BOCC Approves Parameters for Escambia CARES Grants

The Escambia County Commission has approved parameters for the Escambia CARES Family Emergency Financial Assistance Grant and the Escambia CARES Business Emergency Financial Assistance Grant, each in the total amount of $3,580,331.

Escambia CARES Family Emergency Financial Assistance Grant

Funding for the Escambia CARES Family Emergency Financial Assistance Grant will be available in amounts of $2,000 per household, and will be awarded to approximately 1,790 households in the county. CARES Family Emergency Financial Assistance Grants will be dispersed on a first-qualified, first-served basis. 

General Eligibility Requirements

• Applicants must be residents of Escambia County
• Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or a permanent legal resident
• Applicants must be at least 18 years old
• Have a household income of $45,000 or less
• Have been negatively impacted by COVID-19

The application window for the Escambia CARES Family Emergency Financial Assistance Grant will be open from Friday, Sept. 18, through Tuesday, Sept. 22. The application will be available online at myescambia.com/CARES beginning Friday, Sept. 25, at 8 a.m. and will be open until 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29.

To apply for the Escambia CARES Family Emergency Financial Assistance Grant, applicants will need to provide:

• Certification of COVID-19 impact
• Copy of a valid, state-issued ID 
• Copy of Social Security card or other proof of a Social Security number
• Tax-Filers: Copy of the first page of their 2019 federal tax return (IRS form 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ)
• Non-Tax Filers: Self-Certification letter stating the reason why you did not file a 2019 Federal Income Tax Return and/or the type of income you received – Social Security Benefits (SSA, SSI/SSD), Railroad Retirement, Veterans Affairs Pension, Disability Benefits, etc.
• A completed W-9 form. Click here for the fillable W-9 Form. 

Those needing assistance or who do not have access to the internet and wish to apply with paper forms instead of online can visit  one of the 12 fully-staffed application assistance centers located throughout the county, with at least one location available in each district.

These locations will be staffed for in-person application assistance during the grant application window, Friday, Sept. 25, through Tuesday, Sept. 29, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and from noon to 5 p.m. weekends (unless otherwise noted)

• Beulah Senior Citizens Center, 7425 Woodside Dr.
• Open Friday, Sept. 18, from 1-8 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 19, and Sunday, Sept. 20, from noon-5 p.m.; and Monday, Sept. 21, and Tuesday, Sept. 22, from 1-8 p.m.
• Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. DeSoto St.
• Carver Park Resource Center, 208 Webb St.
• Century Branch Library, 7991 N. Century Blvd.
• Dorrie Miller Community Center, 2819 N. Miller St.
• Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Place
• Escambia County Extension Services, 3740 Stefani Road
• Gull Point Community Center, 7000 Spanish Trail
• Marie K. Young Wedgewood Community Center, 6405 Wagner Road
• Molino Library, 6450 Highway 95-A North
• Walnut Hill Community Center, 7850 Highway 97 North
• Woodland Heights Community Center, 111 Berkeley Dr.

Escambia CARES Business Emergency Financial Assistance Grant

Funding for the Escambia CARES Business Emergency Financial Assistance Grant will be available in amounts of $7,500 for small businesses with up to 25 employees and $15,000 for small businesses with 26-50 employees.

The application process for the Escambia CARES Business Emergency Financial Assistance Grant will open Friday, Sept. 25, and continue through Tuesday, Sept. 29.  The application will be available online at myescambia.com/CARES and will be available in select in-person locations. Those locations will be determined at the next Board of County Commissioners’ meeting on Thursday, Sept. 17.

Businesses wishing to apply for this grant will need to supply:

• A current W-9 form

• Financial documents including a 2019 tax return, IRS form 941 from the first quarter of 2020 or a sole proprietor statement

• Documentation of the amount of loans received from the Paycheck Protection Program

• An active state business registration, license or other documentation of the businesses’ ability to operate in Florida

These grants are part of a larger funding allocation to Escambia County by the federal CARES Act via the State of Florida. Escambia County has been initially allocated more than $14.32 million in funding. The Board of Commissioners has committed half of this funding will go directly to the county's residents and businesses in the form of direct payments.