Disaster Financial 

Management Guide

Guidance for State, Local, Tribal & Territorial Partners

April 2020
Federal Emergency Management Agency 1 

Table of Contents

1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 3

Purpose.................................................................................................................... 3

Background.............................................................................................................. 4

2. Skills and Capabilities ......................................................................................................... 6

Disaster Financial Management Team Composition............................................... 6

Project and Portfolio Management.......................................................................... 8

Knowledge of Procurement and Contracting Practices .........................................11

3. Disaster Financial Management Activities .......................................................................... 16

Pre-Disaster Activities............................................................................................18

Initial Post-Disaster Activities.................................................................................22

Longer-Term Post-Disaster Activities .....................................................................25

4. Consolidated Resource List ............................................................................................... 28

5. Glossary ........................................................................................................................... 31

6. Acronym List .................................................................................................................... 33

Appendix A: Introduction to Financial Assistance Programs ........................................................ 36

Types of Disaster Financial Assistance ...........................................................................36

The Role of Presidential Disaster Declarations ...............................................................37

Appendix B: Timeline of Common Federal Disaster Funding Programs for Recovery ..................... 39

One Week After Disaster or Declaration..........................................................................42

One Month After Disaster or Declaration ........................................................................45

Three Months After Disaster or Declaration....................................................................50

Six Months After Disaster or Declaration ........................................................................52

One Year After Disaster or Declaration............................................................................55
Federal Emergency Management Agency 2 

Appendix C: Additional Federal Disaster Assistance Resources and Programs ............................. 58

Coastal Concerns.............................................................................................................58

Conservation Concerns....................................................................................................59

Dam and Levee Concerns ...............................................................................................60

Drought Concerns............................................................................................................60

Earthquake Concerns ......................................................................................................61

Economic and Community Development Concerns ........................................................61

Employment Concerns.....................................................................................................62

Energy Efficiency Concerns..............................................................................................62

Environment Concerns ....................................................................................................63

Fire Concerns...................................................................................................................63

Flood Concerns................................................................................................................64

General Disaster Assistance, Resources and Tools ........................................................65

Historic Preservation Concerns .......................................................................................66

Housing Concerns............................................................................................................67

Park Concerns .................................................................................................................69

Public Health and Wellbeing Concerns............................................................................69

Rural Land and Agricultural Concerns.............................................................................71

Small Business Concerns ................................................................................................72

Transportation Concerns ................................................................................................. 72

Veteran Concerns ............................................................................................................73

Water and Wastewater Concerns....................................................................................74

Watershed Concerns .......................................................................................................74

Appendix D: Legal Considerations for Disaster Financial Management ........................................ 76

Federal Primary Regulations and Authorities ..................................................................76

Additional Regulations and Authorities ...........................................................................77
Federal Emergency Management Agency 3 

1. Introduction 

Effective disaster financial management is critical for successful response and recovery. It helps 

jurisdictions obtain the resources needed to support their communities, increases the efficiency of 

recovery efforts and reduces the likelihood of audits and financial penalties for the jurisdiction. Fiscal and 

grant regulations are strict and apply to all jurisdictions, regardless of size, so it is imperative that all 

jurisdictions have robust scalable, flexible and adaptable disaster financial management plans and 

processes in place pre-disaster for all types of incidents. 

Purpose

This document helps jurisdictions (e.g., state, local, tribal and territorial governments) establish and 

implement sound disaster financial management practices. It identifies the foundational Skills and 

Capabilities (Section 2) needed for successful disaster financial management and provides an overview of 

key Disaster Financial Management Activities (Section 3) that jurisdictions can complete before, during 

and after a disaster to support sound disaster financial management. This includes considerations and 

practices necessary to track, calculate and justify the costs of an emergency, support local reimbursement 

reconciliation, avoid deobligation of grant funding and effectively fund and implement recovery projects 

and priorities. Jurisdictions are encouraged to use this information as a starting point to establish sound 

disaster financial management practices and prepare to identify, obtain and implement disaster funding 

resources when disaster strikes. 

This guide also provides an Introduction to Financial Assistance Programs (Appendix A), as well as key 

information about the most commonly applicable Federal Disaster Funding Programs for Recovery

(Appendix B) and Additional Federal Disaster Assistance Resources and Programs (Appendix C) that 

may benefit jurisdictions’ recovery efforts. Jurisdictions are encouraged to familiarize themselves with 

available programs to streamline the disaster funding process before a disaster occurs. 

Throughout this guide, four types of callout boxes identify key information:

 Examples 

 Noteworthy Ideas 

 Questions to Consider 

 Additional Resources 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 4 

Background

Each day, jurisdictions respond to various situations using their dedicated, and often limited, emergency 

management resources and budget. When a large-scale incident or disaster occurs, governments incur 

significant costs while also facing a potential reduction in revenue. This scenario often results in 

overspending or reallocating funding across agencies or programs. These financial challenges affect a 

jurisdiction’s ability to operate and may ultimately inhibit its efforts to rebuild and recover. Studies and 

data have shown that disaster costs will increase due to the increased risks from natural hazards, 

deteriorating critical infrastructure and economic pressures that limit investments in risk resilience. 

Unfortunately, comparable increases in state and local budgets to deal with the consequences of disasters 

are not realistic. 

Although many government and private sector/nonprofit resources and programs are available to help

jurisdictions respond and recover, navigating the various eligibility requirements and application 

processes—many of which change frequently—poses administrative challenges. Disaster funding or cost 

reimbursements are often delayed or not approved because of incomplete paperwork, missed steps in the 

process or a lack of understanding of the eligibility criteria. Furthermore, audits are routinely performed 

by authorizing agencies to identify any problems with recipient financial management and program 

operations, and such audits become costly if a jurisdiction has not properly followed all program 

requirements. These issues have the potential to upend key priorities during a jurisdiction’s cost 

reimbursement and long-term recovery and may result in a re-prioritization of the jurisdiction’s budget for 

several years to pay back ineligible expenses. One misstep has the potential to impact the entire recovery 

process.

Disasters happen. Jurisdictions that develop and coordinate disaster financial management practices predisaster can better manage a disaster, expedite response cost and prepare for long-term recovery actions. 

These practices include knowing where and how to access financial resources and technical support, as 

well as having mechanisms in place to meet the varying requirements. Emergency and recovery managers 

who effectively identify and manage multiple streams of disaster funding provide the most resilient 

financial support to their communities. 

Supporting Recovery Outcomes

Outcome-driven recovery is a problem-solving approach that promotes unity of effort among stakeholders 

to identify recovery needs, vision and goals and to resource comprehensive recovery solutions. It is 

executed at the lowest level possible. Jurisdictions should use recovery outcomes to inform all of their 

pre-disaster planning and preparedness actions. 

 Focusing on recovery outcomes helps jurisdictions identify their recovery needs and use those 

needs to drive recovery operations and funding, rather than letting the rules or eligibility criteria 

of a disaster recovery funding program drive the focus of recovery efforts. 

 Clearly establishing and communicating needs and gaps improves a jurisdiction’s ability to apply 

for and receive funding, rather than seeking funding first and identifying a need after. 

Jurisdictions should keep their recovery outcomes and goals in mind as they work through disaster 

financial management planning and preparation for response and recovery. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 5 

 The Need for Accurate Disaster Financial Management 

The following notional scenario shows the central role of disaster financial management before, during 

and after a disaster. 

A typical small town with a $1.5 million annual budget sustained high floodwaters following record rains. 

Most of the affordable housing in the town suffered major damage. Forty percent of the town’s bridges 

experienced severe damage. The wastewater treatment plant and adjacent public works building also 

suffered extensive water damage. Estimates for infrastructure damage totaled $40 million. In addition, 

the flood created an extensive debris challenge, both on public rights of way and on private property. 

Some businesses on Main Street suffered flood damage, while others lost significant revenue due to the 

extended closure of the state highway leading into town. 

