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MITIGATION FUND

ABOUT THE FUND

For all businesses and nonprofits that have incurred employee and customer health and safety expenses that were a direct impact of COVID-19

  • Timing: Opened August 4, 2020; Closed on September 15, 2020

  • Funding: Up to $500,000; Cannot apply more than one time per program

  • Eligible Entities: Wyoming businesses and nonprofit organizations of all sizes

  • Eligible time frame: March 1, 2020 - application date 

  • Total Funding Available: $40 million in total.  

BUSINESS ELIGIBILITY 

  • No limitation on number of employees

  • Established on or before March 13, 2020 

  • For-profit, privately or publicly owned businesses

  • Headquartered in Wyoming or principal operations in Wyoming and at least 60 percent of their employees employed in Wyoming or 60 percent of the business payroll paid to individuals living in Wyoming.

  • Any government-owned entity, including tribal government-owned business, is not eligible.

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NOTE: Eligible businesses that received dollars from the Interruption Fund and the Relief Fund can apply for the Mitigation Fund. These businesses must certify new or increased expenses due to the public health orders.

NONPROFIT ELIGIBILITY 

  • Any nonprofit entity registered with the Internal Revenue Service 

  • Established on or before March 13, 2020 

  • Headquartered in Wyoming or principal operations in Wyoming and at least 60 percent of their employees employed in Wyoming or 60 percent of the business payroll paid to individuals living in Wyoming.​

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NOTE: Eligible nonprofits that received dollars from the Relief Fund can apply for the Mitigation Fund. These nonprofits must certify new or increased expenses due to the public health orders.

Eligible businesses and nonprofits can apply for both the Relief Fund and the Mitigation Fund but applicants cannot apply more than one time per fund. Businesses that received a stipend from the Interruption Fund can also apply for these next funds. Recipients are not required to pay back the funds; however, all funds received through the COVID-19 Business Relief Program are considered taxable income.

ALLOWABLE EXPENSES

Applicants need to show certification of actual COVID-related expenses incurred between March 1, 2020, and the application date for the health and safety of Wyoming employees and to comply with public health guidelines.

Examples of eligible expenses include: 

  • Cleaning products 

  • Sanitizers 

  • Personal Protection Equipment 

  • Other safety equipment 

  • High-efficiency air filters 

  • Expenses related to training to implement necessary and required protocols to continue operating the business 

  • Expenses related to hiring and paying employees necessary to implement protocols associated with screening, safety, security, cleaning, and sanitizing business premises 

  • Gloves

  • Installing physical barriers, such as clear plastic sneeze guards 

  • Face shields & face masks 

  • Respiratory protection, when appropriate 

  • Announcements, signage, and visual cues to promote social distancing   

  • Thermometers for temperature checks 

  • Expenses to promote telework and other social distancing practices that were required for an employee to perform the essential function of their job from their remote work location

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Examples of ineligible expenses include

  • Legal fees 

  • Travel expenses 

  • Mortgage or rent expense  

  • Lost wages or salaries 

  • Undocumented items 

  • Any expenses that have not actually incurred   

  • Expenses reimbursed from another funding source