Gavarone Announces Approval of Funds for Solheim Cup, Additional Pandemic Relief Funds for Ohio Communities

COLUMBUS—State Senator Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green) this week announced the state’s approval of $2 million in Sports Event Grants to Destination Toledo, Inc. in support of the 2021 Solheim Cup. The Ohio Sports Event Grant program provides funding to a local organizing committee, endorsing municipality, or endorsing county to attract major sporting events to Ohio.

The Solheim Cup is a biennial golf tournament for professional women golf teams representing Europe and the United States. "Hosting the Solheim Cup in Toledo will boost tourism and business in our region," said Gavarone. "I am pleased the Controlling Board approved these funds this week to bring this unique sporting event to our state." In addition, the Controlling Board also approved the following funding to help Ohio communities recover from the COVID-19 pandemic:

• $175 million in additional funding for COVID-19-related expenses for Ohio’s townships, municipalities, and counties.
• $31 million for Ohio's Department of Jobs and Family Services to pay publicly funded childcare centers that are choosing to operate with reduced teacher-to-student ratios or class sizes.
• $89.5 million for the Ohio's Department of Health to continue expanded testing efforts, $5.3 million approved for local health departments for the same efforts and $2.7 million for wraparound services for migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
• $15.3 million for Educational Service Centers, $1.7 million to Ohio's County Boards of Developmental Disabilities that serve school-aged children and $500k for the State Schools for the Blind and Deaf.
• $9 million in CARES Act funding to schools, institutions of higher education, and other education-related entities to fund additional hours of childcare needed as a result of the students not physically being at school.

"These funds provide critical resources to our communities for those who are working on the front-lines to keep people safe during the pandemic," said Gavarone.

To date, nearly $2.7 billion in CARES Act funding has been approved by the General Assembly to be distributed Ohio’s communities as they continue to battle and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. More information about the funds approved this week can be found here.