The town prided itself on having a small, high-performing emergency management team composed of 

staff from several key agencies. The finance department included a director, an accountant and a 

contract attorney who handled procurement as needed. Prior to the disaster, the town’s emergency 

manager received disaster finance training and worked with the town manager to update some finance 

policies to account for disasters.

Recovery from the flood required the town to leverage a portfolio of available resources and partners, 

including $30 million in project funding from multiple Federal agencies. Despite the town’s efforts to 

comply with local, state and federal procurement rules, an initial Department of Homeland Security 

(DHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) audit indicated that the town did not follow the proper 

procurement process for its debris management activities. 

Prior to the flood, the town procured a contractor through a competitive process to provide ongoing 

services, including snow removal and limited debris removal during locally declared emergency events. 

In its urgency to move forward with debris management, the town amended the pre-existing contract to 

include longer-term debris management activities that exceeded the original contract scope of work. 

Some of the initial emergency work was determined to be eligible; however, its longer-term debris 

management operation required a fully open and competitive procurement process, including taking all 

steps to reach out to disadvantaged businesses. Based on the finding, the OIG recommended that the 

town pay back more than $2 million in Federal funding, an amount that exceeded its annual budget.

This guide will help jurisdictions avoid these types of disaster financial management issues and 

effectively and efficiently implement recovery funding.
Federal Emergency Management Agency 6 

2. Skills and Capabilities

Successful disaster financial management requires multiple areas of knowledge and capability. This 

section:

 Identifies the benefit of forming a disaster financial management team

 Provides an overview of the skills needed on that team to enable a jurisdiction to effectively 

manage disaster funding and reduce the likelihood of audits and financial penalties

 Highlights the importance of project and portfolio management skills, procurement and 

contracting knowledge, and subrecipient management and monitoring. 

Disaster Financial Management Team 

Composition

The complexity of managing funds from various programs requires a breadth of subject matter expertise. 

A best practice is to establish a multidisciplinary team of planning, grants management and financial 

management subject matter experts to develop a disaster financial management plan before an incident 

occurs and help execute it following a disaster. Forming such a team is a critical step post-disaster, even if 

the jurisdiction did not take this approach pre-disaster. 

A disaster financial management team assists with budget forecasting, cash flow management, debt 

monitoring, payroll, risk avoidance, disaster assessment and expense reimbursement pertaining to 

damage, emergency protective measures, debris management, timely tracking and reporting of costs and 

long-term disaster recovery funding streams.1 Due to the expertise needed, critical members of the team 

often include: 

 Emergency managers to coordinate the preparedness actions and disaster operations for the 

jurisdiction. 

 Recovery managers to organize, coordinate, and advance recovery preparations and operations 

for the jurisdiction. 

 Finance managers to oversee the cash flow, financial accounting, records management, and 

audits for the jurisdiction. 

 Grants managers and legal counsel to help navigate legal and programmatic requirements of 

various funding programs. Expertise with annual programs similar to disaster recovery funding 

programs is also valuable. 

 

1 Resource Typing Definition for Disaster Cost Recovery Management Team: Disaster Cost Recovery Management Team. 

FEMA, September 2016. https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1494690065957-

6156da80b6672647a8c63f3a4fddae72/NIMS_508_10_DisasterCostRecoveryManagementTeam_20160918_CLEAN.pdf. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 7 

Although not formally part of the disaster financial management team, critical stakeholders include 

elected officials and senior leaders. They must ensure their jurisdictions are operationally and fiscally 

prepared to respond to any type of disaster. This often includes establishing reserve funding accounts, 

pre-event contract mechanisms and response operation authorities. Consider engaging them as informal 

members of the team.

Jurisdictions may establish Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) for the team’s roles and 

responsibilities and to coordinate with various managers responsible for response and recovery actions. 

Some jurisdictions may not have all the necessary expertise in-house, but they can leverage mutual aid 

agreements or contracts for subject matter experts who can serve on the team. Smaller jurisdictions can 

request assistance from their relevant council of government, planning council, or other regional support 

networks. 

 Funding a Recovery Manager 

Local governments are expected to manage their own recovery after a disaster even if they do not have 

the expertise, staff or resources to do so. The newness and volume of paperwork and decisions can 

overwhelm senior or elected officials, particularly those serving in a part-time or volunteer capacity. A 

recovery manager can help the jurisdiction handle the diversity and volume.2

Jurisdictions can take multiple approaches to fill recovery manager positions3—for example:

Pre-Disaster 

 Look for Employees who do work similar to a recovery manager, such as in public works, and 

reallocate those employees to new recovery manager duties.

 Combine Administrative Line Items of several grants and hire a single recovery manager to manage 

all the grants as well as other recovery manager duties.

 Leverage Emergency Preparedness Grant Funding to fund a recovery manager to accomplish 

recovery planning and resilience building tasks. 

 Solicit Volunteers from the community (such as a retired city manager, community planner, or 

county executive) to perform recovery manager duties and functions in a nonpaid status based on 

the jurisdiction’s law. 

Post-Disaster 

 Use State Funding to hire a recovery manager.

 Reallocate Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) or other flexible state funding to fund a 

recovery manager.

 Allocate a Portion of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding

for a recovery manager. NOTE: This must be included when the state submits its action plan to the 

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

 

2 For additional information on the roles and responsibilities of a local disaster recovery manager, visit 

https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1509392258501-

b32631783b9f93ad3387f7876f3941d6/LDRMGuidanceforlocalgovernment.pdf. 

3 The examples shown are situationally dependent and may require waivers, supplemental or reallocation of non-expended 

Federal funds.
Federal Emergency Management Agency 8 

 Use Economic Development Administration (EDA) Funding to fund some recovery manager duties. 

Historically, EDA grants can fund disaster economic recovery duties, to include specific cross-cutting 

support areas such as natural resources, infrastructure and housing. 

 Use Social Service Block Grant Program Funding. It is often combined with EDA grant funding to 

fund a recovery manager position (community and economic developer) to oversee implementation 

of projects funded by the two agencies.

 Approach Local and Regional Foundations. Leverage foundational support to provide the local costshare portion for a local recovery manager. 

Project and Portfolio Management

Effective disaster financial management requires strong project and portfolio management skills. The 

jurisdiction should define and execute the steps necessary to meet its recovery vision and goals, while

balancing competing demands of scope, time, cost, quality, resources and risks.

From a disaster financial management perspective, project management entails accurately managing the 

complex disaster budget to ensure all bills are paid; releasing funding according to schedule; tracking and 

reporting expenditures to inform the project sponsor on the use of finances; performing financial analysis; 

and maintaining accurate financial records and documents in preparation for audits. Figure 1 relates the 

Project Management Institute’s five project management process groups—Initiate, Plan, Execute, 

Monitor and Control and Close—to disaster financial management.4 5 Example activities that support 

each of these process groups are in Section 3, Disaster Financial Management Activities. 

 

4 FEMA does not endorse any nongovernment entities, organizations or services.

5 https://www.pmi.org/about/learn-about-pmi/what-is-project-management. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 9 

FIGURE 1: PROJECT MANAGEMENT APPLIED TO DISASTER FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT 

In addition to project management skills, portfolio management is required. A portfolio is a group of 

related or nonrelated projects or programs, and recovery efforts involve many projects across different 

functions (e.g., housing, infrastructure, economic recovery). In portfolio management, a centralized 

manager or management function identifies, prioritizes and authorizes the projects or programs to achieve 

strategic objectives.6 In the context of disaster financial management, portfolio management is critical for 

a jurisdiction to achieve its recovery vision and goals and manage its funding from various programs.

