However, such a program should be structured in such a manner as will ensure that such assistance is determined to be necessary in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency and otherwise satisfies the requirements of the CARES Act and other applicable law. To be eligible for the General Distributions, a provider must have billed Medicare fee-for-service in 2019, be a known Medicaid and CHIP or dental provider and provide or provided after January 31, 2020 diagnoses, testing, or care for individuals with possible or actual cases of COVID-19. Accordingly, the lost revenue/government services category is the broadest and most flexible. COVID-19 - Navajo Nation Yes, provided that the transfer qualifies as a necessary expenditure incurred due to the public health emergency and meets the other criteria of section 601(d) of the Social Security Start Printed Page 4188Act. Costs of providing COVID-19 testing, including serological testing. "The pandemic has been stressful for many of our community's families and individuals," concluded Tribal Chief Michael Conners. Such a grant would be analogous to a loan provided by the Fund recipient itself that incorporates similar loan forgiveness provisions. Additional information on the requested information is available under Tribal Employment and Expenditure Submission Instructions, below. Home Hopi Tribe CARES Act Committee Hopi Tribe COVID Emergency Assistance PP. This prototype edition of the 289g(b)). We are developing a Disaster Relief Fund to assist the . While every effort has been made to ensure that L. No. documents in the last year, 86 If a State transfers Fund payments to its political subdivisions, would the transferred funds count toward the subrecipients' total funding received from the federal government for purposes of the Single Audit Act? 1302(a). Tribes do not need to resubmit this information in order to receive a payment. For example, a State may spend Fund payments to create a reserve of personal protective equipment or develop increased intensive care unit capacity to support regions in its jurisdiction not yet affected, but likely to be impacted by the current COVID-19 pandemic. 52. 4. It was viewed 18 times while on Public Inspection. The most recently approved budget refers to the enacted budget for the relevant fiscal period for the particular government, without taking into account subsequent supplemental appropriations enacted or other budgetary adjustments made by that government in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. In addition, if these conditions are met, the amount of the grant will be considered to have been used during the covered period for purposes of the requirement that expenses be incurred within the covered period. COVID-19 relief program now available for Tribal members No. 7. Supporting small businesses, helping them to address financial challenges caused by the pandemic, and to make investments in COVID-19 prevention and mitigation tactics. 39. Payments from the fund may only be used to cover such hazard pay. Is the cost of this expanded workers compensation coverage eligible? In the above OIG FAQ, sub-recipient refers to the beneficiary of the assistance, i.e., the small business. 21. 5. You will need to be able to document your claim. We are working alongside our partners at the local, state and national levels to actively provide updates and information for Chickasaws, employees, the public . As discussed in previous Treasury guidance on use of the Fund, a recipient's small business assistance program should be tailored to assist those businesses in need of such assistance. This includes, but is not limited to, costs related to disbursing payments from the Fund and managing new grant programs established using payments from the Fund. However, Fund payments may be used for the expenses of, for example, establishing temporary public medical facilities and other measures to increase Start Printed Page 4190COVID-19 treatment capacity or improve mitigation measures, including related construction costs. hb```@(1*q-r|MY9pT`` Pu%}$p19j9T`;)',QlqV4C2ut400pttj$ f gPfcXlX` feby}ewEV, @ %X| 1PU fWO Colville Reservation And COVID-19: 'Last Hurrah' To Keep The - NPR The Guidance includes workforce bonuses as an example of ineligible expenses but provides that hazard pay would be eligible if otherwise determined to be a necessary expense. The calculation assumes at least 4.1 percent growth annually. Yes. According to the tribes information office, the amount received in the first of two allocations is identified as $50,966,838.27. 14. Promoting healthy childhood environments, including new or expanded high-quality childcare, home visiting programs for families with young children, and enhanced services for child welfare-involved families and foster youth. Use the 'Report' link on 56. Federal Register. 3. 12. If the cost of an employee was allocated to administrative leave to a greater extent than was expected, the cost of such administrative leave may be covered using payments from the Fund. Are States permitted to use Fund payments to support state unemployment insurance funds generally? should verify the contents of the documents against a final, official In particular, a government must (i) determine that it is not able to meet the need arising from the public health emergency in a cost-effective manner by leasing property or equipment or by improving property already owned and (ii) maintain documentation to support this determination. Payments to Tribal governments have been determined by the Secretary of the Treasury in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior and Indian Tribes. Treasury has provided examples as to what would constitute a substantially different use. On that date, the Treasury Department also released several key documents that address how FRF can be used. This provides tribal governments an additional two years to use FRF. In particular, financial assistance to private hospitals could take the form of a grant or a short-term loan. Quarterly reports will include financial data, information on contacts and sub-awards more than $50,000, the types of projects funded and other information regarding utilization of FRF. If a Fund recipient avails itself of the presumption in accordance with the previous paragraph with respect to a school, the recipient may not also cover the costs of additional re-opening aid to that school other