It’s now been almost two weeks since applications started filing into Governor Brad Little’s office for the Idaho Rebound cash grants, a fund worth $300 million in federal dollars.
Here's how it's helping Idaho's economy -- and how it may be used in the future if there are dollars left over.
TRACKING HOWFEDERAL RELIEFDOLLARS... AREBEING SPENT INIDAHO... AND HOW ITCOULD AFFECT YOU.IT'S THE LATEST... INOUR REBOUND IDAHOSERIES.HERE AT IDAHONEWS 6... WE ARECOMMITTED TOKEEPING YOU ANDYOUR FAMILYINFORMED... ANDHOLDING OFFICIALSACCOUNTABLE...DURING THESEUNCERTAIN TIMES.TONIGHT... IT'S NOWBEEN TEN DAYS...SINCE THEGOVERNOR'S OFFICEOPENEDAPPLICATIONS FOR300-MILLIONDOLLARS... IN "IDAHOREBOUND CASHGRANTS."SO FAR... JUST 30-MILLION DOLLARS OFTHAT... HAS BEENISSUED TO IDAHOBUSINESSES.SO OUR MADELINEWHITE... INQUIRED TOLEARN WHAT WILLHAPPEN... TO ANYLEFTOVER MONEY.SINCE MAY 11THROUGHLY THREETHOUSAND 200GRANTS HAVE BEENDOLED OUT TO SMALLBUSINESSES ACROSSIDAHO."I RECEIVED A FAIRNUMBER OF EMAILSSAYING THIS SAVEDMY BUSINESS, THISHAS BEEN AGODSEND TO USDURING THESETOUGH TIMES."AND WHILECOMPANIES WITHONE TO 50EMPLOYEES HAVEONLY BEEN ELIGIBLETO APPLY FOR A FEWDAYS.
DATA BYTRANSPARENT IDAHOSHOWS SO FAR, THEVAST MAJORITY OFGRANTS (ON SCREEN:85%) HAVE GONE TOBUSINESSES WITH 5OR LESS EMPLOYEES."ORIGINALLY WHENWE CREATED THISPROGRAM, VERY FEWIDAHO BUSINESSESHAD RECEIVEDPAYCHECKPROTECTIONPROGRAM LOANS."SINCE ITS CREATION,THOUGH, CONGRESSAUTHORIZEDANOTHER ROUND OFFUNDING FOR THEP-P-P.
WHICH HESAYS PUT LESS OF ADEMAND ON THEIDAHO GRANT.
ANDCONTRIBUTED TOTHE GOVERNOR'SCORONAVIRUSFINANCIAL ADVISORYCOMMITTEE'SDECISION TO DO THIS"WE'RE EXPANDINGTHE ELIGIBILITY TOSELF-EMPLOYEDIDAHOANS."ELIGIBLE SELF-EMPLOYED IDAHOANSCAN RECEIVE UP TO75-HUNDREDDOLLARS IN THISONE-TIME GRANT.BUT THESEAPPLICANTS CANNOTALSO HAVERECEIVED PANDEMICUNEMPLOYMENTASSISTANCETHROUGH THE LABORDEPT.
WHICH RIGHTNOW PAYS AT LEAST768 DOLLARS PERWEEK, IF YOURCLAIM'S BEENPROCESSED."SO PEOPLE WOULDHAVE TO DO THEIROWN CALCULATIONSON WHAT'S BEST FORTHEM."STILL.
WITH 300MILLION IN THE POTAND ONLY 10PERCENT OF ITCURRENTLY SPENT.EVEN AFTEREXPANSION OF THEPROGRAM IT'S VERYPOSSIBLE THEY MAYSTILL HAVE FUNDSLEFT OVER.
SOWHERE WOULDLEFTOVER DOLLARSGO?
HE SAYS THEYCOULDREINCARNATE INTOUNEMPLOYMENTBENEFITS."IT WILL ALLOW US TOUSE THOSE FUNDSTO BOLSTER THEUNEMPLOYMENTINSURANCE FUND.THE UNEMPLOYMENTINSURANCEPROGRAM IS HAVINGHISTORIC DEMANDSON IT.
AND THAT'SUH DEPLETED A LOTOF THAT FUND.
IF WECAN BOLSTER THATFUND AND PUTADDITIONALRESOURCES INTHERE, THE LOWERTHE RATES THATIDAHO BUSINESSESHAVE TO PAY GOINGFORWARD TOREBUILD THATUNEMPLOYMENTINSURANCE FUNDFOR FUTURE EVENTSLIKE THIS."FOX ONLY : MOREINFORMATION ABOUTTHE FUNDDISTRIBUTIONS CANBE FOUND ATTRANSPARENT.IDAHO.GOV[TRANSPARENT.IDAHO.GOV].ABC ONLY: MOREINFORMATION ABOUTTHE FUNDDISTRIBUTIONS CANBE FOUND ATTRANSPARENT.IDAHO.GOV[TRANSPARENT.IDAHO.GOV].MADELINE WHITE.IDAHO NEWS 6THE APPLICATIONCYCLE FORBUSINESSES WITH 50OR LESS EMPLOYEESIS OPEN NOW.THE WINDOW FORSELF-EMPLOYEDINDIVIDUALS OPENSMAY 27TH.APPLICANTS NEEDTO CREATE ATAXPAYER ACCESSPOINT ACCOUNT ANDARE ENCOURAGEDTO DO SO.
PRIOR TOTHEIR APPLICATIONPHASE OPENING.THE TIG
Self-employed Idahoans are now eligible to apply for the Rebound cash grant, but controversy surrounds a requirement stating those..