
Hunterdon County Board of Commissioners
Director, Commissioner John E. Lanza
Deputy Director, Commissioner Zachary T. Rich
Commissioner Shaun C. Van Doren
Commissioner Susan J. Soloway
American Rescue Plan Frequently Asked Questions
The Following list of FAQ's have been compiled for the use of County Governments throughout the State of New Jersey, The New Jersey Association of Counties (NJAC), National Association of Counties (NACO) and The United States Treasury

This list contains answers to frequently asked questions regarding the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (CSFRF / CLFRF, or Fiscal Recovery Funds). Treasury will be updating their guidance periodically in response to questions received from stakeholders.
01
The following governments are eligible:
• States and the District of Columbia
• Territories
• Tribal governments
• Counties
• Metropolitan cities
• Non-entitlement units, or smaller local governments
Which governments are eligible for funds?
02
What types of COVID-19 response, mitigation, and prevention activities are eligible?
A broad range of services are needed to contain COVID-19 and are eligible uses, including vaccination programs; medical care; testing; contact tracing; support for isolation or quarantine; supports for vulnerable populations to access medical or public health services; public health surveillance ( e.g., monitoring case trends, genomic sequencing for variants); enforcement of public health orders; public communication efforts; enhancement to health care capacity,
including through alternative care facilities; purchases of personal protective equipment; support for prevention, mitigation, or other services in congregate living facilities ( e.g., nursing homes, incarceration settings, homeless shelters, group living facilities) and other key settings like schools; ventilation improvements in congregate settings, health care settings, or other key locations; enhancement of public health data systems; and other public health responses. Capital investments in public facilities to meet pandemic operational needs are also eligible, such s physical plant improvements to public hospitals and health clinics or adaptations to public buildings to implement COVID-19 mitigation tactics.
03
May recipients use funds to respond to the public health emergency and its negative economic impacts by replenishing state unemployment funds?
Consistent with the approach taken in the CRF, recipients may make deposits into the state account of the Unemployment Trust Fund up to the level needed to restore the prepandemic balances of such account as of January 27, 2020, or to pay back advances received for the payment of benefits between January 27, 2020 and the date when the Interim Final Rule is published in the Federal Register.
04
What Types of Services are Eligible as Responses to the Negative Economic Impacts of The Pandemic?
Eligible uses in this category include assistance to households; small businesses and nonprofits; and aid to impacted industries.
Assistance to households includes, but is not limited to: food assistance; rent, mortgage, or utility assistance; counseling and legal aid to prevent eviction or homelessness; cash assistance; emergency assistance for burials, home repairs, weatherization, or other needs; internet access or digital literacy assistance; or job training to address negative economic or public health impacts experienced due to a worker's occupation or level of training.
Assistance to small business and non-profits includes, but is not limited to:
-
loans or grants to mitigate financial hardship such as declines in revenues or impacts of periods of business closure, for example by supporting payroll and benefits costs, costs to retain employees, mortgage, rent, or utilities costs, and other operating costs;
-
Loans, grants, or in-kind assistance to implement COVID-19 prevention or mitigation tactics, such as physical plant changes to enable social distancing, enhanced cleaning efforts, barriers or partitions, or COVID-19 vaccination, testing, or contact tracing programs; and
-
Technical assistance, counseling, or other services to assist with business planning needs.
05
May recipients use funds for general economic development or workforce development?
Generally, not. Recipients must demonstrate that funding uses directly address a negative economic impact of the COVID-19 public health emergency, including funds used for economic or workforce development. For example, job training for unemployed workers may be used to address negative economic impacts of the public health emergency and be eligible.
06
How does the Interim Final Rule help address the disparate impact of COVID-19 on certain populations and geographies?
In recognition of the disproportionate impacts of the COVID-19 virus on health and economic outcomes in low-income and Native American communities, the Interim Final Rule identifies a broader range of services and programs that are considered to be in response to the public health emergency when provided in these communities. Specifically, Treasury will presume that certain types of services are eligible uses when provided in a Qualified Census Tract (QCT), to families living in QCTs, or when these services are provided by Tribal governments.
Recipients may also provide these services to other populations, households, or geographic areas disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. In identifying these disproportionately-impacted communities, recipients should be able to support their determination for how the pandemic disproportionately impacted the populations, households, or geographic areas to be served.
Eligible services include:
• Addressing health disparities and the social determinants of health, including: community health workers, public benefits navigators, remediation of lead paint or other lead hazards, and community violence intervention programs;
• Building stronger neighborhoods and communities, including: supportive housing and other services for individuals experiencing homelessness, development of affordable housing, and housing vouchers and assistance relocating to neighborhoods with higher levels of economic opportunity;
• Addressing educational disparities exacerbated by COVID-19, including: early learning services, increasing resources for high-poverty school districts, educational services like tutoring or afterschool programs, and supports for students' social, emotional, and mental health needs; and
• Promoting healthy childhood environments, including: child care, home visiting programs for families with young children, and enhanced services for child welfare-involved families and foster youth.
