At their special meeting today, 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 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 Alachua County Cares Act website is now live, and residents are encouraged to fill out the application online. 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:
- Individual assistance grants opened on August 4, 2020, at 8 a.m. ($21.1 million)
- Small and medium business grants opened on August 10, 2020 ($15 million)
- Inter-government organization grants opened on August 17, 2020 ($8.3 million)
If you need assistance, there is A live chat 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.