVID-19 public health precautions; any other COVID-19 related expenses reasonably necessary to the function of government that satisfy the fund’s eligibility criteria.

Recipients will be asked to provide detailed documentation, including receipts, and may be required to participate in ongoing monitoring, depending on the type of request.  If funds are found to be used outside of what has been approved, recipients will be responsible for repayment of the funds to the County.