House Bill 1799 and Senate Bill 3047 passed by the Mississippi legislature, allocated $70,000,000 of CARES Act money to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency to assist counties and municipalities with their COVID-19 expenses.

Through FEMA’s COVID-19 Economic Disaster Declaration, counties and municipalities and specific nonprofits are eligible for public assistance. While FEMA reimburses 75% of those approved expenses, some entities struggle to meet the 25% match. Through the MEMA COVID-19 Emergency Relief Program, the burden is now lifted from the counties and municipalities to provide that match.

Not all COVID-19 expenses are eligible for federal reimbursement through FEMA; therefore SB 3047 details what other expenses can be covered by the CARES Act funds.  The allocation of funds from the Relief Program is based on the county or municipality’s population as listed in the 2010 U.S. Census. If a government entity’s costs are not entirely covered by FEMA’s reimbursement, MEMA will work with remaining CARES Act funds to help ensure a 100% reimbursement.

To view the allocations of CARES Act funds based on the population as listed in the 2010 U.S. Census click the links below:

• Breakdown of funds to counties
• Breakdown of funds to municipalities

Click here to apply.  The deadline is October 15th.