At last week’s Mono County Board of Supervisors, the supervisors approved a final spending plan focused on community support for $250,000 funding through the CARES Act, which stands for Coronavirus Aid Relief, and Economic Security, passed by Congress with overwhelming, bipartisan support and signed into law by President Trump on March 27th, 2020.

Finance Director Janet Dutcher outlined the programs starting with $32,000 for the Right to Recover pilot program. The funding should serve 30 individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are unable to work due to the need for self-isolation. The one-time only stipend will be available for those who are not receiving unemployment insurance benefits or paid sick leave. Application is through the County’s Social Services office.

The bulk of the funding, $200,000, will be available for the Business Assistance Program with priority to those who have not received Paycheck Protection Program or Economic Injury and Disaster Loan help. Other requirements include gross revenues of less than $2 million in the 2019 calendar year and a minimum of a 10-percent loss from March 1 to August 30, 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. Applications and additional information will be available on the Mono County Economic Development website.

The balance, $18,000, will go toward outreach to the Latinx community, a part of the Mono County population hardest hit by COVID-19.