COVID-19 BUSINESS RELIEF PROGRAM
In May 2020, the Wyoming Legislature created three programs to distribute $325 million in federal CARES Act funding to Wyoming businesses and nonprofits that experienced hardship related to the COVID-19 crisis. The Wyoming Business Council is distributing these dollars through the COVID-19 Business Relief Program, which consists of five funds: the Interruption, Relief, Mitigation, Agriculture, and Endurance funds, all of which are now closed.
PREVIOUS FUNDS
INTERRUPTION FUND
June 8 - July 2, 2020
3,980 applicants paid
$98.75 million paid
RELIEF FUND
Aug. 4 - Sept. 15, 2020
2,415 applicants paid
$177.7 million paid
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MITIGATION FUND
Aug. 4 - Sept. 15, 2020
687 applicants paid
$25.6 million paid
For Wyoming ranchers and farmers who lost revenue due to public health orders or incurred COVID-19 related expenses
$90 million available
Up to $250,000 per applicant
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Closed Nov. 18, 2020, 8 PM
AGRICULTURE FUND
NOW CLOSED
ENDURANCE FUND
Ongoing pandemic response for COVID-19 related losses and expenses for Wyoming businesses and some nonprofits
At least $24 million available
Up to $250,000 per applicant
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Closed Nov. 18, 2020, 8 PM
NOW CLOSED
AUDIT PROCESS & RETURNING FUNDS
With guidance from an independent auditing firm, McGee Hearne & Paiz, LLP (MHP), a sampling of COVID-19 Business Relief Program recipients will be audited in the coming weeks. Entities chosen for the audit pool will receive an email notification on Friday, Nov. 20, with instructions on next steps. MHP will also conduct the audits, which will be handled at the business level, not application or program levels. Fund recipients are encouraged to collect documentation used to calculate their fund amounts in the event they are audited.
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If a business or nonprofit would like to proactively return money from any of the Business Relief Program funds, they can log in to their Business Relief Program account to initiate the return. Returning complete funds by Nov. 30 will remove you from the third-party audit list and you will not need to provide any supporting documentation. The final deadline for returning funds is Dec. 18.
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RELIEF FUND FUTURE EXTRAORDINARY EXPENDITURES PLAN
IMPORTANT EXPENDITURE PLAN INFORMATION: If you included future extraordinary expenditures in your Relief Fund application, you must be sure to appropriately expend those funds by Dec. 1, 2020, and prepare to report on how those funds were spent by Dec. 15, 2020. More details will be emailed to Relief Fund recipients who included future expenses in their applications.
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REGIONAL DIRECTOR CONSULTANTS
Reach out to a regional director with specific questions and for more information.
AMY QUICK
Northwest Regional Director (Big Horn, Hot Springs, Park and Washakie counties)
307.421.0140
HEATHER TUPPER
Southeast Regional Director (Albany, Carbon, Goshen and Laramie counties)
307.777.2804
ELAINA ZEMPEL
Western Regional Director (Lincoln, Sublette, Uinta and Teton counties)
307.877.2203
BRANDI HARLOW
Northeast Regional Director (Campbell, Crook, Johnson, Sheridan and Weston counties)
307.689.1320
KIM RIGHTMER
East Central Regional Director (Converse, Natrona, Niobrara and Platte counties)
307.577.6012
MARCIO PAES-BARRETO
South Central Regional Director (Fremont and Sweetwater counties).
307.630.4679
ENERGY REBOUND PROGRAM APPLICATIONS NOW CLOSED
Governor Gordon created the Energy Rebound Program (ERP) to assist Wyoming’s economic recovery and boost employment in the oil and gas sector in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff is working on verifying and reviewing applications submitted between 10 a.m. MST on Wednesday, Nov. 18, and 10 a.m. MST on Monday, Nov. 23. Please be advised that applications submitted outside this timeframe will not be accepted. If you have submitted an application, please monitor your email, phone calls, text messages, and voicemail, as reviewers may contact you as needed.
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PARTNERS
Special thanks to these partner agencies who provide valuable assistance and support to Wyoming businesses in the good times and tough times.
