Bangor Awarded Over $65,000 to Address COVID-19 Pandemic

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has awarded $65,825 to the City of Bangor to address the public safety challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.

OJP awarded the grant as part of $850 million available under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the stimulus legislation President Trump signed in March. This program allows eligible state, local and tribal governments to apply immediately for these critical funds. Since the program’s launch in early April, OJP has awarded over $661 million to 963 state, local and tribal agencies and organizations. Eleven Maine jurisdictions have received a total of over $4 million. A list of all awards can be found here.

“My hope is that this grant will help Bangor combat the coronavirus that has so disrupted our lives,” U.S. Attorney Frank said in announcing the grant.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, Act gives jurisdictions considerable latitude in the use of funds for dealing with COVID-19. Potential uses include hiring personnel, paying overtime, purchasing protective equipment and distributing resources to hard-hit areas. Funds may also be used to help correctional facilities cover costs related to COVID-19, including, but not limited to, sanitation, contagion prevention and measures designed to address the related medical needs of inmates, detainees and correctional personnel. 

Today is the deadline for jurisdictions to apply for grants. OJP will fund successful applicants on a rolling basis as it receives applications. Grantees may apply the funds retroactively to January 20, 2020, subject to federal rules.

Agencies that were eligible for the fiscal year 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program are candidates for the emergency funding. A complete list of eligible jurisdictions and their allocations is available at https://bja.ojp.gov/program/fy20-cesf-allocations. More information is at https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-18553.

OJP, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information is at www.ojp.gov.