Fort Bend County Assistance Programs
If you have been impacted by COVID-19, you may be eligible for financial assistance with tenant, landlord, mortgage, or small business expenses. The list below shows all of the available programs offered by Fort Bend County:
- Fort Bend County Assistance Program Dashboard – The Fort Bend County Program dashboard has been created to transparently provide a comprehensive CARES/ARPA/ERA diagram to include historical, current, and projected activity for budget versus actual expenditures and all public assistance program statistics.
- Adopt a Family – Donate as a business or individual to help a family that has been impacted by the pandemic.
- Childcare Provider Assistance Program – Fort Bend County Commissioners Court has authorized $2 million in Cares Act Funds to support and help stabilize Licensed Child Care Providers, and to provide support for families who are facing financial instability in Fort Bend County due to COVID-19. Your business may be eligible to receive up to $8,000 to assist workforce families.
- Emergency Rental Assistance Program – The CARES ACT has allocated additional funding to assist households that are unable to pay rent and utilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A portion of these funds have been allocated to Fort Bend County. The County has established a new ERA program, in compliance with federal, state and local guidelines, to provide assistance to eligible households through this new rental assistance program.
- Mortgage Assistance – The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) has allocated an additional funding of $7 million to assist households that are unable to pay their Mortgage and utilities due to the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. A portion of these funds have been allocated to Fort Bend County. The County has established a new COVID-19 Mortgage Assistance Program (CMAP), in compliance with federal, state and local guidelines, to provide assistance to eligible households and homeowners through this program. If you are a Fort Bend County resident and meet income eligibility requirements, you are encouraged to apply for this program. The COVID-19 Mortgage Assistance Program will provide mortgage and/or utility assistance for up to twelve (12) months, or until funds are exhausted. This is a new program therefore you must apply to be considered.
- Non-Profit Partnership Grant Program – The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provides $350 billion in aid to state, local, Tribal, and territorial governments to be used for economic relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic for “assistance to households, small businesses, and non-profits, or aid to impacted industries such as tourism, travel and hospitality.” Fort Bend County received an allocation of $157 million of which a portion has been budgeted for the non-profit partnership grant program.
- Employment Incentive Program – The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding can be utilized for job creation and incentivizing employment. “Get Hired” encourages individuals to apply to small businesses within Fort Bend County – and encourages them to stay hired by offering an incentive after 90 days of employment. This assists small businesses in their operation efforts so they can acquire and retain employees.
- Small Business Assistance – The Fort Bend County Commissioners Court has approved a small business emergency grant program to assist businesses impacted by Covid-19. Additional funds were approved April 27, 2021 to provide financial assistance to the small business community.
How-To Videos and Training Courses
Fort Bend County has developed informational and educational training videos that will assist applicants, beneficiaries and small business owners and employees with COVID-19 programs and services offered by the County.