AUGUSTA — A Belfast senior living care facility and a trio of area hospitals were among more than 50 recipients of the Maine Health Care Financial Relief Grant Program across the state. 

The Maine Health Care Financial Relief Grant Program is funded with $30 million made available to Maine under the federal CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Fund to provide economic relief due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with monies distributed through the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development. 

Local grant recipients, each receiving a $100,000 grant, included Belfast’s Tall Pines Healthcare, Inc., LincolnHealth, Pen Bay Medical Center and Waldo County General Hospital. 

Grants ranged from $40,000 to $100,000, though the majority of recipients received $100,000. 

The program provides grants for health care providers that demonstrate a need for financial relief based on lost revenues or expenses related to the disruption of business operations caused by COVID-19.

Grants were distributed based on a provider’s demonstrated losses as a pro-rated percentage of the total losses reported by qualified applicants.

The grants are intended to assist in sustaining the viability of Maine health care providers, and is not intended to entirely replace lost profits. 

To qualify for a grant, a provider must demonstrate need for financial relief based on lost revenues or expenses incurred since March 1 due to the pandemic, namely, an expected 20 percent loss in revenue minus expenses compared to the last tax filing. 

Grant monies are provided to assist in covering losses incurred as a direct result of the pandemic. Providers, as such, are encouraged to spend the grant on expenses such as payroll, utilities, rent or mortgage, PPE and other  necessary equipment or expenses.