Here are the projected amounts headed to TN cities and counties under the COVID relief program
Tennessee’s cities and counties are projected to receive $2.27 billion under the latest federal COVID-19 relief package. On a conference call about the influx earlier this week, Senate Speaker Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) asked for a breakdown of exactly how much is headed to each local government.
There’s a big caveat: The rules for how the money can be spent aren’t entirely clear yet. So state officials are warning local governments to be careful about how they plan to spend the money.
And even then the answer for local allocations isn’t simple.
The Federal Funds Information Service has come up with projections for the totals that could be flowing soon. Estimates for the biggest cities is based on Housing and Urban Development data while smaller towns and cities’ are based on census estimates from 2019. County totals are filtered through adjusted Community Development Block Grant data.
While none of it is final, here’s how FFIS sees it breaking down for counties and cities:
| County | Amount |
| Anderson | 14,929,409 |
| Bedford | 9,641,530 |
| Benton | 3,134,132 |
| Bledsoe | 2,921,570 |
| Blount | 25,811,598 |
| Bradley | 20,967,269 |
| Campbell | 7,727,111 |
| Cannon | 2,846,708 |
| Carroll | 5,385,239 |
| Carter | 10,936,687 |
| Cheatham | 7,887,114 |
| Chester | 3,354,647 |
| Claiborne | 6,198,251 |
| Clay | 1,476,882 |
| Cocke | 6,982,754 |
| Coffee | 10,961,706 |
| Crockett | 2,759,821 |
| Cumberland | 11,737,481 |
| Davidson | 134,624,954 |
| Decatur | 2,261,967 |
| DeKalb | 3,973,909 |
| Dickson | 10,462,882 |
| Dyer | 7,206,759 |
| Fayette | 7,977,492 |
| Fentress | 3,592,422 |
| Franklin | 8,185,982 |
| Gibson | 9,529,043 |
| Giles | 5,714,361 |
| Grainger | 4,522,770 |
| Greene | 13,395,507 |
| Grundy | 2,604,084 |
| Hamblen | 12,593,549 |
| Hamilton | 71,333,321 |
| Hancock | 1,283,908 |
| Hardeman | 4,858,293 |
| Hardin | 4,975,047 |
| Hawkins | 11,013,295 |
| Haywood | 3,356,004 |
| Henderson | 5,453,119 |
| Henry | 6,273,114 |
| Hickman | 4,883,118 |
| Houston | 1,590,533 |
| Humphreys | 3,603,864 |
| Jackson | 2,285,822 |
| Jefferson | 10,568,970 |
| Johnson | 3,449,873 |
| Knox | 91,214,310 |
| Lake | 1,360,710 |
| Lauderdale | 4,971,363 |
| Lawrence | 8,561,069 |
| Lewis | 2,379,303 |
| Lincoln | 6,665,074 |
| Loudon | 10,486,156 |
| Macon | 4,771,406 |
| Madison | 19,003,393 |
| Marion | 5,606,335 |
| Marshall | 6,666,820 |
| Maury | 18,693,665 |
| McMinn | 10,433,015 |
| McNairy | 4,983,193 |
| Meigs | 2,409,170 |
| Monroe | 9,027,116 |
| Montgomery | 40,532,905 |
| Moore | 1,258,308 |
| Morgan | 4,150,980 |
| Obion | 5,831,697 |
| Overton | 4,313,505 |
| Perry | 1,566,290 |
| Pickett | 979,029 |
| Polk | 3,264,463 |
| Putnam | 15,563,024 |
| Rhea | 6,432,535 |
| Roane | 10,353,110 |
| Robertson | 13,927,689 |
| Rutherford | 64,444,630 |
| Scott | 4,279,953 |
| Sequatchie | 2,914,200 |
| Sevier | 19,054,982 |
| Shelby | 181,757,575 |
| Smith | 3,909,326 |
| Stewart | 2,659,940 |
| Sullivan | 30,710,619 |
| Sumner | 37,098,160 |
| Tipton | 11,946,747 |
| Trousdale | 2,188,462 |
| Unicoi | 3,468,298 |
| Union | 3,873,446 |
| Van Buren | 1,138,838 |
| Warren | 8,005,420 |
| Washington | 25,091,485 |
| Wayne | 3,233,626 |
| Weakley | 6,463,760 |
| White | 5,303,394 |
| Williamson | 46,238,539 |
| Wilson | 28,055,334 |
| TOTAL | 1,324,476,243 |
Tennessee in line to receive $8.56B from latest federal relief package
Tennessee is projected to receive $8.56 billion in the latest round of federal COVID-19 relief funding, according to Gov. Bill Lee’s Financial Stimulus Accountability Group. That includes $4 billion to the state, $2.26 billion to local governments, and $2.3 billion to local school districts.
The state share includes $3.82 billion for the state fiscal recovery fund and $216 million for state coronavirus capital projects.
The local fiscal recovery fund includes $941 million for cities and $1.33 billion for counties.
“These funds represent an historic opportunity to make investments in your communities,” Comptroller Jason Mumpower said in a meeting of the financial group.
Lee, Blackburn say state being short-changed by $164M in COVID-19 relief bill
Gov. Bill Lee and fellow Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn say in an opinion piece for Fox News that congressional Democrats’ $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill is a “blue state payday that shortchanges Tennessee by $164 million because it uses a distribution formula based on unemployment figures rather than population.”