than those associated with the following, in each case for the purpose of addressing COVID-19: Across all levels of government, the presumption is limited to $500 per student, e.g., if a school is funded by a state and a local government, the presumption claimed by each recipient must add up to no more than $500. Are Fund payments to State, territorial, local, and tribal governments subject to the provisions of the Uniform Guidance applicable to grant agreements? May recipients use Fund payments to expand rural broadband capacity to assist with distance learning and telework? Expenses of providing paid sick and paid family and medical leave to public employees to enable compliance with COVID-19 public health precautions. The full amount of payroll and benefits expenses of substantially dedicated employees may be covered using payments from the Fund. The purpose of the Montana Homeowner Assistance Fund, in accordance with federal legislation and U.S. Treasury guidance, is to mitigate financial hardships associated with the coronavirus pandemic by providing funds to prevent homeowner mortgage delinquencies, defaults, foreclosures, loss of utilities or home energy services, and displacements . is not permitted under this category. Yes. No. Does the National Environmental Policy Act. [FR Doc. The US Congress passed and President Biden signed the Act, which included an. The CARES Act earmarked $8 billion dollars for relief payments to tribes across the country. Coronavirus Resources: Native Americans | HUD.gov / U.S. Department of Rather, Treasury has interpreted this provision to exclude items that were already covered for their original use (or a substantially similar use). Example 2: Suppose State A from example 1 transferred Fund payments to the school districts in the State in the amount of $500 per elementary and secondary school student. staff at nursing homes, hospitals and home-care settings, childcare workers, educators and school staff. The CARES Act provides that payments from the Fund may only be used to cover costs that. CARES Guidelines Importantly, although the American Rescue Plan requires costs to be incurred by Dec. 31, 2024, the Treasury Department has interpreted "incurred" as meaning that FRF must be obligated by Dec. 31, 2024. documents in the last year, by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission 13. The purpose of this document is to provide guidance to recipients of the funding available under section 601(a) of the Social Security Act, as added by section 5001 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). For example, the cost of a good that must be delivered in December in order to be available for use in January could be covered using payments from the Fund. The Treasury Department's guidance provides tribal governments broad discretion in spending FRF and recognizes the disproportionate impact COVID-19 has had on tribes. For the first payment, the Treasury Department will use self-certified enrollment numbers submitted to the Bureau of Indian Affairs in April 2021. COVID-19 Stimulus Bill: What It Means for States The CFDA number assigned to the Fund is 21.019. edition of the Federal Register. The most outrageous COVID relief fund scammers busted so far For example, Treasury's initial guidance referenced coverage of the costs of establishing temporary public medical facilities and other measures to increase COVID-19 treatment capacity, including related construction costs, as an eligible use of funds. Assistance to households to support internet access or digital literacy. Tribes to get record funding from American Rescue Plan - NonDoc COVID-19 Resources for Native Americans For additional ONAP COVID-19 resources, please visit the ONAP COVID-19 Recovery Programs web page Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG-ARP) and Indian Community . As required by the CARES Act, expenses associated with such upgrades must be incurred by December 31, 2021. Funds are available to reimburse districts for a 25% share of costs associated with personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical and cleaning supplies for school buildings and . Yes, expenses associated with contact tracing are eligible.Start Printed Page 4189. accounts, the history behind an article. The federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the "CARES Act") provided Massachusetts with a total of approximately $2.5 billion through the new Coronavirus Relief Fund (CvRF) to use for expenditures related to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Deadline to spend COVID-19 relief funds has tribal nations on edge from 36 agencies. Learn more about PPP COVID-19 EIDL This low-interest loan provides help to businesses experiencing revenue loss. daily Federal Register on FederalRegister.gov will remain an unofficial State A does not need to document the specific use of the Fund payments by the school districts within the State. 54. Is there a Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number assigned to the Fund? The federal coronavirus relief package, known as the American Rescue Plan, which took effect in March, earmarked $20 billion for tribal governments an unprecedented federal investment in . The CARES Act established the $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund. See 42 CFR 433.51 and 45 CFR 75.306. For example, although developing online instruction capabilities may be a substantially different use of funds, online instruction itself is not a substantially different use of public funds than classroom instruction. developer tools pages. State, territorial, local, and Tribal governments receiving funds from Treasury should ensure that funds transferred to other entities, whether pursuant to a grant program or otherwise, are used in accordance with section 601(d) of the Social Security Act as implemented in the Guidance. The interim report will include a summary of the tribal government's expenditures by category from date FRF is received to July 31, 2021. Out of the $31 billion that tribes will receive, $20 billion will focus on combating COVID-19 and stabilizing safety nets in tribal communities. Please see Treasury Office of Inspector General FAQs at https://www.treasury.gov/about/organizational-structure/ig/Audit%20Reports%20and%20Testimonies/OIG-CA-20-028.pdf regarding reporting in the GrantSolutions portal. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism each comment to let us know of abusive posts. As provided in the Guidance, the most recently approved budget refers to the enacted budget for the relevant fiscal period for the particular government, without taking into account subsequent supplemental appropriations enacted or other budgetary adjustments made by that government in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Listing of eligible units of local government. Please see Treasury's Guidance as updated on June 30 regarding when a cost is considered to be incurred for purposes of the requirement that expenses be incurred within the covered period. List of NGOs providing relief during Covid-19 - Invest India 8. Payments from the Fund are not administered as part of a traditional grant program and the provisions of the Uniform Guidance, 2 CFR part 200, that are applicable to indirect costs do not apply. Unlike with the Coronavirus Relief Funds tribal governments received last year, tribes also have several years to spend FRF. Treasury provided (in FAQ A.3) that costs incurred for a substantially different use would include, for example, the costs of redeploying educational support staff or faculty to develop online learning capabilities, such as through providing information technology support that is not part of the staff or faculty's ordinary responsibilities. Just four days later, on March 22, 2020, the Hopi Tribe received notification of three confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Tuba City. Additional information on payments to Tribal governments is available under Coronavirus Relief Fund Tribal Allocation Methodology and Tribal Allocation Methodology for Second Distribution, below.Treasury has completed making payments to Tribal governments, other than amounts that have not been paid to Alaska Native corporations pending litigation on that issue. This category includes premium pay to a broad range of essential workers whose work requires regular in-person interactions including, among others: Premium pay that would increase a worker's total pay above 150 percent of the greater of the state or county average annual wage requires specific justification. Investing in housing and neighborhoods, such as affordable housing development, housing vouchers and housing navigation assistance to facilitate moves to neighborhoods with high economic opportunity. A Notice by the Treasury Department on 01/15/2021. Coronavirus (COVID-19) has had visible impact on impoverished communities via lack of medical equipment / supplies and loss of basic resources, including food and water. 1. Blog; Press Room; Subscribe for Updates; About Us. 2021-00827 Filed 1-14-21; 8:45 am], updated on 4:15 PM on Friday, March 3, 2023, updated on 8:45 AM on Friday, March 3, 2023, 105 documents Goods delivered in the covered period need not be used during the covered period in all cases. Expenses for disinfection of public areas and other facilities. 5. Please note that these instructions are for Fund recipients to return the balance of unused Fund payments to Treasury. See Section 601(d) of the Social Security Act, as added by section 5001 of the CARES Act and as amended by section 1001 of Division N of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. on This means that, if this presumption applies, work performed by such employees is considered to be a substantially different use than accounted for in the most recently approved budget as of March 27, 2020. Use of payments from the Fund to cover payroll or benefits expenses of public employees are limited to those employees whose work duties are substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Treasury's Office of Inspector General (OIG) will use this guidance in its audits of recipients' use of funds. It is not designed to be, and should not be used as, the sole source of information when analyzing and resolving a legal problem, and it should not be substituted for legal advice, which relies on a specific factual analysis. Judge Orders Trump Administration To Give Tribes Their COVID-19 Relief For additional information or questions on FRF or the American Rescue Plan, please contact the authors or another member of the Native American Law Team. The new COVID-19 relief bill include $31.2 billion for native communities and tribal governments. for better understanding how a document is structured but Be Proactive. documents in the last year, 282 Email: admin@pintnetwork.com. Third COVID-19 Relief Bill Becomes Law (H.R. First, we estimate the state will receive about $9.5 billion from the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) . The CARES Act established the $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund. A unit of local government eligible for receipt of direct payment includes a county, municipality, town, township, village, parish, borough, or other unit of general government below the State level with a population that exceeds 500,000. 254 through 256). Although a broad range of uses is allowed, revenue replacement is not a permissible use of Fund payments. 18. racist or sexually-oriented language. Is there a specific definition of hazard pay? Additionally, the cost of goods purchased in bulk and delivered during the covered period may be covered using payments from the Fund if a portion of the goods is ordered for use in the covered period, the bulk purchase is consistent with the recipient's usual procurement policies and practices, and it is impractical to track and record when the items were used. Yes. The Guidance provides that ineligible expenditures include [p]ayroll or benefits expenses for employees whose work duties are not substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Is this intended to relate only to public employees? It is not an official legal edition of the Federal What Was the Coronavirus Relief Fund? - The Peter G. Peterson Foundation This means that, whereas payroll and benefits of an employee who is substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency may generally be covered in full using payments from the Fund, hazard pay specifically may only be covered to the extent it is related to COVID-19. She said the tribe will assess peoples needs through a survey engagement to be distributed through communication and the media before a plan is finalized. The deadline to request funding for the first payment is June 7, 2021. Few details on the specific requirements are known at this time. Although FRF is a substantial capital infusion, tribes should not lose track of other potential sources of funding through the American Rescue Plan and other legislative packages that may be passed this year. documents in the last year, by the Executive Office of the President On September 2, 2020, Questions A.53-56 were added and Questions A.34 and A.38 were revised. 