 Achieving Disaster Recovery Goals through Portfolio Management 

Following a disaster, jurisdictions should refine the recovery vision and goals identified in their 

pre-disaster recovery plan, or define them if they do not already exist, and use them to drive their 

operations and priorities. Achieving these goals requires resources from many programs managed by 

 

6 Portfolio Management. Project Management Institute. https://www.pmi.org/learning/featured-topics/portfolio. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 10 

various departments and agencies, each with different activating mechanisms, cost-sharing 

requirements, eligibility requirements, timelines and reporting requirements. Sound portfolio 

management skills are necessary to ensure the best use of funds and to avoid audit findings.

Jurisdictions can leverage the following examples of goals from recent disasters and programs to 

support their own goals.7

Infrastructure Systems: 

Sample Recovery Goal: Replenish beaches and restore natural dune heights to reduce flooding risks in 

coastal developments and maintain healthy, sustainable and functional coastal environments.

Potential Resources: 

 Beach Erosion Control Projects, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)

 Coastal Resilience Grants Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

 Coastal and Waterfront Smart Growth, NOAA 

 Digital Coast, NOAA 

 National Coastal Zone Management Program, NOAA 

 Public Assistance, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Housing: 

Sample Recovery Goal: Meet the affordable housing needs of displaced farm labor households and 

provide additional housing units.

Potential Resources: 

 Community Development Block Grants – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) (HUD)

 Farm Labor Housing Loans and Grants, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

 Home Repair Loan and Grant Program, USDA

 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), FEMA

 Rural Community Development Initiative Grants, USDA 

 Rural Rental Assistance Program, USDA 

Health and Social Services: 

Sample Recovery Goal: Enhance recovery for children and youth through key community services, 

activities and facilities: childcare, foster care, youth groups, behavioral health services, and schools.

Potential Resources: 

 Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program, USDA

 Community Services Block Grant, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

 Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children with Serious Emotional 

Disturbances, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

 Disaster Purchasing, General Services Administration (GSA)

 Individual Assistance, FEMA 8 9

To effectively identify, apply for and manage the portfolio of programs needed after a disaster, 

jurisdictions need to understand the variety of disaster assistance programs available, their scope and how 

they work together to address recovery needs. Jurisdictions also need to establish mechanisms to 

effectively integrate these programs, as well as any insurance cost recovery, into a comprehensive 

 

7 Refer to Appendix B and Appendix C for lists of examples of Federal programs. 

8 Access FEMA Individual Assistance Program Tools at https://www.fema.gov/individual-assistance-program-tools. 

9 Individuals that previously received FEMA assistance due to a flood must have flood insurance to be eligible for Individual 

Disaster Assistance. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 11 

solution. Integration will help jurisdictions effectively coordinate multiple funding sources on the same 

project and the relevant tools that support the effort. 

 Managing Concurrent Disaster Assistance Financial Resources 

A catastrophic flood, like the scenario in the introduction, requires assistance from various agencies and 

programs to cover a jurisdiction’s needs. For example:

 FEMA Public Assistance funding may be available for debris management and repairs to damaged 

roads and bridges, public facilities, critical infrastructure and parks. 

 USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Emergency Watershed Protection Program 

may help stabilize eroding stream banks and prevent further impacts to life and property. 

 FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program may support priority projects to protect the community 

from future floods. 

 HUD CDBG-DR funds may provide additional resources to repair damaged homes, develop 

replacement housing, support impacted local businesses and supplement gaps in needed 

infrastructure funding.

 FEMA Individual Assistance may be provided directly to individuals and households with disasterrelated needs or may be provided to jurisdictions to support individual survivors.

Different agencies or offices manage these programs, and they have different rules and timelines. Many 

of the programs listed in Appendix B and Appendix C can be concurrently implemented, but jurisdictions 

need successful disaster financial and portfolio management to realize the maximum benefit and avoid 

ineligible expenses.

Knowledge of Procurement and 

Contracting Practices

Successfully navigating procurement and contract requirements is one of the most challenging aspects of 

disaster recovery. In many cases, jurisdictions will not know if a disaster meets thresholds for state or 

Federal assistance until recovery is well underway. Improper procurement activities can have an 

enormous impact on a jurisdiction’s ability to receive reimbursement. 

Jurisdictions must follow Federal procurement under grant and subawarding regulations, specifically 

2 CFR Part 200.300-.332, as well as all applicable local, state, tribal and territorial requirements, on all 

disasters.10 Federal rules are specific, and jurisdictions should pay close attention to procurement 

practices pre-disaster to be positioned for post-disaster procurement activities.11 A best practice is to 

identify the most restrictive rule (which could be Federal or at the state, local or tribal level). Following 

the most restrictive rule can help ensure compliance with the less restrictive ones. In addition, including 

 

10 The FEMA Procurement Disaster Assistance Team’s Field Manual describes and exemplifies the mandatory requirements for 

Public Assistance applicants that are using Federal funding to procure property and services. For more information, visit 

https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1570129404293-8d938ec9c10063348edca477a7b24bbd/PDATManualUpdate_10-

03-19.pdf. 

11 Local Government Guide to Recovery. Colorado Recovery and Resiliency Collaborative. April 2017. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 12 

personnel with knowledge of procurement, contracting and subawarding practices on the disaster 

financial management team is crucial. 

 Importance of Following Procurement Regulations 

Each year, DHS OIG audit reports identify significant procurement-related issues representing millions of 

dollars of Federal funds. For example:

 From fiscal year 2015 until June 2017, the DHS OIG questioned over $256 million in ineligible 

contract costs from FEMA funding programs for issues such as ineligible work, incorrect estimated 

and calculated project costs, poor contracting practices and better usage of funds.

 In January 2017, the OIG recommended that FEMA disallow more than $31.7 million awarded to a 

subrecipient who failed to follow the Federal procurement requirements.

Source: Lessons Learned from Prior Reports on Disaster-related Procurement and Contracting (OIG-18-

29), DHS OIG, December 5, 2017 

Subrecipient Management

In most cases, subrecipients are required to follow the same restrictive grant guidance as the passthrough 

entity.12 Subrecipients who are not prepared to manage large sums of money can put their subawards at a 

higher risk for excessive and ineligible costs. A recurring theme found in audits is that grant recipients 

often do not effectively manage subrecipients to ensure grant fund expenditures comply with Federal

requirements.13

Subrecipient Management Tips 

 Perform subrecipient and contractor determinations 

 Verify and validate subrecipient accounting compliance

 Issue 2 CFR Part 200.331-compliant subaward documents

 Perform subrecipient risk assessments

Title 2, Part 200, of the Code of Federal Regulations (2 CFR Part 

200): Procurement Standards

Also known as the “Super Circular,” 2 CFR Part 200 codifies the regulatory standards and practices for 

managing Federal grant funds. Jurisdictions should incorporate the Super Circular’s procurement 

 

12 Sometimes the subrecipient does not have to follow the same requirements as a recipient, especially if the recipient is a state 

and the subrecipient is a local government. 

13 2 CFR Part 200 does not distinguish between contractor and subcontractors, but a contractual relationship difference exists 

between contractor and subcontractor. A procurement best practice is for the organization that issues the contract to retain 

oversight, control, transparency and approval for any subcontractor. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 13 

standards14 into local policies and procedures prior to any disaster. Procurements and contracting 

requirements must be followed for grant management compliance. 

Important procurement and contracting regulations from 2 CFR Part 200 include15: 

 Maintain records to sufficiently detail the history of the procurement. These records include, but 

are not necessarily limited to, the rationale for the method of procurement, selection of contract 

type, contractor selection or rejection, basis for the contract price, the contract document and any 

contract modifications with signatures of all parties. 

 Transact all procurements in a manner providing full and open competition.16

 Perform a cost or price analysis in connection with every procurement action in excess of the 

Simplified Acquisition Threshold.17

 Use time-and-materials-type contracts only after determining that no other contract is suitable and 

if the contract includes a ceiling price that the contractor exceeds at its own risk. These may only 

be used for a limited time, and the subrecipient must switch to a more suitable contract type once 

the scope is defined.

