Sarasota County has launched the Comprehensive Guide for Business Assistance.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a $2 trillion economic relief package designed to mitigate the
economic impacts of COVID-19. Sarasota County is eligible to potentially receive up to approximately $75.7 million. To date,
Sarasota County has received $18.9 million.
The CARES Act provides that payments from the Coronavirus Relief Fund may only be used to cover costs that:
1. are necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19);
2. were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of March 27, 2020 (the date of enactment of the CARES Act)
for the state or government; and
3. were incurred during the period that begins on March 1, 2020, and ends on Dec. 30, 2020.
The provision of grants to small businesses and nonprofits, in an amount not-to-exceed $20,000 per business or nonprofit, as set by
the Sarasota County Commission, is to reimburse the costs of business interruption caused by required closures due to the COVID-19
public health emergency.
The program provides grants for the recovery and stabilization of small businesses negatively impacted by the COVID-19 emergency,
so long as funds remain available.