CARES Act

Routes to Recovery 

The WI Department of Administration released a Routes to Recovery Program Guidance for Local Governments providing information on what COVID-19 related expenses incurred by municipalities in response to the pandemic are eligible for reimbursement under the $190 million grant program funded by the federal CARES Act’s Coronavirus Relief Fund. 

The Routes to Recovery Key Takeaways (PDF)  Curt Witynski, Updated June 24, 2020. 

Routes to Recovery Expense Reporter

The Department of Administration (DOA) Expense Reporter app is available. (Access using your unique code.)

General app instructions are available on the Routes to Recovery website . DOA emailed individualized instructions to all county and municipal clerks to access the Expense Reporter app securely. Unique codes are being sent to each clerk to ensure each local government can access the app for their specific reimbursement requests. Local government leaders should communicate with their clerk about accessing the app to prepare and submit reimbursement requests. The first reporting period will be open from July 1 – July 15.

DOA Responds to League Members’ Routes to Recovery Questions

DOA emailed the League answers to ten questions (PDF) municipalities had submitted to DOA staff during a June 23 League sponsored Zoom call for which there was insufficient time to answer during the call. 

DOA invites municipal officials to send additional questions you may have to covidgovgrants@wisconsin.gov , and DOA staff will respond directly to as many of your questions as possible. DOA may also send periodic updates with recurring questions and answers through the Routes to Recovery list serve.   You can sign up for the list serve by sending an email address with no message to subscribe-covidgovgrant@lists.wi.gov (June 30, 2020) 

COVID-19: CARES Act Provider Payments

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) is accepting applications from specific types of health care providers to receive pandemic relief funds. These funds are meant to offset losses and expenses incurred during March, April, and May 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds for these payments were provided to the State under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Included in the list of five different recipient categories are 4) Emergency Medical Service Agencies. More information here

FEMA - Expenditure Tracking

Guidance

Grants Portal Account and Request for Public Assistance - Applicant Quick Guide (PDF) FEMA 

Public Assistance Applicant Quick Guide (PDF)

Details from WI State Emergency Mgt including links to video tutorials (PDF) 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic: Eligible Emergency Protective Measures (PDF) FEMA

General FACT SHEET COVID-19 Emergency Declaration (PDF) FEMA
Note: FEMA assistance will be provided at a 75% Federal cost share.

Private Non-Profit Eligibility (PDF) FEMA

Spreadsheets - will download to your computer

Janesville City Manager Mark Freitag and Finance Director Max Gagin discussed their process for tracking expenses during the pandemic on the June 16 Roundtable call. See their spreadsheet here 

Template General Spreadsheet with helpful hints, including lost revenue and tabs (Excel) City of Waukesha

Project Cost Summary (Excel) FEMA

Equipment Summary (Excel) FEMA 

Labor Summary (Exel) FEMA

Material Summary (Excel) FEMA

Fringe Benefit Calculations (Excel) FEMA 

Rental Summary (Excel) FEMA

March 20, 2020 - Several Finance Directors have also recommended tracking lost revenues. For example parks and recreation program income.  

Expenditure Restraint Program

Q: Will municipalities that buy additional supplies and make other unanticipated expenditures in 2020 associated with responding to the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic and the national and state declared public health emergencies jeopardize their eligibility to receive expenditure restraint program (ERP) payments in 2021?

A: No. The Expenditure Restraint Program law (Wis. Stat. § 79.05(2)(c)) expressly exempts unreimbursed expenses related to an emergency declared under Wis. Stat. § 323.10 from the ERP spending limits. Governor Evers’ Executive Order #72, declaring a health emergency in response to the COVID-19 Coronavirus, expressly states that the emergency is being declared under authority provided by Wis. Stats. § 323.10. Therefore, unreimbursed expenses associated with providing unanticipated health and safety services in response to the Coronavirus pandemic are exempt from the ERP spending limit. We anticipate that DOR will at some point publish guidance on this issue and how best to document unreimbursed expenses related to the Coronavirus public health emergency. March 13, 2020