National Association of Counties Welcomes Treasury Guidance Giving Counties New Flexibility in Coronavirus Relief Funds

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WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Treasury today issued updated guidance on the $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) authorized under the CARES Act. Included in the guidance is clarification on the ability of state and local governments to use CRF funding toward the non-federal matching requirements for FEMA’s Stafford Act assistance for COVID-19 relief. National Association of Counties (NACo) Executive Director Matthew Chase issued the following statement:

Counties welcome Treasury’s new guidance on the Coronavirus Relief Fund, which will give much-needed flexibility to address the far-reaching impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Counties are on the front lines of the nation’s response to this public health and economic crisis, and our fiscal and workforce challenges are immense. This added flexibility will free up existing county resources to respond to COVID-19 and other pressing needs of our residents and communities.  

“Since the passage of the CARES Act, counties have called for the ability to use CRF funding to supplement the costs of county services delivered in response to the pandemic. This new guidance provides us with that flexibility.”

America’s 3,069 county governments support over 1,900 local public health departments, nearly 1,000 hospitals and critical access clinics, more than 800 long-term care facilities and 750 behavioral health centers. Additionally, county governments are responsible for emergency operations centers and 911 services, court and jail management, public safety and emergency response, protective services for children, seniors and veterans, and the “last of the first responders” with coroners and medical examiners.

View NACo’s Coronavirus Relief Fund resource hub here.

Read NACo’s legislative analysis of the CARES Act here.

NACo’s coronavirus online hub includes county level examples of response efforts, interactive maps and analyses of federal actions. View this resource-rich webpage at www.naco.org/coronavirus.