 Take the affirmative steps regarding the solicitation from and use of small and minority 

businesses, women’s business enterprises and labor surplus area firms.

 Maintain oversight to ensure contractors perform according to the terms, conditions and 

specifications of their contracts or purchase orders.

 Maintain written standards of conduct covering conflicts of interest and governing the 

performance of employees who select, award and administer contracts.

 Give subrecipients adequate guidance and grant management instructions.

Jurisdictions that have a portfolio of funding resources must pay close attention to each source program’s 

procurement rules and requirements, as they may differ.

 

14 2 CFR Part 200.317-.326. 

15 States and nonstate entities have different rules. States are required to follow 2 CFR 300.317 (including 2 CFR 200.322 and 

200.326) and nonstate entities are required to follow 2 CFR Part 200.318-.326. 

16 Limited exceptions to this rule exist. Per 2 CFR § 200.320(f), Procurement by noncompetitive proposals, noncompetitive 

procurement solicits a proposal from only one source and may be used only when one or more of the following circumstances 

apply: (1) The item is available only from a single source; (2) The public exigency or emergency for the requirement will not 

permit a delay resulting from competitive solicitation; (3) The Federal awarding agency or passthrough entity expressly 

authorizes noncompetitive proposals in response to a written request from the non-Federal entity; or (4) After solicitation of a 

number of sources, competition is inadequate.

17 2 CFR § 200.88.
Federal Emergency Management Agency 14 

 Importance of Fair and Open Contracting Practices 

Without full and open competition, the risk of favoritism, collusion, fraud, waste and abuse increases. 

Following a recent disaster, a grant subrecipient did not openly compete a contract totaling $4.1 million 

to replace/repair pump stations and electrical components. Instead, the subrecipient used a contractor 

with which it had an existing business relationship before the disaster. In addition, the subrecipient 

accepted the contractor’s proposed prices without performing an independent analysis of the prices to 

ensure reasonableness. Finally, the subrecipient did not take the required steps to assure the use of 

small businesses, minority-owned firms, women’s business enterprises and labor surplus area firms 

when possible. Therefore, the DHS OIG questioned $4.1 million because the procurement did not 

comply with Federal requirements.

Source: Audit Tips for Managing Disaster-Related Project Costs (OIG-15-100-D), DHS OIG, June 8, 2015

 Skills and Capability Resources 

Community Recovery and Continuity of Government: 

 The Community Recovery Management Toolkit (CRMT) provides guidance, case studies, tools and 

training to help local communities manage long-term recovery after a disaster.

 The Continuity Resource Toolkit provides tools, templates and resources to help a jurisdiction 

implement the concepts of continuity of operations and continuity of government.

Grants Management: 

 FEMA’s New Recipients of Disaster Grants Guide provides guidance to state, territorial and tribal 

governments on components of Public Assistance, Individual Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant 

Programs and the required actions to request, initiate and receive funding.

 FEMA’s Preparedness Grants Manual helps applicants and recipients of FEMA Preparedness Grants, 

including the Homeland Security Grant Program, manage their grants.

Project and Portfolio Management: 

 The Project Management Institute provides tools, templates and publications related to project 

management skills, processes and standards.

Procurement Management: 

 FEMA’s Procurement Disaster Assistance Team (PDAT) helps familiarize FEMA personnel and 

nonprofit, state, local, tribal, territorial, regional and national emergency management personnel with

the Federal procurement under grant standards.

 FEMA’s PDAT Field Manual lists, describes and exemplifies mandatory requirements for Public 

Assistance applicants using Federal funding to procure property and services. 

 FEMA’s Contract Provisions Template outlines federally required contract provisions in addition to 

FEMA-recommended provisions.

 Top 10 Procurement under Grants Mistakes Leading to Audits and Potential Loss of FEMA Public 

Assistance Funding lists the 10 most common procurement mistakes that could lead to audits and 

potential losses.

 The detailed Checklist for Reviewing Procurements under Grants by Non-Federal Entities – 2 CFR 

Part 200 helps recipients and subrecipients comply with Federal procurement under grant 

requirements.
Federal Emergency Management Agency 15 

 The Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP) is an association between Federal agencies, academic 

research institutions and other relevant organizations that maintains subaward forms, templates and 

guidance compliant with 2 CFR Part 200.

 The Association for Procurement and Technical Assistance Centers (APTAC) is the national 

organization for procurement professionals working to help local businesses successfully compete in 

the government marketplace. 

 The National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) provides state procurement officials 

with procurement best practices, education, professional development and research.

 The Institute for Public Procurement (NIGP) provides public procurement professionals with 

educational and research programs, professional support and technical services. 

 The Government Finance Officers Association assists state and local government financial managers 

by providing best practices, guidance, publications and training opportunities on disaster 

management and business preparedness and continuity.

Other Resources: 

 The American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) provides standards and advances excellence 

in public administration through continuous education and publications.

 Questions to Consider 

 Do you know the top 10 procurement mistakes that FEMA finds? Do you have processes to avoid 

them?

 What are your jurisdiction’s existing financial management practices? What adjustments, if any, are 

needed to comply with procurement requirements?

 Who would be on your jurisdiction’s disaster financial management team?

 Has your jurisdiction participated in any community or individual financial management trainings?

 Can your staff and departments access just-in-time training to refresh critical skills?

 If applicable, do you have subrecipient monitoring in place?
Federal Emergency Management Agency 16 

3. Disaster Financial 

Management Activities

Jurisdictions can complete several activities before, during and after a disaster to support sound disaster 

financial management. This section identifies specific activities a jurisdiction can complete prior to and 

following a disaster to more effectively obtain and manage disaster cost reimbursement and recovery 

funding. 

These lists are not all-inclusive; they provide a starting point of common activities to help jurisdictions 

streamline the funding process and mitigate the potential for rejected reimbursements and audit penalties. 

Jurisdictions should tailor these activities to their needs. 

This document groups disaster financial management activities into three categories: 

 Pre-Disaster Activities

 Initial Post-Disaster Activities

 Longer-Term Post-Disaster Activities.

NOTE: These terms relate specifically to disaster financial management and do not have the same 

meaning or duration as the terms found in the National Disaster Recovery Framework. In addition, these 

time periods are not rigid and may blend into one another. 

Figure 2 summarizes the high-level activities for each category, and each activity is described in greater 

detail on the following pages.
Federal Emergency Management Agency 17 

FIGURE 2: EXAMPLE OF LOCAL DISASTER FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES BY PHASE (MORE INFORMATION FOLLOWS)
Federal Emergency Management Agency 18 

Pre-Disaster Activities

Before an incident is the time to conduct research, coordinate among stakeholders, identify resources, 

determine decisions and triggers and develop courses of action and a recovery plan to most effectively 

achieve initial recovery goals and recoup disaster costs. After an incident, it’s often too late to begin 

identifying and establishing necessary disaster financial management processes. Jurisdictions that 

establish financial practices and procedures pre-disaster can mitigate funding delays or denials and avoid 

missing opportunities. 

Consider completing the following activities pre-disaster. They are grouped into two categories: research 

and collaboration activities and activities associated with establishing appropriate accounting systems and 

management processes. 

OIG Assistance 

Since 2012, the DHS OIG has placed greater emphasis on prevention and early detection. OIG audits 

ensure compliance with Federal requirements and identify areas where grant recipients may need 

additional technical assistance or monitoring. 

To build awareness of program rules, regulations and common audit findings in advance of an audit, OIG 

personnel may be available to meet with grant recipients and subrecipients at the onset of program 

management activities. Proactively meeting with the OIG may enhance program management systems 

and activities and reduce findings in the future.

Research and Collaboration

 Review and codify emergency fiscal18 policies and procedures in ordinances. All local 

jurisdictions should codify the authorities that are assigned and permissible within the 

jurisdiction. Federal, state and private granting or funding agencies will not grant, loan or 

distribute funds to an organization without these policies and procedures. Pre-disaster is the best 

time to validate the appropriate resources. 

