In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Government enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide much-needed support to the millions of Americans affected by the ensuing economic fallout. In doing so, the CNMI became eligible for hundreds of millions of dollars in the form of grants and direct monetary aid such as the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and the $1,200 received by eligible individuals.
In addition to this direct aid, several Federal Agencies have also provided relief funds to certain local programs that administer Federal programs locally. The list below represents the Federal Funds the CNMI has received as of June 2020. As there are additional funds expected to be awarded to the CNMI for the purpose of COVID-19 relief, this list will be updated as needed.
US Department of Education
Through the Education Stabilization Fund Program, the US Department of Education has provided relief to students in the CNMI in the form of direct monetary aid and funding for employee salaries.
US Department of Interior
Through its Office of Insular Affairs, DOI has provided the CNMI assistance for several projects. These include:
- $714,837 will be used to retrofit and renovate emergency rooms for infectious disease control at the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation (CHCC), the only hospital in the CNMI. Retrofitting is necessary to improve patient intake, flow, and isolation, while protecting the safety and well-being of both patients and healthcare workers. Funds will also be used to acquire appropriate medical equipment necessary to provide infectious disease care.
- $487,182 will fund acquisition of an oxygen generation system and mobile ultraviolet cleaning or decontamination device for use at the CHCC.
- $396,830 will be used to provide an upgrade for the CHCC’s reverse osmosis and sterilization systems.
- $371,800 will be used to prepare the former Marianas Resort property, now under the jurisdiction of the CNMI government, to serve as a non-congregate shelter or quarantine site for inbound passengers. Over 100 rooms in varying sizes will be made available for COVID-19-related activities and for patients should cases reach upsurge limits or if the virus should spread exponentially within the community.
- $320,718 will be used to make parking lot infrastructure upgrades and adjustments necessary related to the official medical care and treatment site as approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
- $227,530 will be used purchase a mobile x-ray system and a computerized tomography or CT scan system and supplies for the CHCC.
- $366,900 was awarded to supply much needed personal protective equipment and hygienic supplies to government workers and the CNMI people.
US Department of Housing and Urban Affairs
a. Emergency Solutions Grant
Awarded to the Northern Marianas Housing Corporation, the Emergency Solutions Grant will assist NMHC in their efforts to assist families that are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
b. CARES Act
Upon the enactment of the CARES Act, funding was made available to the Northern Marianas Housing Corporation to prepare for and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
US Department of Health and Human Services
Upon the enactment of the CARES Act, HHS made funds available for multiple programs in the CNMI. To date, most of the funds received have been awarded to the Office of Aging and the Child Care Licensing Program under the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs. The funds are to be used to continue the Office of Aging’s Home Meal Program that provided eligible participants of the program with a prepared meal among other of the office’s programs.
US Department of Agriculture
Through the Education Stabilization Fund Program, the US Department of Education has provided relief to students in the CNMI in the form of direct monetary aid and funding for employee salaries.
US Small Business Administration
The Small Business Administration provided direct relief to the CNMI Small Business Development Center which provided local small businesses with the support to succeed in the market.
US Department of Homeland Security
To support the local efforts of preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus on island, the US Department of Homeland Security awarded the CNMI Homeland Security and Emergency Management the funds to do so.
US Department of Labor
One of the biggest forms of direct aid allowed under the CARES Act is the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) and the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).
The PUA program provides temporary benefits to individuals whose employment or self-employment has been lost or interrupted as a direct result of COVID-19. Direct result means loss of employment or self- employment because of a reason directly related to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The PUA program, in general, provides up to 39 weeks of unemployment benefits.
Individuals who receive at least one dollar ($1) of PUA benefits for a week, will also receive an additional $600 supplemental payment under the FPUC program described under section 2104 of the CARES Act.
US Treasury
Direct Assistance to States
- $36,000,000
Stimulus to Residents
- $54,000,000
Grant Funds managed by Secretary of Finance/Rev & Tax
CARES Act - Direct Aid
Emergency Rental Assistance Program
- Allocated: $10,400,669.30
Fishermen Relief Aid
- Allocated: $1,000,000.00
- Direct Relief: $980,382.16
- Administration: $19,607.84
