Before and After

Disasters

Federal Funding for Cultural Institutions

FEMA 533/September 2005
1 Introduction 

2 About this Guide 

4 Resources for Preparedness and Mitigation

18 Resources for Response and Recovery

26 Contact Information

28 On-line Information

Contents

On the cover: 

The Ft. Pickens Visitors Center, a

historic structure housing a library,

offices, and exhibits, was devastated

when Hurricane Ivan struck the

Gulf Islands National Seashore in

2004.The building was pushed off

its foundation and broke in two.

Photo --Service Museum Resource

Center
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Introduction

Floods, hurricanes, and other disasters can strike with little warning and

damage or destroy irreplaceable art, artifacts, books, and historic records.

But there are ways to prepare for emergencies and minimize the

damage they inflict. Since the events of September 11, 2001, effective

emergency management has become a higher priority for the cultural

community. More institutions are interested in developing disaster 

plans, providing staff training, and better protecting their collections.

Numerous federal programs now support such important efforts.

Before and After Disasters:Federal Funding for Cultural Institutions is designed to

help archives, arts centers, libraries, museums, historical societies, and

historic sites find the resources they need.

This guide is an updated and expanded version of Resources for Recovery:

Post-Disaster Aid for Cultural Institutions, first developed in 1992 by Heritage

Preservation and then revised in 2000. Before and After Disasters includes

summary descriptions and contact information for 15 federal grant 

and loan programs – almost double the number of resources in the

previous edition. It covers sources of federal assistance for preparedness,

mitigation, and response, as well as for recovery. Sample projects in

disaster planning, training, treatment research, and restoration illustrate

the funding guidelines.

Before and After Disasters:Federal Funding for Cultural Institutions is an initiative 

of the Heritage Emergency National Task Force. It was written and

produced by Heritage Preservation with funding from, and in

partnership with, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and 

the National Endowment for the Arts as a service to the American

cultural community.

Heritage Preservation

Summer 2005
About this Guide

Grant and loan guidelines are

organized by agency in two sections

of Before and After Disasters.The first

section discusses financial resources

for preparedness and mitigation; the

second, programs for response and

recovery. Each agency profile contains

a general overview of the grant or

loan programs, a list of eligible

activities, the award amount or loan

terms, and a sample project.Web 

site addresses are provided for

additional details on application

guidelines. Regional offices are listed

for two agencies.

Before and After Disasters also features 

on-line resources for professional

preservation advice that can benefit

institutions and the communities they

serve. Please visit the Web site of the

Heritage Emergency National Task

Force (www.heritageemergency.org) for

updated links.

The following agencies have

contributed to this guide:

The Federal Emergency

Management Agency (FEMA) of 

the Department of Homeland 

Security leads America to prepare for,

prevent, respond to, and recover from

disasters.This mission is accomplished by reducing loss of life and

property, minimizing suffering and

disruption caused by disasters,

preparing the nation to address the

consequences of terrorism, and

serving as the nation’s portal for

emergency management information

and expertise.

The Institute of Museum and

Library Services (IMLS) is an

independent federal grant-making

agency dedicated to helping the

nation’s 15,000 museums and

122,000 libraries serve their

communities. By supporting libraries

and museums, IMLS fosters

leadership, innovation, and education.

The National Center for

Preservation Technology and

Training (NCPTT) is a research 

and education center of the National

Park Service. NCPTT advances the 

use of technology in the fields of

historic preservation, archaeology,

architecture, landscape architecture,

and materials conservation through

training, education, research,

technology transfer, and partnerships.

The National Endowment for the

Arts (NEA) is an independent federal

agency dedicated to supporting

excellence in the arts, both new and

established; bringing the arts to all

Americans; and providing leadership

in arts education.

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The National Endowment for 

the Humanities (NEH) is an

independent federal grant-making

agency dedicated to supporting

research, education, preservation, and

public programs in the humanities.

The National Historical Publications

and Records Commission (NHPRC)

promotes the preservation and use of

America’s documentary heritage that

is essential to understanding our

democracy, history, and culture.

The National Science Foundation

(NSF) is an independent federal

agency with a mission to promote 

the progress of science; to advance

the national health, prosperity, and

welfare; and to secure the national

defense.

The Small Business Administration

(SBA) maintains and strengthens 

the nation’s economy by aiding,

counseling, assisting, and protecting

the interests of small businesses and

by helping families and businesses

recover from natural disasters. In 

the wake of disasters, the SBA

provides loans to help nonprofit

organizations, businesses of all sizes,

and homeowners and renters with

long-term recovery efforts.

DISASTER 

MANAGEMENT 

DEFINITIONS 

Preparedness means being 

ready to handle disasters 

and emergencies. Risk

assessments, disaster

planning, adequate supplies,

trained staff, and community

partnerships all contribute to

disaster preparedness. 

Mitigation is the process of

preventing or minimizing the

losses and damages that

emergencies can cause.

Response involves actions

taken to deal with a disaster or

emergency. Response is about

the emergency itself, as well

as the problems it creates. 

Recovery means restoring

services, facilities, programs,

collections, and infrastructure.

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Resources for Preparedness 

and Mitigation

Effective emergency preparedness is essential if cultural

institutions and heritage sites are to rapidly respond when

facilities and collections are threatened by disasters. It is

equally important that institutions and sites look for

opportunities to reduce future disaster damages by

implementing hazard mitigation measures.The following

funding sources can support preparedness and mitigation

activities.

This Missouri Post Office was submerged

by flood waters in July 1993. High water

levels can move even the heaviest objects

and leave rooms in shambles. 

