If your business or organization has received a Vermont COVID-19 Agriculture Assistance Program Award, the following terms and conditions apply to your award. You can find a copy of these terms and conditions in the email message you received when your award was approved.
Vermont COVID-19 Agriculture Assistance Program Award
The following Vermont COVID-19 Agriculture Assistance Program Award has been granted on a one-time basis from the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) established under the Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to address necessary expenditures related to the COVID-19 public health emergency. These funds are being issued to help provide economic support to your business for its losses and expenses related to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Background
The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets is authorized to issue program funds to certain agricultural businesses that experienced revenue loss and/or incurred additional costs since March 1, 2020 that are directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are pleased to be able to assist your business.
Conditions of Receipt
You do not need to take any action to accept the funds. Enclosed is the information regarding your Vermont COVID-19 Agriculture Assistance Program award. It describes the grant amount issued to your business, and a paper check for that amount will be sent to you through US Mail.
Please be advised that these funds can only be used to pay for necessary expenditures related to the COVID-19 public health emergency thaty our business incurred between March 1, 2020 and December 30, 2020. Any person receiving a grant comprising monies from the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) shall use the monies only for purposes that comply with the requirements of Sec. 5001 of the CARES Act, Pub. L. No. 116-136 and related guidance. If a grant is not used in accordance with Federal and/or State law, or was erroneously issued or premised on error(s), misrepresentation of fact(s), or any type of fraud you will be required to return the funds to the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets. You may also be subject to further scrutiny and additional State or Federal action.
While most businesses may only receive a single CRF grant award, there may be additional resources available to help your business address the economic downturn from COVID-19. You can find the most up to date information on the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets website at agriculture.vermont.gov/covid-19-information.
Records Available for Audit
As a recipient of Vermont COVID-19 Agriculture Assistance Program grant, you must maintain all records pertaining to your grant award and to your related expenditures for at least five years. “Records” means any written or recorded information, regardless of physical form or characteristics, related to your grant application, award, and/or expenditure that are produced or acquired by the awardee related to this grant. Records produced or acquired in a machine-readable electronic format shall be maintained in that format. The described records shall be made available at reasonable times for at least five years or for any period required by law for inspection by any authorized representative of the State or Federal Government. If any litigation, claim, or audit is started before the expiration of the five-year period, the records shall be retained until all litigation, claims or audit findings involving the records have been resolved and you are notified that you no longer need to retain these records.
Requirements Pertaining Only to Federal Grants and Subrecipient Agreements
If this Agreement is a grant that is funded in whole or in part by Federal funds:
- Requirement to Have a Single Audit: The Subrecipient will complete the Subrecipient Annual Report annually within 45 days after its fiscal year end, informing the State of Vermont whether or not a Single Audit is required for the prior fiscal year. If a Single Audit is required, the Subrecipient will submit a copy of the audit report to the granting Party within 9 months. If a single audit is not required, only the Subrecipient Annual Report is required.
For fiscal years ending before December 25, 2015, a Single Audit is required if the subrecipient expends $500,000 or more in Federal assistance during its fiscal year and must be conducted in accordance with OMB Circular A-133. For fiscal years ending on or after December 25, 2015, a Single Audit is required if the subrecipient expends $750,000 or more in Federal assistance during its fiscal year and must be conducted in accordance with 2 CFR Chapter I, Chapter II, Part 200, Subpart F. The Subrecipient Annual Report is required to be submitted within 45 days, whether or not a Single Audit is required.
- Internal Controls: In accordance with 2 CFR Part II, §200.303, the Party must establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award to provide reasonable assurance that the Party is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the award. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in “Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government” issued by the Comptroller General of the United States and the “Internal Control Integrated Framework,” issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).
- Mandatory Disclosures: In accordance with 2 CFR Part II, §200.113, Party must disclose, in a timely manner, in writing to the State, all violations of Federal criminal law involving fraud, bribery, or gratuity violations potentially affecting the Federal award. Failure to make required disclosures may result in the imposition of sanctions which may include disallowance of costs incurred, withholding of payments, termination of the Agreement, suspension/debarment, etc.
If you have additional questions, please contact us at AGR.CovidResponse@vermont.gov or (802) 828-2430.
Thank you for your contributions to Vermont business and to Vermont agriculture. We hope this award significantly contributes to your business and wish you success in these challenging times.