Where is the money in the $2 trillion federal coronavirus aid package going locally?

The U.S. Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act—that's CARES, for short—is a massive $2 trillion aid package signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 27. 

The dollars are already flowing to a range of recipients. That includes direct money to individuals (for Americans who reported earning under $100,000, checks will go out for as much as $1,200 per person; for those on unemployment, it will mean an additional $600 weekly). For small businesses, it means the opportunity to apply to the Paycheck Protection Program, although accessing that has been rocky so far.

For some local cities and institutions, the CARES Act means payments to disburse to various programs. That includes grants through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to cities and counties, which can then be used for a range of purposes: things like increased testing for Covid-19, manufacturing of medical supplies, job training for health care workers, child care centers, food banks, senior services and emergency shelter for homeless families.

Locally, that equates to $1.8 million for the city of Salinas; $817,000 for Monterey County; $200,000 for the city of Seaside; and $153,000 for the city of Monterey. 

"This federal funding is a big step in the right direction, but we will keep going forward to ensure that the federal government provides more support for our local governments on the Central Coast of California," U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, said in a statement.

On April 10, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced a formula to fund higher education institutions, which breaks down to $8.5 million for CSU Monterey Bay, $3.6 million for Hartnell College, and $2.4 million for Monterey Peninsula College.

That came two days after Panetta co-authored a letter that was signed by 51 members of Congress, calling on DeVos to release CARES Act funds. Panetta is still asking for clear guidance on how colleges and universities can spend the funds and who is eligible to benefit directly.

There are also grants to health care providers directly from the CARES Act package, including $1.4 million to Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas; $1 million to Salud Para La Gente; and $600,000 to Monterey County for community health centers.

"This federal funding will help local health providers adapt to unprecedented demands and challenges as they provide quality, affordable health care services for individuals and families from the most rural to the most urban parts of our region," Panetta said.