Photo by Andrea Booher/FEMA Photo.
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Federal Emergency Management Agency

The Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Program assists states, Indian tribes,

and local governments with cost-effective hazard mitigation activities that

complement a comprehensive mitigation program.The PDM Program provides

a significant opportunity before disasters strike to raise risk awareness and

reduce disaster losses through planning and project grants. Eligible applicants

are state emergency management agencies or similar offices of a state, the

District of Columbia, the U.S.Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Pacific

Territories, as well as federally recognized Indian tribal governments. State-level

agencies, state-recognized Indian tribes and federally recognized Indian tribal

governments, local governments, and public colleges and universities are

eligible for funding as sub-applicants and must apply through eligible applicants

to receive PDM Program funds. Private nonprofit organizations and institutions

are not eligible sub-applicants; however, relevant state agencies or local

governments may apply for assistance on their behalf.

Eligible Activities: PDM Program funds must be used for hazard

mitigation planning and/or the implementation of

mitigation projects prior to a disaster. Eligible

mitigation plans and projects must be long-term,

feasible, and cost-effective.

Award Amounts: Funding is restricted to a maximum of $3 million

federal share per planning or per project subapplication and is subject to a 75 percent federal/25

percent non-federal cost share.The non-federal match

does not need to be cash; in-kind services or materials

may be used. PDM funds are available until expended

and are awarded on a competitive basis without state

allocations or quotas.

Additional Information: Visit www.fema.gov/fima/pdm for updated information

and the next application period. Eligibility

requirements for private nonprofits can be found 

at www.fema.gov/txt/fima/pnp_fact_sheet.txt.

The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) provides assistance to

implement long-term hazard mitigation measures after major disaster

declarations.The purpose of the program is to reduce property loss due to
natural disasters and to enable mitigation measures to be implemented during

the immediate recovery from a disaster. HMGP funding is only available to

applicants within a designated disaster area. State and local governments, Indian

tribes or other tribal organizations, and eligible private nonprofit organizations

or institutions that own or operate private nonprofit facilities can apply for

HMGP funding through their state emergency management agency. Eligible

private nonprofit facilities include museums, zoos, and libraries.

Eligible Activities: HMGP funds may be used to support projects that

will reduce or eliminate losses from future disasters.

Eligible projects provide a long-term solution to a

problem—for example, the elevation of a structure to

reduce the risk of future flood damage as opposed to

the purchase of sandbags and pumps to fight the

flood. A project’s potential savings must be more than

the cost of implementing the project. HMGP funds

may be used to protect either public or private

property or to purchase property that has been

subjected to, or is in danger of, repetitive damage.

Award Amounts: Award amounts vary and are subject to a 75 percent

federal/25 percent non-federal cost share.The nonfederal match does not need to be cash; in-kind

services or materials may be used.The state prioritizes

and selects project applications developed and

submitted by local jurisdictions and forwards

applications consistent with state and local mitigation

planning objectives to FEMA for eligibility review.

Funding for this program is limited to 7.5 percent of

the total grants awarded by FEMA in a disaster.

Sample Project: Following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the 

City of San Francisco received HMGP funding for the

seismic retrofit of the San Francisco City Hall, one 

of the finest examples of classical architecture in the

United States and a National Historic Landmark.

During the retrofit, the building’s foundation was

separated from the earth around it to protect both 

the occupants and historic architecture from future

earthquakes. It is now the largest base-isolated

building in the world.

Additional Information: Visit www.fema.gov/fima/hmgp.

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Institute of Museum and Library Services

The Conservation Project Support (CPS) Program awards grants to help

museums identify conservation needs and priorities to ensure the safekeeping

of their living and nonliving collections. A proposed project must be a top

institutional collections care priority and meet the institution’s highest

conservation needs. Applicants must demonstrate that the primary goal of the

project is conservation care and not collections management or maintenance.

Eligible Activities: Grants are available for five broad types of

conservation activities including surveys (general,

detailed condition, or environmental), training,

research, treatment, and environmental

improvements. Collections may be nonliving, natural

history, living plants, or living animals.

Award Amounts: Awards are limited to $150,000. Exceptional projects

can be awarded up to $250,000. An institution may

submit one application each fiscal year. Applicants

may also receive up to $10,000 to develop an

educational component that directly relates to 

their project.

Sample Projects: The Arizona State Museum (Tempe, Arizona) received

a $22,423 CPS program award to conduct planning

and staff training leading to the development of a

disaster preparedness and recovery plan.The Oakland

Museum (Oakland, California) received $24,965 to

improve environmental conditions in the collections

storage area with special attention to earthquake

mitigation measures.

Additional Information: Contact the Senior Program Officer in the Office 

of Museum Services at (202) 653-4641 or visit

www.imls.gov/grants/museum/index.htm. Sample 

application narratives are available on-line.

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Through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), the IMLS Office of

Library Services distributes Grants to State Library Agencies using a

population-based formula. State and territorial library agencies may use these

funds to support statewide initiatives and services. LSTA appropriations awarded

to library agencies may also be used for subgrant competitions or cooperative

agreements to public, academic, research, school, and special libraries.

Eligible Activities: Grants to State Library Agencies can support projects

that use technology for information sharing between

libraries as well as between libraries and other

community services and to support projects that make

library resources more accessible to urban, rural, or

low-income residents. Each state or territorial library

agency develops its own spending plan. Several states

have used LSTA funds to award subgrants for projects

that include disaster planning.

Award Amounts: Award amounts vary. Each state or territory develops

its own plan for spending the funds.

Sample Project: The Washington State Library (Olympia,Washington)

used an IMLS Grant to State Library Agencies to

launch the Washington Preservation Initiative, which

has three objectives: to preserve historical library

collections in all formats, to give citizens access to

collections, and to help library staff develop

preservation expertise.The Washington Preservation

Initiative sponsored a workshop series that included

training on disaster planning.

Additional Information: For more information visit

www.imls.gov/grants/library/index.htm.

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The IMLS National Leadership Grants program in the Office of Library

Services supports research and demonstration projects to improve library

services. Funding is awarded to projects that have a national impact and provide

models that can be widely adapted or replicated by others. IMLS establishes a set

of priorities each fiscal year and gives funding preference to projects that

address them.

