The Thomas County Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) committee will host a public forum to discuss how local organizations can apply for a share of more than $1.5 million in economic recovery funds. The presentation is at 6 p.m. on July 16 in the Colby Community College Frahm Theatre.

The state of Kansas received 400 million dollars in federal coronavirus aid relief. Thomas County is eligible for $1,535,491, and funding is open for local businesses, healthcare, educational entities, city municipalities, and county departments within Thomas County.

The relief is part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act that provides aid for necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The following are examples of public health expenditures allowed:

• COVID-19 related expenses of public hospitals or clinics
• COVID-19 testing and quarantine costs
• Payroll of employees substantially dedicated to COVID-19 mitigation or response
• Expenses for establishing and operating public telemedicine capabilities
• Technological improvements to facilitate distance learning
• Improving telework capabilities
• Grants to small businesses to reimburse the costs of business interruption caused by required closures
• Government payroll support program
• Unemployment insurance costs related to COVID-19

For more information on the forum, contact David Becker at (785) 460-4516.