 Organize for disaster cost reimbursement and recovery funding operations. Establishing 

relationships and documenting financial management roles and responsibilities during steadystate can mitigate confusion in the aftermath of a disaster. Forming a disaster financial 

management team is a best practice. Jurisdictions should also complete documentation and 

training for all recovery support function roles and responsibilities. National resource typing 

definitions, position qualifications and Position Task Books (PTBs) assist with this effort.

 Resource Typing Library Tool

 

18 The term “fiscal” has implications around policy, procedures, revenues, tax or government revenue.
Federal Emergency Management Agency 19 

 Coordinate for Environmental and Historic Preservation (EHP) expertise. Many disaster 

recovery funding programs require jurisdictions to complete highly technical EHP reviews, 

assessments and planning considerations before applying for grants. By pre-establishing mutual 

aid or contracts to acquire this expertise, jurisdictions can mitigate the risks of rejected 

applications or assessments for noncompliance. In addition, jurisdictions may be able to leverage 

a single environmental review process for multiple Federal disaster recovery funding programs. 

Unified review practices can improve long-term disaster financial management and reduce 

project execution time. 

En

 Complete and maintain a FEMA-approved Hazard Mitigation Plan. This plan identifies 

priority projects and actions to mitigate disaster impacts and is required to be eligible for FEMA’s 

Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and for permanent work under FEMA’s Public 

Assistance Program (Categories C–G) after a federally declared disaster. 

 FEMA Hazard Mitigation Planning Website

Disaster Financial Accounting Systems and Management 

Processes

 Use grant management practices that comply with 2 CFR Part 200. This guidance governs 

Federal grant funds. Without a grant management system in place, funders will generally neither 

fund nor reimburse disaster costs. 

 2 CFR Part 200

 Establish appropriate accounting principles. If applicable, maintain accounting standards and 

practices that comply with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), the 

Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) or the Financial Accounting Standards 

Board (FASB) to ensure compliant practices for fiscal and accounting management. Funding 

agencies will not fund a jurisdiction without established acceptable accounting standards. These 

standards require a yearly audit to document the jurisdiction’s accounting. 

 GASB Website

 Establish and document financial management policies, procedures and account lines. 

Documenting policies and procedures pre-disaster and making sure all relevant personnel are 

familiar with them will significantly streamline financial management actions post-disaster. 

Additionally, financial policies and procedures for non-disaster projects should have the same 

requirements as disaster response and recovery projects to help the transition between pre- and 

post-disaster. Jurisdictions may consider creating response general ledger line items to account 

for response costs. Also consider developing a disaster financial management toolkit with

relevant policies, procedures, forms and tools, readily available and easily accessible by those 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 20 

who need them. FEMA’s Procurement Disaster Assistance Team (PDAT) provides procurementspecific training to its grant recipients and offers procurement-related resources, such as a 

contracting checklist. 

 PDAT Website

 Implement emergency contracting mechanisms and contracts. Pre-existing and pre-qualified 

contracts with vendors for goods and services expedite response and recovery. Pre-existing 

contracts also ease the cost reimbursement process by ensuring Federal compliance prior to 

performance execution. It is essential to follow the jurisdiction’s procurement policies and the 

procurement regulations in 2 CFR §§ 200.317-.326 when establishing pre-existing contracts, as 

well as when executing them during an event. Pre-existing contracts must follow the Federal 

procurement rules at 2 CFR §§ 200.317-.326 and applicable local, tribal and state requirements.

Even properly procured pre-event contracts must adhere to all applicable performance, pricing 

and process standards. Contracts implemented through grants must adhere to the standards 

required by the grants.

 Procurement Standards (2 CFR §§ 200.317–.326)

 Research the best schedule purchasing source. Jurisdictions are encouraged to research 

compliant non-Federal cooperative purchasing ventures and GSA for the best options to quickly 

procure goods and services after a disaster. Jurisdictions enrolled in the GSA purchasing program 

can quickly procure or purchase federally approved goods and services, which helps ensure that 

pricing and terms are eligible for Federal disaster declaration reimbursements. As a condition of 

receiving financial assistance under the Public Assistance program, applicants must follow the 

Federal procurement under grant rules found at 2 C.F.R. Part 200.317–.326 when procuring 

goods or services through the GSA purchasing program. 

 GSA Advantage!® Disaster Relief

 PDAT: Purchasing Goods or Services through GSA Disaster

 Public Assistance: Purchasing Goods & Services through Cooperative Purchasing Programs

 Create an annual reserve disaster spending fund account. A reserve fund helps enable rapid 

response and recovery. Jurisdictions should estimate, to the best of their abilities, the fiscal 

impacts of threats, risks and hazards to help identify the monetary amount needed in a reserve 

fund. 

 Identify potential disaster assistance programs. A wealth of programs are available, and 

becoming familiar with the scope, eligibility, timelines and implementation requirements for the 

most applicable ones will help mitigate confusion in the aftermath of an incident. For example, 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 21 

jurisdictions along the coastline should research programs that support coastal resilience, housing 

and infrastructure; states and jurisdictions with large rural populations should review programs 

that can assist with housing for farmers and food and agriculture support. As a best practice, 

jurisdictions should catalog the disaster assistance programs and resources most applicable to 

them, as well as the criteria and information for accessing them. 

 Appendix B lists Federal disaster assistance programs organized by timeframe.

 Appendix C lists Federal disaster assistance programs organized by area of concern.

Individual Financial Preparedness 

Local officials and emergency managers should promote effective financial preparedness principles at 

all levels—including individuals, families and businesses. The devasting impact of disaster regularly 

underscores the importance of individual and family preparedness. Americans should act in traditional 

ways, like knowing their evacuation routes, as well as new ones, like building up a disaster savings 

account and reviewing insurance policies annually. Emergency managers and local leaders can develop 

financial preparedness messaging on budgeting, savings and appropriate insurance coverage to build 

individual resilience within their communities.

A recent study conducted by the Federal Reserve found that 40 percent of Americans do not have 

enough money to cover a $400 emergency expense. FEMA’s 2018 National Household Survey also 

revealed that about 30 percent of individuals do not have money set aside for an emergency. Having 

cash on hand and developing a rainy-day fund can expedite the individual recovery process and provide 

peace of mind. Reviewing insurance policies before a disaster and purchasing specialized insurance 

(e.g., flood, earthquake, tsunami) are also important preparedness activities. 

Resources, such as the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK) and American Red Cross Disaster and 

Financial Planning Guide, and sample financial preparedness messaging are available at Ready.gov. 

 Questions to Consider 

 Do you have a rainy-day fund or other reserves that you can access?

 Does your jurisdiction have an established accounting system to track expenses and bidding?

 Does your jurisdiction have policies in place for disaster pay plans? 

 Does your jurisdiction have mutual aid agreements in place? 

 Do you have in-house capacity to manage disaster finances or do you need support from outside 

entities?

 Are your jurisdiction’s contracts current for debris collection, monitoring and consultation?

 Do your jurisdiction’s financial practices and procedures for non-disaster projects follow the same 

practices and procedures required for disaster-related projects? 

 Do your jurisdiction’s pre-existing contracts comply with the Federal procurement standards?
Federal Emergency Management Agency 22 

Initial Post-Disaster Activities

Initial cost recovery starts concurrently with response operations and typically ends within weeks of an 

incident. For some disasters, like a hurricane, expenses can start to accumulate before the disaster strikes. 

It is important that the jurisdiction track everything before and during a disaster. 

Proper organization and documentation from the start helps prevent denials, appeals and delays of 

funding. A jurisdiction that uses processes and a database or accounting tools to log and track disaster 

response and recovery costs can rapidly provide the necessary documentation to obtain reimbursement.

