MEMA Emergency Relief Program will assist counties and municipalities with COVID-19 expenses

Tuesday, Gov. Tate Reeves and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency launched the MEMA COVID-19 Emergency Relief Program to help relieve the financial burdens caused by this unprecedented pandemic on counties and municipalities.

House Bill 1799 and Senate Bill 3047 allocated $70 million of federal COVID-19 relief to MEMA to assist counties and municipalities with their COVID-19 expenses.

“Hopefully, it can help keep more people on the job and prevent more layoffs,” Reeves said. “It’s not enough to overcome the terrible cost of COVID-19, but it’s something. It’s necessary. And we’re going to do everything we can to get it out quickly and efficiently.”

The governor made the announcement with MEMA Director Greg Michel at Tuesday’s press briefing, which you can view on Tate Reeves’ Facebook page here.

Through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s COVID-19 Economic Disaster Declaration, counties, municipalities and specific nonprofits are eligible for public assistance. While FEMA reimburses 75% of those approved expenses, some entities struggle to meet the 25% match. Through the MEMA COVID-19 Emergency Relief Program, the burden is now lifted from the counties and municipalities to provide that match.

Since not all COVID-19 expenses are eligible for federal reimbursement through , FEMA and SB 3047 details what other expenses can be covered by the CARES Act funds. You can view which expenses are reimbursable here.

The allocation of funds from the relief program is based on the county or municipality’s population as listed in the 2010 U.S. Census. If a government entity’s costs are not entirely covered by FEMA’s reimbursement, MEMA will work with remaining CARES Act funds to help ensure a 100% reimbursement.

The CARES Act funding application process will be open from Aug. 3 through Oct. 15. Information on how to apply for funding will be available by July 31 on MEMA’s website at msema.org. According to SB 3047, reimbursements must begin Aug. 15. Monies must be obligated by Nov. 30 or will be returned to the Governor.

Counties and municipalities can apply for public assistance through FEMA’s Grants Portal now by visiting grantee.fema.gov.