TOPEKA – Beginning May 12, Kansans can apply for the Federal Communication Commission’s $3.2 billion Emergency Broadband Benefit. The Benefit provides a discount of up to $50 per month towards broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on Tribal lands. The discounts will be available until all funding is exhausted or six months after the Department of Health and Human Services declares an end to the pandemic.

Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute $10-$50 toward the purchase price. One monthly service discount and one device discount per eligible household is allowed.

To qualify for the benefit, one member of the household must meet one of the following criteria:

• Qualify for the Lifeline Program
• Receive free or reduced price school lunch or breakfast benefits
• Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current year
• Experienced a substantial loss of income since February 2020 and a total 2020 income below $99,000 for single filers or $198,000 for joint filers
• Meet the criteria for a participating providers exiting low-income or COVID-19 program.

In preparation for the program launch, 747 broadband providers nationwide have signed on to participate. Sixty of those companies will offer service in Kansas. Eligible households can enroll through an approved provider or by visiting https://getemergencybroadband.org.

More information about the Emergency Broadband Benefit is available at https://www.fcc.gov/consumer-faq-emergency-broadband-benefit

Governor Laura Kelly Encourages Providers Apply for COVID-19 Telehealth Funding

TOPEKA – Governor Kelly today encouraged Kansas medical and behavioral health providers to apply for the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) COVID-19 Telehealth Program. Qualifying providers have the opportunity to apply for federal funding between April 29 at 11 AM CT and May 6 at 11 AM CT.

“Since the pandemic began, my administration has sought innovative ways to bolster telehealth services, which improve access to quality, affordable health care for Kansans across the state while allowing them to stay safe at home,” Governor Kelly said. “I appreciate the FCC for its partnership, and I strongly encourage all eligible providers to apply for this program.”

The FCC COVID-19 Telehealth Program is designed to help providers cover costs associated with delivering connected care services to patients. The goal of the program is to aid health care providers to provide connected care services to patients at their homes or mobile locations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program fully funds providers’ telecommunications services, information services, and devices necessary to provide critical connected care services. Providers can learn more and check if they are eligible here.

Through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, the FCC was allocated an additional $250 million in funding to re-open the COVID-19 Telehealth Program. Kansas providers received awards in the first iteration of the program, receiving over $100,000 in medical technology to provide telehealth throughout the state.

“Federal programs can help support behavioral health providers during the public health emergency,” Commissioner Andy Brown, of the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services (KDADS), said. “It will increase the access Kansans have to substance use and mental health services through telehealth.”

“Telehealth is a powerful tool in chronic disease prevention and management,” Ryan Lester, of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), said. “Telehealth interventions can improve clinical health outcomes by increasing medication adherence, set dietary goals, provide a more complete data picture for clinicians, and reduce access to care barriers for patients, especially in a rural setting. Increasing access to telehealth is a real win-win scenario for Kansas residents and physicians.”

The Governor’s Office of Recovery, in conjunction with KDHE and KDADS, held an informational webinar for Kansas medical providers on March 24 to help increase awareness and readiness to apply. You can watch the webinar and review materials here.

Governor Laura Kelly Encourages Kansas Small Businesses to Apply for Paycheck Protection Program

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today encouraged Kansas small businesses to continue to apply for the 2021 Federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ahead of the program’s extended deadline of May 31st. Kansans can continue to submit applications for forgivable loans for pandemic-battered small businesses.

“Kansas small businesses are the backbone of our economy,” Governor Kelly said. “Additional PPP funding will help fuel our continued economic recovery, and I encourage all eligible small businesses to apply for PPP funds before the May 31st deadline. I will continue to push for additional stimulus funding to support our small businesses as we get our state back to normal.”

Led by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Treasury Department, the PPP is a federally administered program providing loans to small businesses to cover payroll expenses. The SBA began accepting applications through Community Financial Institutions on January 11 and through all other financial institutions on January 19. The deadline to apply has been extended to May 31, 2021.

During the 2020 distribution of PPP money, 54,000 small businesses in Kansas received $5 billion in funding.

“PPP has impacted our business in the most positive way possible,” said Andrew Gough, owner of Reverie Coffee Roasters in Wichita. “Quite frankly stated, without the support of the program, we could not have continued to be in business today. Balancing the safety needs of our staff and community with bottom line business survival required support from another source. We now have real hope of surviving this terrible pandemic, both as individuals and as a business.”

The 2021 PPP aims to make the program more attractive for small businesses and target the worst impacted industries through the following changes:

• Forgiveness has been simplified for borrowers of $150 thousand or less, with self-certification option to attest funds are spent appropriately;
• Hospitality businesses, including hotels and restaurants, are eligible for an increased loan total (3.5x monthly payroll);
• Eligible expenses paid for with forgiven PPP loans may now be deducted on taxes for 2020 and 2021 & employers are now eligible for the Employee Retention Tax Credit even after taking PPP funds (reverses earlier guidance from IRS);
• Employers no longer must deduct Economic Injury Disaster Loans from their PPP loan total (EIDL program was refunded with an additional $40B also);
• Additional categories are now eligible as non-payroll expenses (up to 40% of total loan amount), with operational expenses (including software, cloud services, accounting services, etc.), supplier costs, damage from social unrest, and worker protection expenses;
• Additional groups are eligible for loans, including 501(c)(6)s, housing cooperatives, and direct marketing organizations.

Under the newly extended program, $234 billion are available with $12 billion earmarked for businesses in low-income & minority communities, as well as $15 billion in grants dedicated to live entertainment venues. Through Community Financial Institutions, the SBA hopes to encourage greater access to PPP funds. Businesses that have not received PPP funds previously are eligible for loans up to $10 million if they have 500 or fewer employees. Businesses that received PPP funds during the first round are eligible for up to $2 million in funding if they have 300 or fewer employees.

Information on where and how to apply can be found here.

Additional Resources:

• Information on Community Financial Institutions can be found here.
• Further general information on loans can be found here.
• Further questions can be directed to the Kansas Department of Commerce here.