Some Douglas County municipalities and small businesses are on their way to receiving COVID-19 recovery funds after the county began divvying up their $30 million of CARES Act money.

In an Aug. 25 meeting, commissioners approved an agreement between Douglas County and various municipalities, including Castle Pines, Castle Rock, Larkspur, Lone Tree and Parker, for the dollars.

This agreement will allow these cities and towns to seek reimbursement for specific COVID-19-related expenses incurred between March 1 and Dec. 30 of this year, according to a release from the county. Reimbursable costs include medical, public health and payroll expenses.

The funding comes from the $2 trillion federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, passed in March of this year. Douglas County applied for this money through the state’s Department of Local Affairs and was notified July 24 that its request was granted.

“This further highlights what makes Douglas County so special,” Commissioner Lora Thomas said in the Aug. 25 meeting. “Over and over we see how people partner together in this county … so that we all work together so that everybody benefits.”

Each municipality will receive funds based on their population, assessed value and full-time employees per local government. Castle Rock will receive $3,486,031; Parker will receive $2,876,671; Lone Tree will receive $1,231,675; Castle Pines will receive $380,359; and Larspur $36,608.

Small businesses

Local businesses with 100 or fewer employees can also apply to receive funding from the county’s portion of CARES Act dollars.

Businesses with physical locations in the county can receive up to $10,000 of relief for expenses like personal protective equipment, touchless payment systems and structural changes or improvements required to remain open under COVID-19 health orders, according to a release from the county.

Eligibility guidelines are available on the county’s website by searching “Small Business Grant Program.” Applications for the first round of the program will be accepted through Sept. 15 and will be awarded on a first-come first-serve basis.