GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES MAIN STREET RELIEF FUND

Posted on: May 15, 2020 - 9:36pm

Today, May 15, 2020, Governor Sununu announced the State has allocated $595 million in COVID-19 funds from the federal CARES Act to several different sectors across NH. This funding follows $250 million in previously appropriated relief funds. These new recommendations for funding came from the bipartisan Legislative Advisory Board within the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery (GOFERR):

  • ​$10 million directed to the NH Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food for farmers.
  • ​$5 million directed to the NH Food Bank.
  • ​$15 million for public higher education institutions - $10 million for the University System of NH (USNH), $5 million for the Community College System of NH (CCSNH).
  • ​$50 million for the existing Healthcare System Relief Fund, with $30 million carved out for long-term facilities.
  • ​$60 million to the Non-Profit Relief Fund to help non-profit organizations.
  • ​$25 million to NH’s childcare system.
  • ​$30 million to the Business Finance Authority Business Gap Fund, which will target relief aid to the most impacted small businesses. More details are forthcoming, with a targeted go-live date after June 15.

A majority of today’s new funding is $400 million set aside in the “Main Street Relief Fund” to provide emergency financial relief to NH’s small for-profit businesses due to the economic impacts caused by COVID-19. There are a series of deadlines for the program, the first being a pre-qualification deadline for May 29. This program does not operate on a first come, first serve basis. Please see the link below for more information and encourage local businesses to submit a pre-qualification before May 29.

https://www.goferr.nh.gov/covid-expenditures/main-street-relief-fund​