Eligible Activities: The National Leadership Grants program supports

model projects to improve library services, including

collections care and disaster planning. All types of

libraries, except federal and for-profit libraries, are

eligible to apply. Other eligible entities include library

associations, library consortia, and institutions of

higher learning. Library applicants may apply

individually or as partners with organizations such

as museums, archives, and other cultural heritage

organizations.

Award Amounts: Grant amounts range from $25,000 to $1 million

with a 1:1 match required for requests over $250,000

and cost sharing of at least 1/3 encouraged for

requests under $250,000 and for research projects.

Sample Project: The Northeast Document Conservation Center in

partnership with the Massachusetts Board of Library

Commissioners received a National Leadership 

Grant to develop and disseminate an on-line training

tool to help librarians write disaster plans.The

partners will also develop a training curriculum for

smaller libraries and museums entitled “Steal This

Disaster Plan.”

Additional Information: To learn more or see a current list 

of program priorities visit

www.imls.gov/grants/library/index.htm.

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National Center for Preservation 

Technology and Training

Preservation Technology and Training Grants support research, training,

meetings, conferences, and publications that further the Center’s mission.

Preference is given to research and training projects that protect cultural

resources against vandalism, looting, terrorism, and natural disasters; conserve

architectural materials of the “recent past”; develop appropriate technologies to

preserve houses of worship and cemeteries; monitor and evaluate preservation

treatments; study environmental effects of pollution on cultural resources; and

document and preserve threatened cultural landscapes.

Eligible Activities: Preservation Technology and Training Grants may be

used to fund projects that protect cultural resources

against vandalism, looting, terrorism, and natural

disasters and projects that develop preservation

technologies to assist with preparedness, prevention,

and recovery. NCPTT supports single-year projects.

Award Amounts: Grants are awarded competitively with a maximum

award of $40,000.

Sample Project: The University of Utah (Salt Lake City, Utah) received

a Preservation Technology and Training Grant for a

project entitled “Protocol for Emergency Washing,

Drying, and Sterilization of Historically Significant

Books.”The project examined the long-term physical

effects from commonly used techniques.The study’s

outcomes will allow disaster response professionals to

define optimal recovery protocols based on collection

age and historic value, predominant paper types, and

institutional budgetary constraints.

Additional Information: Visit www.ncptt.nps.gov or contact the 

Environmental and Materials Research Program

Manager at (318) 356-7444.

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National Endowment for the Arts

Although the NEA does not receive special appropriations to support disaster

relief activities, the Endowment may provide financial support to public arts

agencies and arts organizations for disaster preparedness and prevention activities

that may arise out of natural disasters or terrorist acts. The NEA provides funding

for projects involving the presentation, performance, exhibition, creation,

preservation and conservation of art and for arts education in the fields of dance,

design, folk and traditional arts, local arts agencies, literature, media arts,

museums, music, musical theater, opera, presenting, theater, and visual arts.

Grants for Arts Projects are awarded through three categories—Access to Artistic

Excellence, Challenge America: Reaching Every Community Fast-Track Review

Grants, and Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth.

Eligible Activities: An applicant organization must be a 501(c)(3)

nonprofit, tax-exempt organization with a three-year

history of arts programming. The NEA provides

matching grants on a competitive basis for projects of

national, regional, or field-wide significance. This

includes projects that can serve as models for a field

or have significant effects within communities.

Projects related to disaster preparedness and

mitigation are eligible for support.

Award Amounts: Award amounts vary according to category and are

limited to $150,000.The average size of an NEA grant

is $25,000.

Sample Projects: The Craft Emergency Relief Fund (Montpelier,

Vermont) received a $15,000 grant to add disaster

prevention information to the Fund’s Web site for

craft artists.The site, which currently provides

information to any professional craft artist

experiencing career-threatening illness, accident, fire,

theft, or natural disaster, will be expanded to include a

clearinghouse of information and resources on

business planning, risk management, health and safety

resources, and disaster prevention. Architecture for

Humanity (New York, New York) received a $15,000

grant to support the design and planning of

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emergency shelter sites.The project involved an

international design competition and workshop with

architects, designers, and relief professionals to

establish a set of “best practice” principles for

improving emergency shelters and camps.

Additional Information: Visit www.arts.gov/grants/apply or contact webmgr@arts.gov.

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At the Gulf Islands National Seashore,

recovery workers pack up damaged

objects in specially designed crates.

Federal funding is available for essential 

disaster supplies.

Photo courtesy the National Park Service

Museum Resource Center.
National Endowment for the Humanities

The Division of Preservation and Access provides leadership and support to

preserve humanities collections in America’s libraries, museums, archives, and

historical organizations. Preservation Education and Training Grants support

national or regional projects that focus on the development and presentation of

courses or programs on the care and management of humanities collections for

staff in cultural organizations.

Eligible Activities: Preservation Education and Training Grants may be

used to fund training programs that focus on disaster

preparedness or mitigation or that use it as a

component part. Regional preservation field services

that include disaster preparedness and response

assistance among their services are also eligible in 

this category.

Award Amounts: Preservation Education and Training Grants are twoyear awards and have ranged from $50,000 to

$600,000. NEH support will not exceed 80 percent

of a project’s total eligible costs.

Sample Project: Disaster assistance and preparedness services are

offered by NEH-supported regional field service

programs. For example, the Upper Midwest

Conservation Association received NEH funding for 

its field service program, which assists cultural

heritage repositories in the Upper Midwest through

educational workshops, general needs assessment

surveys and collection-specific surveys, and a

mentoring program and technical assistance.

The program is also available during business hours 

to give immediate assistance with disaster recovery

efforts.

Additional Information: Eligibility requirements, application guidelines, and

deadlines are available at www.neh.gov.

The Division of Preservation and Access provides Preservation Assistance

Grants for Smaller Institutions to help institutions improve their ability to

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preserve and care for their humanities collections.These institutions include

libraries, museums, historical societies, archival repositories, town and county

records offices, and underserved departments and units within colleges and

universities.

