The first round of Carbon County’s COVID-19 Block Grant funds have been awarded.

On Thursday, the county commissioners approved disbursing the funds of approved applications for the relief money. Carbon County received $5.79 million in CARES funds to help offset costs for COVID-19 related expenses.

Commissioner Rocky Ahner said that there were 135 entities that would be receiving funds, including 81 small businesses, eight municipalities, 30 nonprofit organizations, 15 tourism-related organizations and one behavioral health agency. The total money that would be disbursed is $2.8 million.

Additional funds are held from applicants that applied but either didn’t yet finalize the agreements or are waiting on other grant announcements.

Ahner noted that once the proper paperwork for the 52 entities that were also approved has been received, their grant awards would also go out.

Carbon County last month announced that it awarded $3.66 million to the applicants in the first round of block grants.

Commissioner Chris Lukasevich also announced last week that the county is opening a second round of grant applications starting Oct. 16.

He said Thursday that approximately $1.2 million is still available and noted that the county plans to maintain the $100,000 cap limit and will give priority to entities that have not previously been awarded CARES funding or grants.

For more information on the new round of grant applications, visit www.carboncounty.com and click on the COVID-19 Relief (Carbon) County Block Grant Portal.

In other COVID-19 relief matters, Lukasevich said that the Rent Relief Program from the state has been extended through Nov. 4.

Catholic Charities has overseen applications for Carbon County.

Lukasevich said that to date, 67 households and 56 landlords in Carbon County have received rent assistance through the program.

Lukasevich also invited the public to join him from 1:30 to 3 p.m. on Saturday at the Mauch Chunk Lake beach pavilion for a discussion on what county residents would like to see for the future of Mauch Chunk Lake Park.