Mohave Today

Nearly $600 million in coronavirus relief and recovery is being made available to local Arizona governments and nonprofits.

Gov. Doug Ducey's office is providing $441 million in direct funding to cities, towns and counties that didn't receive funding from the federal government earlier this year. Local governments, tribal communities and schools will receive expedited reimbursements from FEMA for coronavirus-related purchases, including PPE and testing equipment. 

“Our office has met with mayors and county leaders to hear directly how COVID-19 is impacting their communities, and this plan delivers for them,” Gov. Ducey said according to the City of Kingman. “It maximizes flexibility and prioritizes getting dollars quickly to where they’re needed most. From our cities and towns, to our hospitals, schools, tribal communities, nonprofits and more, we are all in this fight together. My thanks to all the local  leaders stepping up to protect local health, restart our economy and  make sure that Arizona returns stronger.”

Kingman Mayor Jen Miles said these dollars will go a long way in reenergizing the economy and helping to keep people safe. 

The governor's office has established a new fund, the AZCares Fund, to provide support to communities that did not directly receive funding as part of the federal CARES Act. Funds can be used by local governments to cover regular payroll expenses for public health and public safety personnel so that other budget funds can be prioritized and used elsewhere. 

Ducey also announced the Arizona Express Pay Program, which expedites the process of accessing assistance from FEMA, providing $150 million to expedite FEMA reimbursement requests.