Eligible Activities: Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions

support activities such as general preservation

assessments; consultations with professionals to

address a specific preservation need, which might

include developing disaster preparedness and response

plans; purchase of storage furniture and preservation

supplies; and preservation workshops, which can

focus on disaster preparedness and response.

Award Amounts: Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions

are up to $5,000.

Sample Projects: The Sweetwater County Historical Museum (Green

River,Wyoming) received a $5,000 Preservation

Assistance Grant for Smaller Institutions to have a

consultant provide disaster preparedness and response

training for staff and volunteers at the museum and

neighboring cultural institutions.The Southern Ute

Cultural Center and Museum (Ignacio, Colorado)

received $4,730 to complete a response and recovery

plan with the help of a preservation consultant and to

hold an on-site emergency preparedness workshop.

Pikeville College (Pikeville, Kentucky) received $3,325

to purchase preservation supplies, including disaster

response materials, that were recommended by a

preservation consultant.

Additional Information: Eligibility requirements, application guidelines, and

deadlines are available at www.neh.gov.

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National Historical Publications and 

Records Commission

NHPRC Grants support projects to preserve, publish, and encourage the use of

documentary sources. Statewide programs relating to disaster preparedness or

mitigation may be supported through grants made to State Historical Records

Advisory Boards. Activities relating to disaster preparedness or mitigation are

also eligible for NHPRC Grants under the category of Preserving and Providing

Access to Records. Under this category, the Commission supports projects that

help archives, colleges and universities, and historical societies assess records

conditions and needs, develop archival and records management programs, and

provide support for preserving and microfilming historical photographs,

newsfilms, and sound recordings.

Eligible Activities: Examples of eligible activities are disaster

preparedness or mitigation planning for individual

archival institutions or other historical records

repositories as part of an archives and records

program, planning for consortia on a statewide 

basis, and the development or provision of

educational opportunities for archives or historical

records custodians.

Award Amounts: There is no set limit on grant amounts, but the

majority fall in the $5,000 to $200,000 range.

Sample Projects: A grant to the Florida Department of State Division 

of Library and Information Services (Tallahassee,

Florida) awarded $38,060 to the Florida State

Historical Records Advisory Board to provide

disaster planning and recovery training and to

establish a consortium to coordinate statewide

efforts to address disaster and disaster recovery

issues.The New York State Archives State Education

Department (Albany, New York) awarded $289,613

to the New York State Historical Records Advisory

Board to help support a project to carry out

documentation and records arrangement and

description projects addressing the World Trade

Center disaster and its impact on New Yorkers and

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other under-documented groups, topics, and

activities in the state.

Additional Information: Contact the Director of State Programs at 

(202) 501-5610 or nhprc@nara.gov or visit

www.archives.gov/grants.

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On October 30, 2004,the

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Hamilton Library was hit by a

flash flood. A wall of water

carrying mud and debris crashed

through the ground floor, leaving

only load-bearing walls standing.

Mold was a major problem.

Photo: Susan Murata
National Science Foundation

The National Science Foundation, through its Biological Research Collections

(BRC) Program, provides support for biological collection enhancement,

computerization of specimen-related data, research to develop better methods for

specimen curation and collection management, and activities such as symposia

and workshops to investigate support and management of biological collections.

Eligible Activities: The BRC Program may support activities related to

disaster preparedness and prevention. For example,

the BRC Program has provided funding for

earthquake-resistant cabinets and supported

emergency preparedness and prevention workshops.

Award Amounts: The maximum budget that can be requested from the

NSF is $500,000 per award.

Sample Project: The BRC Program funded a workshop during the

annual meeting of the Society for the Preservation 

of Natural History Collections (SPNHC) entitled

“Workshop on Emergency Preparedness, Response,

and Salvage in Natural History Collections.”The

meeting featured presentations on preparedness and

response in the context of institution-, city-, and

nationwide events.The workshop aimed to educate a

wide variety of museum professionals about the

challenges and collaborative efforts required when

writing an emergency response and salvage plan.

Additional Information: For program guidelines visit www.nsf.gov/bio/

dbi/about.jsp or contact the Biological Research

Collections Program Officer at (703) 292-8470 

or dbibrc@nsf.gov.

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Resources for Response 

and Recovery

Disasters can occur at any time and without warning,

so it is best to know the options in advance.The

following federal resources can help cultural

institutions in response and recovery efforts.This

section also explains how the federal emergency

assistance system works and gives disaster response 

tips to help you get started.

About 3,000 photographs had to

be rinsed and dried after the flash

flood at the University of Hawaii

at Manoa. Volunteers stepped in

to help with the massive job.

Photo: Susan Murata
How the System Works 

State and local emergency managers are the first line of defense.You can find a

list of state agencies on FEMA’s Web site at www.fema.gov/fema/statedr.shtm.

When a disaster exceeds the capabilities of local and state resources, the state

turns to the federal government for help.The governor requests that the

President of the United States declare a “major disaster” or an “emergency”

to implement the National Response Plan and make available federal disaster

assistance.This assistance supplements the efforts and available resources of state

and local governments, voluntary relief organizations, and other forms of

assistance such as insurance. Federal disaster assistance is available only if the

President declares a major disaster.

After the President declares a major disaster or emergency, FEMA designates 

the geographic area, usually counties or other political subdivisions, eligible for

disaster assistance and the types of assistance available. FEMA then establishes a

temporary Joint Field Office within the affected area to coordinate the disaster

relief and recovery effort.

If the damages are less extensive, the governor may ask the Administrator of 

the Small Business Administration (SBA) for an SBA declaration rather than a

Presidential one.

First Steps: Disaster Response Tips

Coordinating the needs of salvage and financial recovery may seem

overwhelming in the first days after a disaster.The following tips can help 

you respond effectively under stressful circumstances.

• Keep personnel off-site until state or local officials inspect for major safety

threats such as structural damage, contamination, fallen electrical wires,

and gas leaks.

