The COVID-19 Block Grant application period for Carbon County entities affected by the pandemic is well underway and so far applications received have requested just over $1 million of the $5.79 million Carbon County was allotted from the state.

On Thursday, Commissioner Chris Lukasevich reminded entities that qualify for the grant that the application period is still open until the close of business on July 31.

The application is available on www.carboncounty.com.

“You can’t miss the link,” he said, adding that if someone has any problems with filing, call the commissioners office and the block grant administrator will be able to help.

Currently, Carbon County has received 17 complete applications, which total $1.254 million.

The COVID-19 Block Grant is funded through the CARES Act and is used strictly on COVID-19 related activities to offset the cost of direct county COVID-19 response; assist businesses and municipalities; provide behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment services; fund nonprofit assistance programs; and deploy broadband to unserved or underserved areas.

Applications for small businesses, municipalities, nonprofit organizations, tourism entities, and broadband, behavioral health and business support agencies, can be accessed through the county website and then clicking on the blue box “COVID-19 Relief (Carbon) County Block Grant portal.”

Review committees have been formed in the categories of municipality, small business, tourism and 501(c) 3 and 501(c) 19.

A livestreamed question and answer session for applicants was also held this morning and that video will be available for review on the Carbon County Commissioners Facebook page.

According to the program guidelines, funding can be used for:

• Offsetting cost of direct county response, planning and outreach efforts.

• Purchasing personal protective equipment.

• Administration of the grant by the county of no more than 2% of funds received or $200,000, whichever is less.

• Assistance to the county’s municipalities for response and planning efforts, including purchase of PPE.

• Tourism businesses of all sizes, including state and county fairs.

• Grant programs to support costs of assisting businesses during COVID-19.

• Behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment services.

• Broadband deployment with priority to unserved or underserved areas.

• Nonprofit assistance programs for 501(c) 3 and 501(c) 19 organizations.

Preference will be given to small-business grant programs for businesses with fewer than 100 employees and that did not receive funding through the Federal Paycheck Protection Program or the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program established under the CARES Act.

Following the application deadline, the block grant administration team will review applications and send them to the various committees, which will then make recommendations to the commissioners, who are hoping to distribute funds this fall.