CARES Act Funding Available to Assist Residents and Businesses

**This release is posted on behalf of Alachua County**

CONTACT: Mark Sexton, Communications and Legislative Affairs Director
PHONE: (352) 374-5204; CELL (352) 283-2317
EMAIL: msexton@alachuacounty.us

For Immediate Release

Alachua County CARES Act Business and Individual Assistance Grants Application Portal Now Live

August 10, 2020

10:30 a.m.

ALACHUA COUNTY, FL - The Alachua County CARES Act online Business Grants are now available to submit. Individual assistance grants applications continue to be open for residents needing assistance.

At their special meeting on August 3, 2020, the Alachua County Commission approved the Alachua County Cares Act process for distributing these federal dollars. Alachua County will receive an approximately $46.9 million allocation from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the "CARES Act"). These funds may be used for necessary expenditures incurred for the COVID-19 emergency response. This program is for Alachua County residents and businesses only.

"Many individuals and businesses in our community are in dire straits," Alachua County Commission Chair Robert Hutchinson said. "As our community continues to come together to do what is needed to battle this insidious virus, the County is doing everything we can to get this money into the hands of those who need it most to ensure that they can pay towards their rent, mortgage, utilities and other expenses."

The website and application form are mobile phone friendly. We highly recommend reading the Frequently Asked Questions page before filling out your applications. The site features:

• Application instructions
• A frequently asked questions section
• A link to the application

The application process will be opened in phases as follows:

1.     Individual assistance grants opened on August 4, 2020 ($21.1 million)
2.     Small and medium business grants opened on August 10, 2020 ($15 million)
3.     Inter-government organization grants opened on August 17, 2020 ($8.3 million)

Alachua County CARES Act Application Portal

If you need assistance, particularly if you are uncomfortable with applying on line, there is a live chat feature on the website and a Cares Act help-line at (352) 309-2505. The live chat and the help-line are opened from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.  Initially we expect very high call volume and ask for your patience if the line is busy.