• Inform local emergency management officials of the damage to your

institution.

• Contact your insurance agent immediately.

• Check local media for contact numbers for technical and financial disaster

assistance.

• Locate the original or obtain the off-site copy of your emergency plan,

collection inventory, financial records, and insurance policy.

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• Assess the damage as soon as you can re-enter the building. Document the

damage in writing and with videotape and/or photographs.

• Begin cleanup and salvage as soon as possible. Don’t wait for the insurance

agent or adjuster, but remember to fully document the damage before

recovery efforts begin.

• Do not throw away damaged items; they may be salvageable. Items that

cannot be salvaged should be kept as proof of loss. Isolate contaminated

objects.

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In March 2004, the storage facility of the 

New Mexico Museum of Indian Arts and 

Culture’s Archaeological Research Collections 

in Santa Fe was flooded by a hot water pipe that

broke and flowed unchecked for almost 24 hours.

Approximately 1,400 boxes were immersed in

water, and objects inside them had to be removed

and dried.

Museum of Indian Arts and Culture/Laboratory of

Anthropology, Department of Cultural Affairs

www.miaclab.

Photo: Anthony Thibodeau
Federal Emergency Management Agency

The Public Assistance Program provides supplemental federal disaster grant

assistance for the repair, replacement, or restoration of facilities damaged in

Presidentially declared disasters. Eligible applicants include states, Indian tribes,

local governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations and institutions.

These eligible private nonprofit organizations and institutions must own or

operate facilities that provide educational, utility, medical, custodial care, or

other essential governmental type services to the general public. Private

nonprofit organizations that do not provide a critical service (power, water,

sewer, wastewater treatment, communications, and emergency medical care)

must first apply for a loan from the Small Business Administration (SBA) for

permanent repair or restoration costs. If the SBA declines the organization’s

application for a loan or the disaster damages exceed the maximum amount of

the SBA loan, the organization then may apply to FEMA for assistance.

For the purpose of Public Assistance funding, the FEMA Museum Eligibility

Policy defines private nonprofit museums as confined facilities that are

constructed or manufactured whose primary purposes are to preserve

documented collections of artistic, historic, scientific, or other objects, and to

exhibit the documented collections to the general public.

In addition, the FEMA Collections and Individual Objects Policy states that

funding may be available for damaged collections and objects of eligible public

or private nonprofit facilities when the collections are of exceptionally

significant cultural value, accessible to the general public for educational

purposes, and accessioned and catalogued and/or inventoried.

Eligible Activities: To be eligible, repair, replacement, or restoration

projects must be required as the result of a declared

disaster, be located within a designated disaster area,

and be the legal responsibility of an eligible applicant.

While equipment and furnishings of facilities are

eligible for replacement, objects considered under the

Collections Policy are eligible only for repair.

Award Amounts: Award amounts vary and are typically subject to a 

75 percent federal/25 percent non-federal cost share.

B EFORE AND A FTER DISASTERS : F EDERAL F UNDING FOR C U L TURAL I NSTITUTIONS

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Sample Project: The Baltimore Museum of Industry (Baltimore,

Maryland) received FEMA Public Assistance funding

following Hurricane Isabel in 2003.The museum,

located on the city’s Inner Harbor, suffered extensive

storm damage. Collections held in a basement storage

area were inundated by sewage that backed up to a

depth of five feet. Following the Presidential disaster

declaration, the museum, a private nonprofit

institution, applied for federal disaster assistance.

Anticipated damages exceeded the maximum level of

SBA loan assistance, and the museum qualified for

FEMA Public Assistance funding. FEMA determined

that the museum collection was of exceptionally

significant cultural value and had been legally

conveyed and properly accessioned, and therefore was

eligible for assistance. Conservators worked with

museum staff to prepare a stabilization and treatment

plan for the salvageable objects, and the collection is

now stored in a newly refurbished facility.

Additional Information: Visit www.fema.gov/rrr/pa for information on applicant

eligibility, project eligibility, project requirements, and

the application process.The FEMA Museum Eligibility

Policy (www.fema.gov/rrr/pa/9521_2.shtm) clarifies what

constitutes an eligible private nonprofit museum.

The Collections and Individual Objects Policy

(www.fema.gov/rrr/pa/9524_6.shtm) describes Public

Assistance funding eligibility criteria for damaged

cultural collections.

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National Endowment for the Arts

While the NEA does not receive special appropriations to support disaster relief

activities, the Chairman may award Extraordinary Action grants in response to

emergency situations. These grants are made only when extraordinary

circumstances merit immediate attention and warrant bypassing the customary

review process. Recipients must meet the same eligibility requirements stated in

the NEA guidelines. Organizations may also apply under Grants for Arts

Projects on the timeline specified in the guidelines.

Eligible Activities: Extraordinary Action grants may be awarded to

replace costumes, sets, props, or supplies; restore

damaged art collections; or help support arts

programs that will allow the affected organization 

and community to address the disaster.

Award Amounts: Grant amounts are up to $30,000.They may be

matching or non-matching at the discretion of the

Chairman.

Sample Projects: Following Hurricane Charley, the Orlando Ballet

(Orlando, Florida) received a $10,000 grant for the

repair and restoration of costumes, sets, and props;

the replacement of office furniture; and interior air

cleanup.A grant of $10,000 was awarded to the Arts

& Humanities Council of Charlotte County (Port

Charlotte, Florida) to help artists and cultural

organizations replace art, studio space, and supplies

destroyed by the hurricane.

Additional Information: Visit www.arts.gov/grants/apply (Grants for Arts Projects)

or contact webmgr@arts.gov.

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National Endowment for the Humanities

NEH Emergency Grants are made only when extraordinary circumstances

merit immediate attention and warrant bypassing the customary review process.

In the aftermath of a disaster, Emergency Grants may be awarded to salvage or

protect humanities collections when assistance from FEMA is not available.The

NEH provides most of its support for disaster response and recovery through

grants to regional field service programs. Before submitting a request for an

Emergency Grant, applicants must contact the Division of Preservation and Access

to ensure the availability of funds and the eligibility of the request.

