McHenry County towns eligible for share of $38 million of federal COVID-19 relief from state

All towns in McHenry County are eligible to receive a share of $38 million of federal COVID-19 relief, the state announced Thursday.

The towns are some of more than 1,250 eligible for the federal stimulus money, but they must apply by the end of September to receive their share.

The funds will come in two waves: The first half of funds will come about 30 days after a town is approved, and the rest will come a year later.

The funds were allocated by Congress and approved by President Joe Biden under the American Rescue Plan in March. One of the act’s purposes is to provide aid to local governments that suffered revenue losses as a result of the pandemic, attempting to put them on better financial footing to start economic recovery.

“The American Rescue Plan Act is providing residents and small businesses in Illinois with critical funding so communities can start to heal,” Gov. JB Pritzker said in a statement. “I encourage every eligible community to apply for this available funding as we continue to build a strong recovery.”

According to the governor’s office, the funds towns receive can be used to recover losses directly from responding to the pandemic. They also can be used to help the community, including households and businesses, recover financially from pandemic-related economic losses. Local governments can use them for investments in projects, including infrastructure projects.

“Local officials are eager to put these funds to use in their communities,” Brad Cole, executive director of the Illinois Municipal League, said in a statement. “The economic impact will be both immediate due to job creation and long term because of the investment in critical infrastructure.”

Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity acting Director Sylvia Garcia said the additional funds are necessary because “more support is needed to help our cities and towns get back on track.”

Last year, the state also supplemented local governments that did not receive federal funding through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act to help with revenue losses.

Here is how much each McHenry County community is eligible to receive from the latest round of funding:

Algonquin: $4,200,268; Barrington Hills: $569,606; Bull Valley: $147,363; Cary: $2,456,104; Crystal Lake: $5,414,521; Fox Lake: $1,420,752; Fox River Grove: $621,672; Greenwood: $30,723; Harvard: $1,231,654; Hebron: $160,822; Holiday Hills: $78,711; Huntley: $3,701,488; Island Lake: $1,090,272; Johnsburg: $865,692; Lake in the Hills: $3,892,626; Lakemoor: $811,179; Lakewood: $543,912; Marengo: $1,011,017; McCullom Lake: $137,031; McHenry: $3,678,786; Oakwood Hills: $275,694; Port Barrington: $204,284; Prairie Grove: $262,508; Richmond: $258,837; Ringwood: $110,522; Spring Grove: $775,697; Trout Valley: $69,739; Union: $75,177; Wonder Lake: $527,735; Woodstock: $3,431,231.