Jurisdictions without a centralized repository for expenses will waste valuable time trying to assemble 

documentation. Accuracy in documentation is also critical to avoid errors and audit findings. For 

example, using an ambulance during a disaster for a medical emergency requires a different billing code 

than transporting a medically fragile individual. Such a seemingly small error can result in months of 

reimbursement challenges.

Recovery managers are often appointed during initial post-disaster activities. Many recipients and 

subrecipients are the managers who are legally responsible for response and recovery actions, to include 

public infrastructure. Some of the activities that disaster financial management teams initiate in the initial 

days and weeks of recovery are below: 

 Review pre-disaster recovery plans and identify recovery vision, goals and objectives.

19 A 

jurisdiction’s pre-disaster recovery plan should identify key roles and responsibilities, systems 

and processes, as well as a tentative vision and goals. However, when disaster strikes, the 

real-time situation often differs from the pre-disaster plan. As such, a jurisdiction should review 

the pre-disaster plan in the context of the specific disaster, tailor the plan to address the recovery 

needs, and identify a disaster-specific recovery vision and goals.

 Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Local Governments

 Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for State Governments

Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

 Issue a local declaration of disaster using the existing declaration processes. Using the 

jurisdiction’s pre-existing disaster declaration process activates the emergency powers and 

authorities needed for local response actions and fiscal expenditures. Any disaster cost 

reimbursements will require this declaration. 

 

19 Visit FEMA’s Community Planning and Capacity Building webpage for more information and resources to assist with 

developing a pre-disaster recovery plan. https://www.fema.gov/community-planning-and-capacity-building. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 23 

 Conduct a preliminary damage assessment (PDA). The preliminary damage assessment 

process is vital to establish disaster cost impacts. Jurisdictions validate and develop cost recovery 

actions based on these estimations of damages and cost impacts. 

 Damage Assessment Operations Manual

 Activate and use disaster accounting general ledger lines. Ledger line items allow jurisdictions 

to track costs precisely, report them to agencies for reimbursement and conduct detailed reporting 

and analysis. 

 Financial Accounting Standards Board Website

 Log and track time and expenses. Disaster cost reimbursement requires accurate and detailed 

records of the time and costs associated with response actions. Initiating a disaster accounting 

general ledger is one way to track time and cost associated with a disaster. Reimbursement for 

associated costs incurred for actions taken during a response or recovery requires precise and 

acceptable documentation. 

 Financial Accounting Standards Board Website

 Finance/Administration Section Chief Position Task Book 

 Activate emergency procurements and contracts as needed. Pre-existing contracts 

tremendously expedite response operations and can save the jurisdiction money, as terms and 

costs of response functions are also pre-determined. Pre-existing contracts still have to follow the 

Federal procurement rules at 2 CFR §§ 200.317-.326 and all applicable state, local, tribal or 

territorial requirements. Emergency procurements and contracts simply expedite the process to 

procure fast contract performance. Emergency contracts must comply with all procurement under 

grant regulations. 

 Document all expenditures related to response and disaster impacts. Jurisdictions should use 

the general ledger line items to document every expenditure related to response and recovery. The 

jurisdiction must justify each expenditure and directly relate it to the incident response, as well as 

differentiating response costs from concurrent general operational costs. 

 Damage Assessment Operations Manual

 Document all equipment and materials used during response activities. Any reimbursements 

will require accurate documentation. 

 Document all damages and cost impacts. Any fiscal reimbursement requires documentation of 

all damages and cost impacts. The documentation will include cost and expense reports, as well 

as established damage cost estimation processes. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 24 

 Damage Assessment Operations Manual

 Compile cost and expense data. To achieve certain thresholds for disaster cost reimbursements, 

jurisdictions must show proof of cost and impact, which requires compiling and aggregating 

fiscal information. 

 Adjust contracting and procurement thresholds to account for increased emergency

expenditures. As response operations continue and expenses increase, jurisdictions may quickly 

reach the local legal fiscal thresholds for operations and fiscal expenses. Jurisdictions should 

proactively analyze these ceilings and make necessary adjustments. If the jurisdiction exceeds its 

legal authority, the fiscal reimbursements or grant funds may be impacted. Jurisdictions should 

consult with the appropriate funding authorities to make sure any changes in procurement or other 

policies are consistent with legal requirements. Jurisdictions will need to reassess all emergency 

or exigency contracts and transition to a competitive contract once the emergency or exigency 

circumstance ends. Additionally, certain aspects of Federal procurement standards and other grant 

requirements under 2 CFR Part 200 apply even in emergencies, such as cost reasonableness and 

adequate documentation. 

Apply Value of Donated Resources 

FEMA allows recipients and subrecipients to apply the value of donated resources used during eligible 

emergency and permanent work toward the non-Federal cost share of their projects. Recipients and 

subrecipients must meet certain conditions to apply the offset to specific work. Refer to the Donated 

Resources section of the Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide for more information.

 Ohio’s Disaster Cost Tracking Policy 

The Ohio Emergency Management Agency (EMA) recognized the need to better track disaster costs 

across agencies for a more comprehensive picture of disaster spending across the state. To address this 

issue, Ohio implemented a cost tracking policy. 

Ohio’s cost tracking policy is tied to activation levels at the state emergency operations center (EOC). 

Under their policy, when the EOC reaches partial activation, the Director of the Ohio EMA sends a memo 

to the Ohio Office of Budget and Management, which alerts fiscal officers of each state agency involved 

in the EOC to begin tracking spending associated with that disaster. These agency officials collect 

expenditures on personnel, equipment, state-owned infrastructure damage and grants and loans to 

local governments for response and repair costs and send this information to the Ohio EMA. Although 

Ohio policy does not prescribe a specific way for agencies to track this spending, it encourages them to 

tag or code it in the state’s financial management system. 

Ohio’s primary goal is to make tracking as streamlined as possible and a routine part of how state 

agencies deal with disasters. It continues to educate agencies on how to implement this policy during a 

disaster. The Ohio EMA is creating standard operating procedures for the type of spending fiscal officers 

should track and report and reference materials to promote their use. Over time, Ohio hopes to have a 

more complete understanding of how much they spend across the state on disasters to inform decisions 

and priorities. For more information, visit http://finsource.ohio.gov. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 25 

 Questions to Consider 

 Have your priorities shifted since your jurisdiction’s last planning cycle?

 Does your team share the same recovery vision and goal?

 Have you coordinated with your disaster financial management partners?20

 How can you best follow your business continuity plan?

 Do you know what the most restrictive rule21 is for procurement?

 Do you know how the Federal procurement under grant regulations interact with applicable state, 

local or tribal policies and procedures?

 Do pre-existing contracts comply with the Federal procurement standards?

Longer-Term Post-Disaster Activities

Jurisdictions should continue good practices of disaster financial management throughout response and 

recovery. Many critical financial management activities must be completed during the initial recovery 

effort, but several activities occur later in the recovery process. 

Many disaster funding programs for recovery become available to jurisdictions months after the disaster 

has occurred, and more long-term funding programs for recovery can be implemented years into the 

recovery process. Localities also see impacts to their tax receipts in the long term. 

By incorporating longer-term post-disaster activities into the regular rhythm of disaster financial 

management, emergency managers and recovery managers continue to reduce disaster financial 

management risk and improve financial practices for potential future disasters. Some activities that 

jurisdictions conduct after the initial weeks of recovery operations are below: 

 Document use of mutual aid and volunteer recovery programs. Jurisdictions must document 

and track their mutual aid agreements and the costs associated with those response functions. This 

cost becomes a component of the disaster declaration process and analysis. In certain instances,

properly tracked volunteer labor may also be counted as a non-Federal match for certain disaster

funding programs for recovery, such as debris management. 

 National Incident Management System (NIMS) Guideline for Mutual Aid

 

20 This includes coordinating with horizontal and vertical partners. For example, states should coordinate with FEMA and other 

Federal agencies, as well as with other states (e.g., mutual aid agreements) and affected localities. 