Eligible Activities: Emergency Grants may be awarded to salvage or

protect humanities collections when assistance from

FEMA is not available.

Award Amounts: Grants are up to $30,000.

Sample Projects: The Hot Spring County Library (Malvern, Arkansas)

received an NEH Emergency Grant of $18,966 to

salvage books on Arkansas history and literature

damaged after a fire.The American Royal Association

(Kansas City, Missouri) was awarded $29,801 to

extract water from its exhibition galleries and to treat

collections, which had been damaged by flooding.

Additional Information: Contact the Division of Preservation and Access at

(202) 606-8570 or preservation@neh.gov.

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2 4
Small Business Administration

Small Business Administration Physical Disaster Business Loans are available to

nonprofit organizations for uncompensated physical losses that are a result of

declared disasters. Loans are available in areas declared a disaster by the

President of the United States or the SBA Administrator after a request from the

governor of the affected state.The loans have low interest rates (generally

around 4 percent), long terms (up to 30 years), and refinancing of prior debts

in some cases. By law, loans are offered at a higher rate of interest (8 percent

maximum) for applicants that have the financial capacity to recover from the

disaster without federal assistance. Over 90 percent of the SBA’s disaster loans

are offered at the lower rate. SBA will verify damages and estimate the cost to

repair or replace the structure and its contents to pre-disaster conditions.

Insurance proceeds that are required to be applied against outstanding

mortgages do not reduce loan eligibility. However, any insurance proceeds

voluntarily applied to outstanding mortgages do reduce the amount of

eligibility.

Eligible Activities: Loan assistance is available to nonprofit organizations

such as art museums, historical societies, churches,

and private universities to fund repairs or replacement

of disaster-damaged real estate, machinery and

equipment, inventory, and other assets. Only

uninsured or uncompensated disaster-related losses

are eligible for loans. Disaster loans may be increased

to finance mitigation measures to prevent damage in

similar disasters.

Award Amounts: The maximum disaster loan available to nonprofit

organizations for uncompensated disaster-related

physical losses is $1.5 million. Disaster victims must

repay the loans, and the SBA can only approve loans

to applicants that have satisfactory credit and a

reasonable ability to repay the loan.

Additional Information: Visit www.sba.gov/disaster.

B EFORE AND A FTER DISASTERS : F EDERAL F UNDING FOR C U L TURAL I NSTITUTIONS

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Contact Information

Federal Emergency Management

Agency (FEMA) 

Environmental and Historic Preservation

and Cultural Resources Programs

www.fema.gov/ehp (Web site)

FEMA Regional Offices

www.fema.gov/regions/

FEMA – Region I 

99 High Street, 6th Floor

Boston, MA 02110

(617) 956-7506 (phone)

(617) 956-7519 (fax)

Serves: CT, MA, ME, NH, RI,VT

FEMA – Region II

26 Federal Plaza, Room 1307

New York, NY 10278-0002

(212) 680-3600 (phone)

(212) 680-3681 (fax)

Serves: NJ, NY, PR,VI

FEMA – Region III 

One Independence Mall, 6th Floor

615 Chestnut Street

Philadelphia, PA 19106-4404

(215) 931-5608 (phone)

(215) 931-5621 (fax)

Serves: DC, DE, MD, PA,VA,WV

FEMA – Region IV 

3003 Chamblee-Tucker Road

Atlanta, GA 30341-4112

(770) 220-5200 (phone)

(770) 220-5230 (fax)

Serves: AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC,TN

FEMA – Region V

536 South Clark Street

Chicago, IL 60605-1521

(312) 408-5500 (phone)

(312) 408-5521 (fax)

Serves: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH,WI

FEMA – Region VI

Federal Regional Center

800 North Loop 288

Denton,TX 76209-3698

(940) 898-5399 (phone)

(940) 898-5325 (fax)

Serves: AR, LA, NM, OK,TX

FEMA – Region VII 

2323 Grand Boulevard, Suite 900

Kansas City, MO 64108-2670

(816) 283-7061 (phone)

(816) 283-7582 (fax)

Serves: KS, MO, NE, IA

FEMA – Region VIII

Denver Federal Center

Building 710, Box 25267

Denver, CO 80225-0267

(303) 235-4800 (phone)

(303) 235-4976 (fax)

Serves: CO, MT, ND, SD, UT,WY

FEMA - Region IX

1111 Broadway, Suite 1200

Oakland, CA 94607-4052

(510) 627-7100 (phone)

(510) 627-7112 (fax)

Serves: AZ, CA, HI, NV, Pacific Territories

FEMA – Region X

Federal Regional Center

130 228th Street, SW

Bothell,WA 98021-9796

(425) 487-4600 (phone)

(425) 487-4692 (fax)

Serves:AK, ID, OR,WA

Institute of Museum and 

Library Services (IMLS)

1800 M Street, NW, 9th Floor

Washington, DC 20036

(202) 653-4641 (phone) 

(202) 653-4608 (fax) 

imlsinfo@imls.gov (e-mail)

www.imls.gov (Web site)

B EFORE AND A FTER DISASTERS : F EDERAL F UNDING FOR C ULTURAL I NSTITUTIONS

2 6
National Center for Preservation

Technology and Training (NCPTT)

645 College Avenue

Natchitoches, LA 71457

(318) 356-7444 (phone)

(318) 356-9119 (fax)

ncptt@nps.gov (e-mail)

www.ncptt.nps.gov (Web site) 

National Endowment for 

the Arts (NEA)

1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20506

(202) 682-5400 (phone)

(202) 682-5638 (fax)

webmgr@arts.endow.gov (e-mail)

www.arts.gov (Web site)

National Endowment for 

the Humanities (NEH)

Division of Preservation and Access

1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW 

Room 411

Washington, DC 20506

(202) 606-8570 (phone)

