Why aren't some Kane County governments applying for CARES money?
As the final weeks tick by for local taxing bodies, business and nonprofit agencies to get a piece of the $93 million in federal CARES Act money Kane County is giving out, the number of entities choosing to pass on the free money is as notable as the millions going out the door.
The latest numbers and applications into the county this week show multiple agencies not even applying for money with their names on it.
For instance, only three of 11 Kane County area townships applied for any of the funds. Some of that may stem from a lack of qualifying expenses. The money is intended to be a reimbursement for dollars spent or costs incurred because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fire protection districts are on the front lines of responding to COVID-19 patients. But nine districts serving parts of Kane, including the Algonquin, Aurora, Carpentersville and Rutland-Dundee districts, did not submit applications to receive funds.
Meanwhile, districts that did apply, including East Dundee, Pingree Grove and South Elgin, almost all received awards of more than six figures. Fire districts in Huntley and Sugar Grove are set to receive $1.12 million each.
Local libraries, many of which have spent money adjusting their operations and cleaning procedures, are also leaving cash on the table.
While 11 libraries are set to receive more than $325,000 in grants, the libraries in Algonquin, Barrington, Huntley, Maple Park and Oswego chose not to access any of the funds.
County officials have puzzled over the seeming lack of local interest ever since they first received the federal dollars in April. There have been questions by county board members about the county's marketing of the money to eligible recipients.
There's also been the obstacle of the application paperwork, specifically proving financial hardships qualifying for the money.
It's taken two rounds of soliciting local businesses that might be eligible to get enough applicants that at least make county board members feel the funds are getting where they are most needed. The latest data indicate nearly 350 new applicants didn't discover the availability of the money until the county opened round two three weeks ago.
Officials are still taking applications. Requests to date total nearly $10 million between the two rounds, but the county staff expects to announce next week that there is "a significant amount of money" that may go back to the federal government if there are no takers by the end of the year.
One group of eligible recipients hasn't let the opportunity pass them by: nonprofit agencies.
The county is set to approve more than 30 applications from local nonprofit agencies for requests totaling more than $3 million. County officials are crediting agencies' familiarity in seeking out such funds and completing similar applications for the robust response from entities like the Aurora-based Hesed House, the Association for Individual Development and the Northern Illinois Food Bank. All three of those nonprofit agencies stand to receive six-figure grants.
County officials expect to have a better grasp on exactly how much unspent CARES Act money they still have by early next week. And they are keeping their fingers crossed that the federal government approves another package of pandemic assistance.
One major gap not addressed by the funds the county has is that only expenses accumulated in 2020 are eligible for the money. That means the major rollout of the pending COVID-19 vaccines - and the expected big price tag in getting the shots distributed to the public - has no money attached to accomplish the task yet for agencies like the Kane County Public Health Department.