General Welfare Application Guidance

General Welfare grants, i.e. “emergency financial assistance,” “economic support,” “consumer grants” as considered “necessary” and pursuant to numerous additional considerations and justifications

(Documents examples receipt. bank statement, or invoice or to pay on individuals’ behalf)

As such, an expenditure from the list below must meet all three tests above before it could be considered allowable. See Guidelines and FAQ’s for more clarification.

• Personal Protective Equipment and PPE Reserves

• Rents/Mortgage

• Equipment to facilitate social distancing – partitions, etc.

• Food

• Deep cleaning supplies and/or contracting of external services to sanitize

• Career retraining of employees and/or citizens

• New technology platforms/subscriptions/equipment to administer programs, communicate, telework, distance learning, videoconference, cybersecurity

• Broadband expansion, as considered necessary (Internet)

• Assistance for students required to distance learn

• Direct paid utility payments/reimbursement

• Solid waste capacity increases

Again, it must be stated that the above is not an exhaustive list of allowable expenditures. There are innumerable interpretations and combinations of the above.

Do governments have to return unspent funds to Treasury? Yes. Section 601(f)(2) of the Social Security Act, as added by section 5001(a) of the CARES Act, provides for recoupment by the Department of the Treasury of amounts received from the Fund that have not been used in a manner consistent with section 601(d) of the Social Security Act. If a government has not used funds it has received to cover costs that were incurred by December 30, 2020, as required by the statute, those funds must be returned to the Department of the Treasury.

Additional Questions: Sheila Miller/Jody Hartwig 715-793-4111