Schuylkill County is applying to multiple federal and state programs to receive grant money for its COVID-19 response.

The commissioners recently applied to three different state grants which are funded through the $2 trillion Federal CARES act.

“We thank the administration and everyone that’s been involved with everything that’s been done throughout this time, the COVID situation. We also thank our state and federal partners for coming to the table to try to get money to us to try to offset some of these extraordinary expenses that not only we have had but everyone in the county has had over this time,” Commissioner George Halcovage said.

The first grant, the Pennsylvania COVID-19 County Relief Block Grant program, includes $625 million in CARES Funding which will be distributed to counties throughout the state. Schuylkill will receive $12,756,907. The money will be used to fund COVID-19 related activities and to offset the county’s cost to respond to the virus. The money must be distributed by Dec. 30.

The county will oversee an application process where local fire companies, municipalities, nonprofits and businesses will be able to apply for a share of the money.

The funds can be used for personal protective equipment, grants to small businesses that did not receive money from the Paycheck Protection Program, tourism businesses including county fairs, behavioral health and substance abuse treatment, broadband projects and nonprofit assistance.

The county is working with a consultant to ensure they spend the money according to federal guidelines.

The second program involves funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s public assistance program, distributed through the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. The commissioners submitted that application last week and expect funding from the grant.

The county plans to submit COVID-related expenses which aren’t covered under the other programs. Those expenses include purchasing personal protective equipment, running the emergency operations center, training and disinfecting facilities, according to EMA officials.

“The commissioners approved a grant with federal money that comes from the state that comes down to the county level that allows us to address some of the expenses we’ve been seeing for COVID-19 related preparedness and response,” said John Matz, director of Schuylkill Emergency Management Agency.

Matz said the county must cover the cost of the PPE it purchased for its own workers and first responders throughout the county since the pandemic began, as well as new supplies so it is prepared if there is a resurgence of the virus this fall.

The departments that need PPE are varied and include senior services as well as children and youth.

“We have been trying to assist them by supplying them with at least enough personal protective equipment to get them through. That includes gloves, N95 masks and gowns. Those are probably the three biggest requests we had from them,” Matz said.

A third grant program which the county applied to last week will provide rental assistance. The Pennsylvania CARES Relief Fund grant will provide money for households and individuals experiencing job loss or substantial loss of income as a result of the COVID-19 health crisis. That grant will be administered through the nonprofit Schuylkill Community Action.