Left unsaid is that the difference makes up about 2.7% of the $6.1 billion in federal money projected to flow to the state under the plan. And nobody is talking about saying no to the massive influx of federal dollars into Tennessee.
“This hyper-partisan bill and the process through which it’s being passed represents everything that’s wrong with Washington,” Lee and Blackburn say in the piece. “And unfortunately, Tennessee and other fiscally conservative states are on the losing end of the deal.”
Lee announces $50M in coronavirus relief funds for TN businesses
From Gov. Bill Lee’s office:
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and the Financial Stimulus Accountability Group (FSAG) today announced an initial $50 million in federal Coronavirus Relief Funds for the new Supplemental Employer Recovery Grant (SERG) program to provide additional relief to small businesses suffering during the COVID-19 pandemic. This new wave of funding includes specific support for minority-owned, women-owned and veteran-owned businesses, as well as businesses owned by disabled persons.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and supporting them through these difficult times has been one of the core missions of the Financial Stimulus Accountability Group,” said Gov. Lee. “The SERG program will provide further relief to small businesses, especially those who may not have been able to access previous federal and state relief funds.”
“The coronavirus has placed an inordinate burden on our small business owners. These businesses are critical economic drivers and the most vulnerable during times of crisis,” said Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge). “I was grateful for the opportunity to work with my colleagues on the Financial Stimulus Accountability Group to provide this relief to businesses in need.”
“We have stood with our businesses by initiating the Small Business Relief Program, and stabilizing the Unemployment Trust Fund, and today’s announcement is yet another targeted solution to strengthen the Tennessee business community’s ongoing recovery efforts,” said House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville). “All of these programs support our minority, women, disabled and service-disabled veteran business owners who are suffering during these extraordinary times. We need them to remain open and to thrive, and I applaud our Stimulus Accountability Group for helping all Tennessee businesses get back up on their feet so they remain successful.”
Small business owners and non-profit organizations can apply to receive reimbursement for eligible direct expenses or costs incurred as a result of business interruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program’s application window will open October 7, 2020 and remain open until December 29, 2020, or until all funds are depleted. Please note:
– Funds will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis;
– Awards are capped at $30,000. Businesses located in low to moderate income (“LMI”) census tracts, Opportunity zones, or Promise zones will receive an additional $500 added to the maximum allowable expenses;
– 10% of all funds distributed under this program will be reserved for eligible diversity business enterprises, classified as minority business enterprises, women business enterprises, or service-disabled veteran business enterprises, and enterprises owned by disabled persons.
The period for reimbursable expenses is May 1, 2020 through August 31, 2020. Eligible expenses and business interruption costs include but are not limited to:
– Costs to create social distancing measures
– Purchasing personal protective equipment for employees or customers
– Contactless equipment
– Payroll expenses
– Mortgage interest
The SERG program follows the previously allocated $300 million for more than 40,000 qualifying businesses under the Tennessee Business Relief Program.
To apply and learn more about what is eligible for reimbursement, please visithttps://tncaresact.tn.gov/SERG. For application assistance, please call 1-833-740-1438 or email support@TNCARESACT.com.
Here’s how much federal relief money is flowing to Tennessee counties
The Senate meets in Nashville on June 1, 2020. (Erik Schelzig, Tennessee Journal)
A total of $13 billion in federal COVID-19 relief money is flowing to Tennessee, and a new interactive state website allows users to break down how much is headed specific counties.
In a meeting of the Financial Stimulus Accountability Group on Monday, Senate Speaker Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) asked whether the amounts can be broken out on a per-capita basis to ensure smaller counties weren’t getting less than the likes of Metro Nashville and Shelby County. Gov. Bill Lee’s administration didn’t have those figures at their fingertips, so the Tennessee Journal has crunched the numbers. Here are the top 10 per-capita recipients of federal aid (Anderson County, where McNally lives, comes in at No. 12):
- Jackson, $7,126
- Cheatham, $4,363
- Davidson, $3,931
- Carroll, $3,380
- Smith, 3,738
- Fayette, $3,525
- Cannon, $3,056
- Carter, $2,643
- Giles, $2,643
- Bledsoe, $2,557
The full per-capita breakdown follows:
Lee announces $200M relief program for businesses affected by shutdown order
Gov. Bill Lee, left, announces a $200 million relief program for businesses affected by the state’s stay-at-home order for non-essential businesses at Arnold’s restaurant in Nashville on June 2, 2020. To his right are House Speaker Cameron Sexton, Senate Speaker Randy McNally, Rep. Pat Marsh, and Rep. Harold Love. (Erik Schelzig, Tennessee Journal)
Gov. Bill Lee has announced the state will spend $200 million of federal coronavirus relief funds to small companies affected by the state order to close nonessential businesses in an effort to stem the spread of the pandemic.
Here’s the release from the governor’s office:
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, House Speaker Cameron Sexton, and the Financial Stimulus Accountability Group announced a new relief program for Tennessee businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tennessee Business Relief Program will direct approximately $200 million in federal Coronavirus Relief Funds through the Department of Revenue directly to small businesses that qualify.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has created immense economic pain across our state and especially among small businesses that faced temporary closure,” said Gov. Lee. “As we responsibly steward our federal stimulus money we have worked to quickly prioritize our small businesses and I thank the work of the Financial Stimulus Accountability Group for their partnership in this.”
The Tennessee Business Relief Program amounts awarded will be based on the annual gross sales of the business. More details will be posted on the Department of Revenue’s website in the coming days.
