In March 2020 the federal government passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide economic support to those impacted by COVID-19. The State of Vermont, its institutions, and individual Vermonters received over $4.8 billion in funding from the CARES Act. This includes $1.25 billion through the Coronavirus Relief Fund, which is distributed through the state legislature to various programs in order to assist Vermont residents and businesses.
Quickly disbursing funds aimed at mitigating this crisis while avoiding fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement is a critical but challenging task.