Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced the state is asking the state controlling board to spend $429.5 million of the CARES Act funds to help businesses, and non-profits on Friday, Oct. 23. 

Individuals, families, small businesses, restaurants and bars, rural hospitals, higher education, non-profits and the arts may go to businesshelp.ohio.gov beginning Nov. 2 to apply for assistance.

The governor said the breakdown for some of the money will include:

  • $50 million to help those hurt by the pandemic, individuals and families, with funds to help with rental, mortgage, water, sewer and utility bills. 

The governor said, for example, a family of four that makes less than $52,400 would be eligible to apply for assistance through the CARES Act program.

The state of Ohio, working with local Community Action Agencies, will help eligible Ohioans who are behind on rent, mortgage, and water and/or sewer utility bills catch up on past payments back to April 1, 2020 and provide additional assistance through December 30, 2020.

  • $125 million in small business relief for business with 25 people or less.

Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said that $44 million will be set aside to make sure that each of Ohio's 88 counties will be eligible for funding, providing the small businesses meet the criteria to receive the funding, on a first come, first serve basis.

Governor Mike DeWine has designated up to $125 million of funding received by the State of Ohio from the federal CARES Act to provide $10,000 grants to small businesses to help them through the current crisis. 

  • $37.5 million to go to restaurants and bars

The Bar and Restaurant Assistance Fund is designed to assist Ohio’s on-premise liquor permit holders. The governor has designated $37.5 million of funding received by the State of Ohio from the federal CARES Act to provide $2,500 assistance payments to on-premise liquor permit holders to help them through the financial difficulties experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • $100 million got higher education

According to the governor, the funding may be used to help with the COVID-19 testing costs and for mental health care.

  • $25 million for non-profits, to be used for services which help communities

"The bottom line's going to be food," said Michael Iberis, Executive Director of the Second Harvest Food Bank. "Make sure there's food for kid's for seniors and for families."

Non-profits can apply for funds by indicating why they need the money and how they'd use it.

"The people of the Mahoning Valley are hurting and they rely on us to make sure that those pantries and their communities are stacked with food," Iberis said. "So we're not going to let them down.'

When the pandemic hit, the need for non-profit services just increased. The Brightside Project in Salem telling 21 News their traffic increased 75% when the pandemic hit. 

"It could open so many avenues and allow us to reach out to many more children," said Lisa Wallace, co-director of the The Brightside Project. "This funding would allow us to basically pick up what we do here and take it to other areas in the county, reach more children and give more hope."

  • $20 million for arts

Help for museums, artists and all businesses tied to the arts may apply.

The $2 trillion economic relief package - Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act - was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump on March 27.