Nonprofits and community organizations serving low to moderate income residents can apply for funds through Pinellas County’s portion of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to support public health and testing, feeding operations, emergency sheltering, housing and other services.
Funds are available from the Community Development Block Grant Program – Coronavirus Response (CDBG-CV) and the Emergency Solution Grant – Coronavirus Response (ESG-CV) funds.
Applicants must show a direct link between the COVID-19 crisis and their increase in services and demonstrate their ability to meet specific public health objectives defined in the CARES Act (details below).
Applications must be submitted online no later than 5 p.m., on Friday, May 22 through the County’s website at www.pinellascounty.org/community/nofa/executive.htm.
Eligible CDBG-CV activities include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Carry out job training to expand the pool of health care workers and technicians that are available to treat disease within the community.
- Provide testing, diagnosis or other services at a fixed or mobile location.
- Increase the capacity and availability of targeted health services for infectious disease response within existing health facilities.
- Provide equipment, supplies, and materials necessary to carry-out a public service.
- Deliver meals on wheels to quarantined individuals or individuals that need to maintain social distancing due to medical vulnerabilities.
- Provide another public service that assists persons directly affected by COVID-19.
Eligible ESG-CV activities include:
- Street outreach
- Emergency sheltering
- Homelessness prevention
- Rapid re-housing
Funding will be prioritized for projects that address the following COVID-19-related needs:
- Food purchase and distribution
- Healthcare testing and medical response
Criteria that will be considered in the application review include: conceptual soundness of the project; financial feasibility of the project; applicant’s demonstrated ability to implement and administer the project; applicant’s ability to meet and maintain compliance with applicable federal, state, and/or local regulations; community development value (cost versus community impact); and a demonstrable link between the COVID-19 crisis and increase in services.
