Hillsborough County Directs $275 Million To Economic Recovery

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — The Hillsborough County Commission has voted to allocate about $257 million in funding from the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act to be used in part to help residents get back to work.

The CARES Act money will support the county's Rapid Response Recovery (R3) Program – a wide-ranging program supporting economic recovery and individual assistance programs including $25 million to CareerSource Tampa Bay for workforce training programs.

While the specifics of how the R3 Program funding will be spent have not yet been finalized, the board approved spending the money on programs and projects outlined below.

Economic Recovery Programs

• Workforce Training: $30 million - $60 million
• Accelerated Business Recovery - Access to Capital: $50 million - $85 million
• Back To Work Grants: $15 million - $35 million
• Safe At Work – Mitigation Grants: $15 million - $35 million

Life Safety Programs: $35 million - $60 million

• Utility/Rent/Mortgage Assistance: $15 million already committed
• Direct Community Services
• Local Food Purchase and Distribution
• Feeding Tampa Bay
• Metropolitan Ministries
• Government and Community Facility and Operational Safety Improvements

Some funding already has been allocated to specific programs with the R3 Program, such as utility, rent and mortgage assistance.

Hillsborough County will update residents and businesses on the details of the funding as specifics are approved.