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New assistance programs launched by city

KBBI

Three new Covid-19 relief programs that have been in the works for the past several weeks are now taking applications. The programs cover non-profits, day-care, and social service organizations.
    The City of Homer’s Jenny Carrol was on Thursday morning’s Covid Brief with Kathleen Gustafson to discuss the programs.
    “The childcare program is open to licensed childcare providers and they are allowed to apply for up to $30,000 in funding. We know that childcare is very essential for parents to be able to get back to work and for the health and wellbeing of our children in town,” Carrol said. “If you are a legally exempt child-care provider, you are eligible for up to $5,000 in economic relief aid. And also if you're a private business or a nonprofit that is offering after school services for youth, you can also apply to that fund for $10,000.”
    That is the same amount local nonprofit organizations can apply for.
    “The expenses that this fund helps cover need to be related to COVID-19. But it could be anything from paying your rent, payments for essential wages for your staff, it could be any kind of normal operating expenses that remain unpaid because of a loss of revenue that the nonprofit has experienced. It could be any of the work that you did to change how you provide services, to provide protective gear for your staff or your clients. And also additional expenses that the nonprofit has incurred to increase services or change the way they do services in the community in response to COVID-19,” Carrol said.
    Grants to social service organizations is the third new grant category.
    “Any organization, for-profit, nonprofit that provides mental health services, child and family support services that are substantially different than childcare, substance use and misuse treatment, referral services, food and nutrition services, job training, housing assistance. This fund can provide funds for economic relief in provision of these services due to COVID-19, up to $25,000,” she said. “And this fund could be considered additional funding above and beyond any of the other economic relief grant programs. If an organization has really taken on extra services in the community, they can also apply for these funds if their need is that high and that great.”
    The Rasmuson Foundation also has a matching-grant program that can be accessed by applicants.
    “The Rasmuson Foundation has offered matching grants to municipalities who help fund arts and culture nonprofits. So if you are a nonprofit that has a mission to support arts and culture, there's a place on the application where you can indicate if you're interested in also receiving matching funds from Rasmuson Foundation,” Carrol said.
    The entire Covid Brief is posted online. Log on to hear the latest on local infection rates and about contract tracing.

Tags
Local News City of HomerCOVID 19Jenny Carroll
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