Kansas Counties Planning Underway for $400 Million Distribution of Round One CARES Act Funding

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NEWS RELEASE

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 30, 2020

 

News Contact: Kimberly Qualls, (785) 213-4717 or qualls@kansascounties.org

Kansas Counties Planning Underway for $400 Million Distribution
of Round One CARES Act Funding 

 

Topeka, Kan. – In mid-May, Governor Kelly announced the creation of the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Taskforce to serve as the Recovery Office team responsible for the statewide distribution of over one billion dollars in CARES Act funding. In early June, the SPARK taskforce held their initial meeting to begin the process of determining how to best distribute these funds. The taskforce decided to implement a funding plan that includes three focused distribution rounds within the state.

 

Round One includes the distribution of $400 million in CARES Act funding across local Kansas county governments. Counties can utilize their funds to cover reimbursement of eligible COVID-19 related expenses and cover direct aid for future eligible expenditures defined under the CARES Act. The Kansas Association of Counties is working with the Governor’s Office of Recovery to assist Kansas Counties in drafting plans and answering questions related to the specific qualifying expenditures tied to round one funds. Each county must first pass a resolution affirming that they will allocate the funding consistent with the specifically mandated federal COVID-19 expenditure requirements; and share and allocate funds to educational and municipal entities within their counties before receiving their designated funds.

 

Kansas Counties are guaranteed to receive approximately $194 for each county resident. Counties will also receive additional Impact Fund dollars based on their COVID-19 case rates and unemployment rates. These Impact Funds help provide monetary support for those counties hit hardest by the virus. Kansas Counties will receive their full round one funds allocation beginning on July 15. To view a list of round one funding by Kansas County, click on this link: https://www.kansascounties.org/resources/covid-19/spark-cares-act-round-one-distribution-amounts-by-kansas-county.pdf.

 

To find out more about the Kansas Counties CARES Act Funding, visit KAC’s website, www.kansascounties.org, and to see additional information about the Kansas SPARK Taskforce Recovery Office, visit https://covid.ks.gov/.

The Kansas Association of Counties is a quasi-public agency, which seeks to advance the public interest by promoting effective, responsive county government in Kansas. Founded in 1975, as an instrumentality of its member counties, KAC serves county governments through: legislative representation, technical assistance, leadership, and professional education.

 

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