1. are necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19); 2. were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of March 27, 2020 (the date of enactment of the CARES Act) for the State or government; and, 3. were incurred during the period that begins on March 1, 2020, and ends on December 31, 2021.[1]. How does a government address the requirement that the allowable expenditures are not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of March 27, 2020, once the government enters its new budget year on July 1, 2020 (for governments with June 30 fiscal year ends) or October 1, 2020 (for governments with September 30 year ends)? Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Flooding (DR-4384) Incident Period: May 5, 2018 - May 28, 2018 Major Disaster Declaration declared on August 17, 2018 Avery Street A3-G, Bureau of the Fiscal Service, P.O. Information about this document as published in the Federal Register. The Guidance says that funding can be used to meet payroll expenses for public safety, public health, health care, human services, and similar employees whose services are substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Data Sovereignty. PRB Provider Relief Fund General Information FAQ | HRSA Every adult tribal member is eligible for this assistance and eligibility is not based on household size. Read more on the law and tribal-specific provisions: H.R. Sorry, no promotional deals were found matching that code. on 11. Exact payments to individual tribes were allocated out of that fund by the United States Department of the Treasury. Are Fund payments considered federal financial assistance for purposes of the Single Audit Act? Paycheck Protection Program This forgivable loan helps keep your workforce employed. Please contact your responsible Holland & Knight lawyer or the authors of this alert for timely advice. The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation is operating its CCDF program under a P.L. to the courts under 44 U.S.C. CRF Operation Connectivity Prior Purchase Reimbursement Program (PPRP) To request an application, or with any questions related to the CRF Operation Connectivity PPRP application process, email customerservice@teabulkorder.com, preferably between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. documents in the last year, 467 Furthermore, no government which receives payments from the Fund may discriminate against a health care entity on the basis that the entity does not provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for abortions. Yes, this would be an eligible expense if the government determined that the costs of such employment and training programs would be necessary due to the public health emergency. Treasury made payments beginning on May 5, 2020, based on population to all Tribal governments submitting correct payment information, other than Alaska Native corporations, and made payments beginning on June 12, 2020, based on employment and expenditures to Tribal governments that received payments based on population and that provided supplemental information before established deadlines. . The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday that Alaska Native regional and village corporations are eligible to receive federal CARES Act funding intended for tribes. If governments use Fund payments as described in the Guidance to establish a grant program to support businesses, would those funds be considered gross income taxable to a business receiving the grant under the Internal Revenue Code (Code)? 3. To facilitate prompt distribution of Title V funds, the CARES Act authorized Treasury to make direct payments to local governments with populations in excess of 500,000, in amounts equal to 45% of the local government's per capita share of the statewide allocation. Our Mission & Vision; Board; Staff; . 0 The date for use of funds was extended from December 30, 2020 to December 31, 2021, by section 1001 of Division N of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Pub. And the reservation's borders are fluid, so even the tribe's extensive precautions haven't been enough to fully protect Colville . were incurred during the period that begins on March 1, 2020, and ends on December 31, 2022. We continue to offer PPP loan forgiveness. Tribal COViD-19 DisasTer assisTanCe aPPliCaTiOn. Oglala Sioux Tribe Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding 4. Law and Justice. Yes, assuming that the recipient considers the grants to be a necessary expense incurred due to the COVID-19 public health emergency and the grants meet the other requirements for the use of Fund payments under section 601(d) of the Social Security Act outlined in the Guidance. Information contained in this alert is for the general education and knowledge of our readers. The U.S. Department of the Treasury has recently announced how it will allocate these funds among tribes and provided guidance on how these funds can be used. The Guidance provides examples of broad classes of employees whose payroll expenses would be eligible expenses under the Fund. Other restrictions, such as restrictions on reopening that do not directly concern the use of funds, are not permissible. The reports will include the same general data (e.g., obligations, expenditures, contracts, grants and sub-awards). May recipients create a payroll support program for public employees? The deadline to confirm or amend 2019 employment numbers is June 21, 2021. For the full text of these requirements, see Title V of Pubic Law 116-94 (133 Stat. The Treasury Department's guidance previewed several reporting requirements that tribes will need to satisfy as they spend FRF. 12005 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also called the CARES Act. 16. Are expenses associated with contact tracing eligible? More information and documentation can be found in our Any amounts not repaid by the borrower until after December 31, 2021, must be returned to Treasury upon receipt by the unit of government lending the funds. Coronavirus Relief Fund by GlobalGiving Story Projects .