OBSERVER Staff Report

State Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has announced federal funding is being made available to county emergency management agencies to support COVID-19 planning and operational readiness.

This grant opportunity provides an additional level of direct support to counties as New York, and the rest of the world, continues to grapple with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible recipients will be able to utilize this funding to cover various emergency management-related costs already borne during the pandemic, as well as costs associated with local prevention and operational efforts moving forward.

“As the COVID-19 Pandemic continues to threaten the health and safety of people around the world, New York continues to be the model for effectively responding to this crisis and controlling infection levels despite the financial toll it has taken on state and local governments,” Cuomo said. “While this funding is a first step in providing local governments with much needed relief, this situation is far from over and I will keep fighting to ensure the federal government is providing real financial support to those who have been on the front lines since Day One.”

As part of FEMA’s Emergency Management Performance Grant program, this COVID-19 Supplemental will provide recipients with funding to cover costs associated with COVID-19-related planning, training, travel, support from consultants or contractors, equipment purchases, and facility construction and maintenance. Funding allocations are derived from a population-based formula and require a 1:1 cost match from each recipient.

Funding availabilities for each eligible jurisdiction include: Cattaraugus County, $17,558; Chautauqua County, $29,492; and Erie County, $200,914.

Ineligible costs include:

• Anything unrelated to COVID-19 planning, prevention, or response.

• Activities and projects unrelated to the completion and implementation of this Emergency Management Performance Grant COVID-19 Supplemental;

• Costs to support hiring sworn public safety officers for the purposes of fulfilling traditional public safety duties; or

• Costs already paid for with funding from FEMA’s Public Assistance Program or any other federal program.