(202) 606-8639 (fax)

preservation@neh.gov (e-mail)

www.neh.gov (Web site)

National Historical Publications and

Records Commission (NHPRC)

The National Archives and Records

Administration (NARA)

700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Room 106

Washington, DC 20408-0001

(202) 501-5610 (phone)

(202) 501-5601 (fax)

nhprc@nara.gov (e-mail)

www.archives.gov/grants (Web site)

National Science Foundation (NSF)

Biological Research Collections

NSF Division of Biological Infrastructure,

615 N

4201 Wilson Boulevard

Arlington,VA 22230

(703) 292-8470 (phone)

(703) 292-9063 (fax)

dbibrc@nsf.gov (e-mail)

www.nsf.gov (Web site)

Small Business 

Administration (SBA) 

www.sba.gov/disaster (Web site)

SBA Offices 

Disaster Area 1 Office

Small Business Administration

103 S. Elmwood Avenue

Buffalo, NY 14202

(800) 659-2955 (phone)

(716) 282-1472 (fax)

Serves: CT, DC, DE, MD, ME. MA,

NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI,VA,VT,WV, PR,VI

Disaster Area 2 Office

Small Business Administration

One Baltimore Place, Suite 300

Atlanta, GA 30308

(800) 359-2227 (phone)

(404) 347-3813 (fax)

Serves: AL, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, MI,

MN, MS, NC, OH, SC,TN,WI

Disaster Area 3 Office

Small Business Administration

14925 Kingsport Road

Fort Worth,TX 76155

(800) 366-6303 (phone)

(817) 684-5616 (fax)

Serves: AR, CO, IA, KS, LA, MO, MT,

ND, NE, NM, SD, OK,TX, UT,WY

Disaster Area 4 Office

P.O. Box 419004

Sacramento, CA 95841-9004

(800) 488-5323 (phone)

(916) 735-1683 (fax)

Serves:AK,AZ, CA, HI, ID, NV, OR,WA

and the Pacific Territories

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The following Web sites provide

preparedness and response expertise

for cultural institutions, individuals,

and communities.The resources

were selected by the Heritage

Emergency National Task Force,

which maintains the list at

www.heritagepreservation.org/programs

/tfc.htm.Web addresses are subject

to change.

American Institute for 

Conservation (AIC)

www.aic-faic.org

The American Institute for Conservation

of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC) is the

professional membership organization for

conservation professionals.The Web site

provides an on-line service to help the

public identify and locate professional

conservation services.

AMIGOS Library Services

www.amigos.org

AMIGOS Library Services is one of the

nation’s largest library resource-sharing

networks and is a leader in providing

information technology to libraries,

services libraries, and cultural institutions,

primarily in the Southwest. AMIGOS

provides information, guidance, and

referrals to local resources, gives on-site

assistance as required, and offers disaster

planning workshops.

California Preservation Program

calpreservation.org

The California Preservation Program

provides preservation-related resources 

to libraries, archives, historical societies,

cultural institutions, and records

repositories in California. Resources for

emergency preparedness and response

include the Generic Disaster Plan

Workbook and the Library Disaster Plan

Template, frameworks for institutions

writing their own disaster plans, and the

Disaster Plan Exercise, which can be used

to test existing plans and help train staff.

Colorado Preservation Alliance

ahc.uwyo.edu/srma/preservation

The Colorado Preservation Alliance Web

site features a disaster recovery database

with recommendations on salvage

procedures for a range of objects.

Conservation Center for Art and

Historic Artifacts (CCAHA)

www.ccaha.org/emergency_

resource.php

A regional conservation laboratory that

specializes in the treatment of art and

artifacts on paper, CCAHA provides

information on damaged collections,

strategies for recovering from water, fire,

pest infestation, or mold outbreaks, and

referrals for commercial vendors and

suppliers.Technical bulletins that address

disaster recovery needs and an Emergency

Resource Guide are available on-line.

B EFORE AND A FTER DISASTERS : F EDERAL F UNDING FOR C ULTURAL I NSTITUTIONS

2 8

On-line Information
Conservation Information Network

www.bcin.ca

BCIN, the Bibliographic Database of 

the Conservation Information Network,

is a bibliographic resource for the

conservation, preservation, and restoration

of cultural property. Users can search 

for papers and resource materials on

emergency response and preparedness.

Conservation OnLine (CoOL)

palimpsest.stanford.edu/bytopic/

disasters

CoOL is a full text library of conservation

information, covering a wide spectrum 

of topics related to the conservation of

library, archive, and museum materials.

The section on disaster planning and

response includes disaster plans, case

histories, and other resources with 

Web links.

Council of State Historical Records

Coordinators (COSHRC)

www.coshrc.org/arc/states/

res_disa.htm

COSHRC is a national organization of state

historical records coordinators that

encourages cooperation among the states,

defines and communicates archival and

records concerns at a national level, and

works to ensure that the nation’s

documentary heritage is preserved and

accessible.The CSHRC Web site features an

Archives Resource Center with a state-bystate list of disaster planning resources.

Disaster Mitigation 

Planning Assistance

www.matrix.msu.edu/~disaster/

Examples of disaster plans and

information on recovery techniques are

available on this site, a joint project of the

Center for Great Lakes Culture and the

Michigan State University Libraries.

Federal Emergency Management

Agency (FEMA)

www.fema.gov/ehp

The FEMA Web site section on

Environmental & Historic Preservation lists

on-line resources including the Emergency

Response and Salvage Wheel and Tips for Saving

Water-Damaged Photographs, Books and Textiles 

After the Flood.

Georgia Department of Archives 

and History (GDAH)

www.sos.state.ga.us/archives/ps/

disaster.htm

The GDAH site includes preservation

technical leaflets and disaster recovery 

and preparedness guidelines, as well as

information on the Southeast Regional

Conservation Association, which supports

disaster-related activities in the Southeast.

GDAH also provides information and

advice for individuals seeking assistance 

in salvaging their personal belongings.

