By Theresa Knapp 

The town of Hopedale will receive approximately $300,000 through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. 

In May, the U.S. Department of the Treasury said the American Rescue Plan would “deliver $350 billion for the eligible state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments to respond to the COVID-19 emergency and bring back jobs.” Massachusetts is slated to receive $8.7 billion for the state, counties, and municipalities. 

The Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds are to be used to respond to the public health emergency, provide premium pay to employees providential essential work, provide government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue due to COVID-19, and invest in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure. 

Specific eligible uses outlined in the COVID-related federal aid materials include: Direct COVID-related costs (testing, contact tracing, etc.), public health and safety staff, hiring state and local government staff up to the number of employees to pre-pandemic levels, assistance to unemployed workers including job training, contributions to unemployment insurance systems, small business assistance, nonprofit assistance, assistance to households, aid to impacted industries, expenses to improve efficacy of public health or economic relief programs, survivor’s benefits, and aid to disproportionately impacted populations or communities 

For more information on the program, visit home.treasury.gov