Governor's office announces rules for CARES Act relief disbursements

N.H. Gov. Chris Sununu (Courtesy photo)

CONCORD - Governor Chris Sununu announced ON Monday that the Governor's Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery has allocated $40 million in CARES Act flex funds to cover COVID-19 related expenses incurred in municipalities and counties between March 1and Aug. 31, 2020.
CARES Act "Flex" Funds Disbursement to Local Governments Overview

• The Governor has authorized the allocation and expenditure of $32 million to municipalities, and $8 million to counties, to cover COVID-19-related expenses incurred from March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020.
• These amounts are based on actual and estimated expense data provided by municipalities and counties.
• The allocations have been made available to all municipalities/counties based on 2018 population figures from the Office of Strategic Initiatives.
• Local governments must submit reimbursement requests to GOFERR by email (using a form created by GOFERR), including expense details/explanations, estimates, if applicable, and supporting documentation.
• GOFERR will only accept reimbursement requests in May, July, and September, as follows:
• By June 1 for expenses incurred from March 1-April 30.
• By July 15 for expenses incurred from May 1-June 30.
• By Sept. 15 for expenses incurred from July 1-Aug. 31.
• GOFERR will make every effort to issue all checks within 30 days after receipt of the request.
• Local governments will only be reimbursed for COVID-19-related expenses actually incurred, but only up to the amounts allocated based on population figures. No local government can receive total reimbursements exceeding its allocated amount.
• For example, if $100,000 was allocated to municipality A, municipality A could not be reimbursed for eligible expenses totaling more than $100,000, even if Municipality A's eligible expenses from March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020 amount to $200,000. In addition, if municipality A incurs $90,000 of eligible expenses from March 1, 2020 to April 30, 2020, municipality A would be reimbursed $90,000 in May, but only up to $10,000 in July and/or September, depending on if and when municipality A incurs additional expenses.
• In September, local governments will be required to estimate the additional COVID-19-related expenses they will incur through December 31, 2020. GOFERR will use this information in considering whether further relief might be needed after August 31, 2020.
• Any amount allocated that exceeds the eligible expenses submitted for reimbursement by a local government from March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020, will, after August 31, 2020, lapse back to the State for other disbursement.