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2 9
Inland Empire Library Disaster

Response Network (IELDRN)

www.ieldrn.org

IELDRN is a cooperative network of 

public and academic libraries in San

Bernardino, Riverside, and Eastern Los

Angeles Counties that work together to

prepare for and recover from disasters.

IELDRN offers a model Mutual Aid

Agreement, a sample disaster plan, and

Web links on library disaster preparedness

and library materials conservation.

Library of Congress 

Preservation Directorate

www.loc.gov/preserv/pubsemer.html

The Library of Congress Preservation

Directorate provides links to disasterrelated resources including Emergency Drying

Procedures for Water Damaged Collections, Emergency

Preparedness for Library of Congress Collections, and

A Primer on Disaster Preparedness, Management and

Response: Paper.

Library Preservation at Harvard

preserve.harvard.edu/emergencies/

index.html

This site provides information about

emergency response and the salvage of

library materials and includes planning

templates and salvage information for

many types of collections.

Los Angeles Preservation Network

(LAPnet)

www.usc.edu/org/LAPnet

LAPnet is a preservation network for

archives, libraries, conservators, and

records managers in the Los Angeles area.

Their web site provides a generic disaster

plan, a list of disaster consultants, and

local sources for disaster supplies and

suppliers.

Minnesota Historical Society

www.mnhs.org/preserve/

conservation/emergency.html

The Minnesota Historical Society Web 

site provides tip sheets detailing salvage

measures for materials such as paper,

leather, paintings on canvas, textiles and

clothing, and wood.

National Archives and Records

Administration (NARA)

www.archives.gov/preservation/

emergency_preparedness.html

NARA is an independent federal agency

that oversees the management of all

federal records. On-line resources include

A Primer on Disaster Preparedness, Management and

Response: Paper-Based Materials and Vital Records

and Records Disaster Mitigation and Recovery:An

Instructional Guide.

Northeast Document Conservation

Center (NEDCC)

www.nedcc.org/welcome/

disaster.htm

The NEDCC is a regional conservation

center serving New England as well as

New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and

Delaware. NEDCC offers an emergency

assistance program for institutions and

individuals with damaged paper-based

collections. On-line Emergency

Management Technical Leaflets range

from “Emergency Management Suppliers

and Services” to “Protecting Collections

during Renovation.”

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3 0
Regional Alliance for 

Preservation (RAP)

www.rap-arcc.org/

RAP serves as a national network 

for preservation and conservation

organizations dedicated to disseminating

information and promoting public

awareness. An on-line bibliography 

is searchable by topic and includes a

section on emergency preparedness.

San Diego/Imperial County 

Libraries Disaster Response 

Network (SILDRN)

orpheus.ucsd.edu/sildrn/

SILDRN is a regional cooperative

organization, providing mutual aid in

preparing for and coping with disasters

affecting libraries. Resources include

materials on planning and recovery and

information on local suppliers.

SOLINET

www.solinet.net/preservation/

SOLINET is a nonprofit membership

organization dedicated to strengthening

libraries.The Preservation Field Service

Program offers emergency disaster

assistance to individuals and institutions

and includes group discounts on supplies,

leaflets and other publications, videos,

and consultations.

The Upper Midwest Conservation

Association (UMCA)

www.preserveart.org/fieldservices/

fieldservices.html

The UMCA is a regional center working for

the preservation and conservation of art and

artifacts in the Upper Midwest.The Field

Services Department is available during

work hours to give immediate assistance

with disaster recovery efforts.Assistance in

emergency preparedness planning is

provided in the form of telephone

consultations, on-site visits, and workshops.

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3 1
B EFORE AND A FTER DISASTERS : F EDERAL F UNDING FOR C ULTURAL I NSTITUTIONS

3 2

In 2003, Hurricane Isabel hit

Colonial National Historical

Park, soaking the archaeological

collections at the Jamestown

Visitor Center in five feet of

water. Objects were dried on

screens after being washed to

remove mold and debris.

Photo courtesy the National Park

Service Museum Resource Center.
About the Sponsors

Before and After Disasters: Federal Funding for Cultural Institutions is 

an initiative of the Heritage Emergency National Task Force.

It was written and produced by Heritage Preservation 

with funding from and in partnership with the Federal

Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National

Endowment for the Arts (NEA) as a service to the American

cultural community.

The Heritage Emergency National Task Force was formed

in 1995 to help promote preparedness and mitigation

measures and provide expert information on response 

and salvage. Sponsored by FEMA and Heritage Preservation,

the Task Force works to help libraries, archives, museums,

and historic sites safeguard their collections.The Task 

Force is a partnership of 36 national organizations and

federal agencies that brings to its programs a nationwide

network of expertise. Its best-known disaster resource,

the Emergency Response and Salvage Wheel, is used by cultural

institutions around the world and has been translated 

into six languages.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency became 

part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on

March 1, 2003. FEMA’s continuing mission within the 

new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation

for all hazards and effectively manage federal response 

and recovery efforts following any national incident.

FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities,

trains first responders, and manages the National 

Flood Insurance Program.

The National Endowment for the Arts is the largest annual

funder of the arts in the United States. An independent

federal agency, the NEA is the official arts organization of

the United States government, dedicated to supporting

excellence in the arts, both new and established; bringing

the arts to all Americans; and providing leadership in arts

education.

Heritage Preservation is a national nonprofit advocate 

and resource for the proper care of works of art, books 

and archives, documents and photographs, architecture 

and monuments, natural science specimens, and family

heirlooms.

Further information on Before and After Disasters and 

a PDF version of the publication are available at

www.heritageemergency.org. Printed copies can also 

be ordered at no cost from the FEMA Distribution 

Center.To place an order, please call (800) 480-2520.

Designed by Fletcher Design, Inc./Washington, DC
1012 14th St. NW, Suite 1200

Washington, DC 20005

202-233-0800 

www.heritagepreservation.org