21 The term “rule” is a catch-all for what may be found in regulations, policies, authorities or ordinances. Thresholds are only a 

small piece of procurement regulations/rules.
Federal Emergency Management Agency 26 

 Engage Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOADs) in area-specific functions. 

VOADs in areas such as housing, infrastructure, sheltering, and mass care can often provide 

services in response and recovery operations, saving the jurisdiction large amounts of money. 

 National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster Website

 Donated Resources section of the Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide 

 Request an emergency or major disaster declaration from the President. This activates 

emergency powers/authorities for response actions and fiscal expenditures. Many disaster cost 

reimbursements require this declaration. 

 Disaster Declaration Process Website

 Continue documentation processes. Detailed documentation and accounting requirements 

should continue throughout response and recovery efforts. 

 Determine fiscal program eligibility and application processes. Fiscal and damage impact 

reports and analyses are the basis for funding eligibilities and grant awards. Jurisdictions must

ensure that the types of disaster costs incurred, such as housing, infrastructure or transportation, 

are eligible expenses for the disaster recovery program utilized. 

 Appendix B lists Federal disaster assistance programs organized by timeframe.

 Appendix C lists Federal disaster assistance programs organized by area of concern.

 Identify leads for each project for reimbursement. Department leads can oversee each project 

being submitted for reimbursement. As appropriate, these leads can respond to discipline-specific 

questions from grant providers. 

 Engage legal counsel for contracts and procurement compliance. After the initial response is 

complete and operations are transitioning into recovery, legal counsel will advise and consult on 

non-emergent contractual and fiscal functions. The legal review and counsel also help ensure 

compliance for future fiscal reimbursements. 

 Obtain governing body resolution or approval for increased emergency spending authority, 

contracting, or access to disaster reserve funds. If applicable, and in consultation with legal 

counsel, increasing or adjusting legal authorities may be required to continue operations and 

receive disaster grant funds.

 Integrate emergency procurement and expense authorization limits. As they transition to 

recovery, jurisdictions should reevaluate emergency procurements and contracts thresholds. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 27 

 Managing positive cash flow. Jurisdictions need to have adequate cash reserves and receivables 

available that do not exceed expenses. Additionally, jurisdictions should understand the 

movement of fiscal resources for obligation and commitment that can be received and expended 

within a short accounting cycle, typically 30 days. 

 Questions to Consider 

 How will your community manage jurisdiction cash flow? 

 Are you in contact with relevant associations and peers for resources and support?

 Are you reporting progress regularly to a governing board and the public?

 Additional Resources for Disaster Financial Management Activities 

Accounting: 

 The Association of Government Accountants (AGA) maintains training standards and certifications in 

governmental accounting standards.

Crisis Management: 

 The International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Leadership and Professional Local 

Government Managers: Before, During and After a Crisis Guide highlights and helps local 

government managers understand the common and effective leadership and management skills to 

deploy during a crisis.

Internal Controls and Risk Management: 

 The Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) develops 

comprehensive frameworks and guidance on enterprise risk management, internal controls and

fraud deterrence.

Risk Management: 

 The Chief Financial Officers Council Enterprise Risk Management Playbook provides guidance and 

high-level considerations to establish an enterprise risk management program.

Other Resources: 

 The Government Finance Officers Association assists state and local government financial 

managers by providing best practices, guidance, publications and training opportunities on disaster 

management and business preparedness and continuity.

 The National Association of Counties strengthens counties across the Nation through several 

initiatives, including resiliency and disaster management.

 The National League of Cities assists the Nation’s cities and their leaders by providing resources on 

an array of topics, including public safety and disaster preparedness. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 28 

4. Consolidated Resource List

The resources identified in this guide may change to meet new needs and desired outcomes. 

 American Red Cross Disaster Financial Planning Guide: Useful tips to prepare individuals for a 

disaster, especially financially. 

 American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) Website: Provides standards and advances 

excellence in public administration through education and publications. 

 Association for Procurement and Technical Assistance Centers (APTAC) Website: Procurement 

professionals working to help local businesses successfully compete in the government 

marketplace. 

 Association of Government Accountants (AGA) Website: Maintains training standards and 

certifications in governmental accounting standards.

 Checklist for Reviewing Procurement under Grants by Non-Federal Entities – 2 CFR Part 200: A 

detailed checklist to help recipients and subrecipients comply with Federal procurement 

requirements. 

 Chief Financial Council Enterprise Risk Management Playbook: Guidance and high-level 

concepts for establishing an enterprise risk management program. 

 Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) Website: 

Develops comprehensive frameworks and guidance on enterprise risk management, internal 

controls and fraud deterrence. 

 Community Recovery Management Toolkit (CRMT): Guidance, case studies, tools and training 

to help local communities manage long-term recovery after a disaster. 

 Continuity Resource Toolkit: Tools, templates and resources to help a jurisdiction implement the 

concepts of continuity of operations and continuity of government.

 Damage Assessment Operations Manual: Defines national standards for assessing damage and 

the information considered when evaluating requests for a Major Disaster Declaration.

 Donated Resources section of the Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide (PAPPG):

Combines all Public Assistance policy into a single volume and provides an overview of the 

Public Assistance Program implementation process, with links to other publications and 

documents that provide additional process details.

 Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK): Guidance for individuals and families on how to 

prepare financially for a disaster. 

 Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP) Website: Maintains 2 CFR Part 200–compliant 

subaward forms, templates and guidance. 

 FEMA’s Contract Provisions Template: Outlines the federally required contract provisions in 

addition to FEMA-recommended provisions.
Federal Emergency Management Agency 29 

 Finance/Administration Section Chief Position Task Book (PTB): The performance criteria a 

trainee must meet to be certified as a Finance/Administration Section Chief in the National 

Qualification System (NQS). 

 Financial Accounting Standards Board Website: Information, white papers and educational 

webcasts/podcasts on the established accounting and financial reporting standards for public and 

private companies and not-for-profit organizations that follow GAAPs.

 Government Finance Officers Association Website: Provides best practice guidance, publications 

and training opportunities to state and local government financial managers on disaster 

management and business preparedness and continuity.

 Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Website: Information, white papers and 

educational webcasts/podcasts on the established accounting and financial reporting standards for 

state and local governments that follow GAAPs.

 GSA Advantage!® Disaster Relief: Provides Federal, state and local government agencies access 

to needed supplies and equipment for disaster relief and emergency preparedness. 

 Hazard Mitigation Planning Website: Introduces state, local, tribal and territorial officials to 

hazard mitigation planning and describes its benefits. 

 International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Leadership and Professional Local

Government Managers: Before, During and After a Crisis Guide: Helps local government 

managers understand the common and effective leadership and management skills that can be 

deployed during a crisis. 

 Institute for Public Procurement (NIGP): Provides public procurement professionals with 

educational and research programs, professional support and technical services. 

 National Association of Counties Website: Strengthens counties across the Nation through 

several initiatives, including resiliency and disaster management. 

 National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) Website: Provides state 

procurement officials with best practices, education, professional development and research. 

 National Incident Management System (NIMS) Guideline for Mutual Aid: Common practices 

and processes for mutual aid planning and creating legal agreements and operational plans to 

support mutual aid planning. 

 The National League of Cities: Assist the Nation’s cities and their leaders by providing resources 

on array of topics, including public safety and disaster preparedness. 

 National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster Website: Provides a list of national VOADs, 

as well as state and/or local points of contact. 

 New Recipients of Disaster Grants Guide 2019: Guidance to state, tribal and territorial 

governments on components of public assistance, individual assistance and the Hazard Mitigation 

Grant Program and the actions to request, initiate and receive funding. 

 Office of Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation Website: Tools, templates and 

resources to help FEMA, state and local partners and grantees and subgrantees comply with 

Federal environmental and historic preservation laws and executive orders. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 30 

 Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Local Governments: Helps local governments prepare 

for recovery from future disasters by engaging with the whole community and planning for 

recovery activities that are comprehensive and long term. 

 Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for State Governments: Helps states and territories prepare 

for recovery by developing pre-disaster recovery plans that engage members of the whole 

community; recovery capabilities across state government and nongovernmental partners; and an 

organizational framework for comprehensive state recovery efforts. 

 Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments: Helps tribal governments prepare 

for recovery efforts from future disasters by engaging with the whole community and planning 

for recovery activities that are comprehensive and long term. 

 Preparedness Grant Manual: Guidance for applicants and recipients on managing FEMA 

Preparedness Grants, including the Homeland Security Grant Program.

 Procurement Disaster Assistance Team (PDAT) Field Manual: Procurement information for 

FEMA Public Assistance award recipients and subrecipients. 

 PDAT: Purchasing Goods and Services Through the GSA Disaster: Information on complying 

with Federal rules when using the GSA Disaster Purchasing Program. 

 PDAT Website: The goals, roles and responsibilities of FEMA’s Procurement Disaster Assistance 

Team before a disaster and during an active deployment. 

 Procurement under Grant Regulations (2 CFR §§ 200.317–.326): The sections on procurement 

under grant regulations. 

 Project Management Institute Website: Tools, templates and publications related to project 

management skills, processes and standards. 

 Public Assistance: Purchasing Goods or Services Through Cooperative Purchasing Programs:

Information regarding the use of cooperative purchasing programs by non-state applicants for 

procurement above the simplified acquisition threshold. 

 Ready.gov Financial Preparedness Website: Provides a checklist for individual financial 

preparedness. 

 Resource Typing Library Tool: An online catalog of national resource typing definitions, position 

qualifications and Position Task Books. 

 Title 2, U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, Part 200 (2 CFR Part 200). 

 Top 10 Procurement under Grants Mistakes Leading to Audits and Potential Loss of FEMA 

Public Assistance Funding: A list of the 10 most common procurement mistakes that could lead 

to audits and potential losses. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 31 

5. Glossary

Disaster recovery programs use very specific terms to identify who can request, receive and apply for 

funding. Understanding these terms will help identify which disaster recovery programs the jurisdiction 

and other stakeholders can leverage and how to request and apply those funds. The following terms are 

common to most grant, loan and financial support programs.22

TERM DEFINITION 

APPLICANT A non-Federal entity submitting an application for assistance. 

CASH FLOW

The movement of fiscal resources for obligation and commitment that can

be received and expended within a short accounting cycle. 

– A short accounting cycle is typically a 30-day window in which the 

jurisdiction pays its debts and fiscal obligations. 

– A positive cash flow cycle means the jurisdiction has adequate cash 

reserves and receivables that do not exceed expenses. 

CONTRACTOR

An entity that receives a contract as defined in 2 CFR § 200.22.

– A contract means a legal instrument by which a non-Federal entity 

purchases property or services to carry out a project or program under a 

Federal award. The term as used in this part does not include a legal 

instrument, even if the non-Federal entity considers it a contract, when 

the substance of the transaction meets the definition of a Federal award 

or subaward. 

FUNDING

Associated with all fiscal assets available to the local jurisdiction to pay fiscal 

obligations, whether short term (within 30 days) or long term (greater than 

30 days). Includes items such as cash receivables, investment returns, 

enterprise receipts and tax base receipts.

NON-FEDERAL ENTITY A state, local government, tribe, institution of higher education or nonprofit 

organization that carries out a Federal award as a recipient or subrecipient.

PASSTHROUGH ENTITY A non-Federal entity that provides a subaward to a subrecipient to carry out 

part of a Federal program.

RECIPIENT

A non-Federal entity that receives a Federal award directly from a Federal 

awarding agency to carry out an activity under a Federal program. A recipient 

is not inherently a passthrough entity; it only becomes a passthrough entity 

when it passes grant funds down to a subrecipient.

SUBAPPLICANT

The jurisdiction or community partner that submits a subapplication to the 

applicant (recipient) for assistance. The subapplicant becomes the 

subrecipient upon award. 

SUBAWARD

An award provided by a passthrough entity to a subrecipient for the 

subrecipient to carry out part of a Federal award received by the 

passthrough entity. It does not include payments to a contractor or payments 

to an individual who is a beneficiary of a Federal program. A subaward may 

be provided through any form of legal agreement, including an agreement 

that the passthrough entity considers a contract. 

 

22 Recovery programs use the term “applicant” in a totally different manner than listed in the Glossary. In recovery programs, 

“applicant” refers to both recipients and subrecipients. However, the terms “recipients” and “subrecipients” are used by the 

respective Federal agencies and thus are listed separately in this Glossary.
Federal Emergency Management Agency 32 

TERM DEFINITION 

SUBRECIPIENT

A non-Federal entity that receives a subaward from a passthrough entity to 

carry out part of a Federal program. It does not include an individual who is a 

beneficiary of such program. A subrecipient may also be a recipient of other 

Federal awards directly from a Federal awarding agency.
Federal Emergency Management Agency 33 

6. Acronym List

ACRONYM DEFINITION 

ACA Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

ACF HHS Administration for Children and Families

ACL Administration for Community Living

ADA Americans with Disabilities Act

AFG Assistance to Firefighters Grants

AGA Association of Government Accountants

AL Assistance Listings

APTAC Association for Procurement and Technical Assistance Centers

ASPA The American Society for Public Administration

B2S Build to Scale

BIA Bureau of Indian Affairs

BUILD Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development

CCP Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program

CDBG Community Development Block Grant

CDBG-DR Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery

CDL Community Disaster Loan

CFDA Catalog of Federal Disaster Assistance

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

COSO Committee of Sponsoring Organizations

CPD Community Planning and Development

CRMT Community Recovery Management Toolkit

CRS Community Rating System

CSBG Community Services Block Grant

DBA Davis-Bacon Act

DCM Disaster Case Management

DHS Department of Homeland Security

DLS Disaster Legal Services

DOD Department of Defense

DOE Department of Energy

DOL Department of Labor

DOT Department of Transportation

DRRA Disaster Recovery Reform Act

DWG Dislocated Worker Grant

DWSRF Drinking Water State Revolving Fund

ECWAG Emergency Community Water Assistance Grant

EDA Economic Development Administration

EDEN Extension Disaster Education Network
Federal Emergency Management Agency 34 

ACRONYM DEFINITION 

EFFAK Emergency Financial First Aid Kit

EHP Environmental and Historic Preservation

EMA Emergency Management Agency

EOC Emergency Operations Center

EPA Unites States Environmental Protection Agency

ER Emergency Relief

ETA Employment and Training Administration

EWP Emergency Watershed Protection

FASB Financial Accounting Standards Board

FDP Federal Demonstration Partnership

FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency

FHA Federal Housing Authority

FHWA Federal Highway Administration

FLSA Fair Labor Standards Act

FMAG Fire Management Assistant Grant

FP&S Fire Prevention & Safety

FPE Floodplain Easement

FTA Federal Transit Administration

FWS Fish and Wildlife Service

GAAP Generally Accepted Accounting Principles

GASB Governmental Accounting Standards Board

GSA General Services Administration

HHS Department of Health and Human Services

HMGP Hazard Mitigation Grant Program

HRSA Health Resources and Services Administration

HUD Department of Housing and Urban Development

ICDBG Indian Community Development Block Grant

ICMA International City/County Management Association

IHP Individuals and Household Program

IRIS Inquiry Routing and Information System

MAP Moving Ahead for Progress

MOU Memorandum of Understanding

NADL Native American Veteran Direct Loan

NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASPO National Association of State Procurement Officials 

NEH National Endowment for the Humanities

NEPA National Environmental Policy Act

NFIP National Flood Insurance Program

NHPA National Historic Preservation Act

NIGP Institute for Public Procurement
Federal Emergency Management Agency 35 

ACRONYM DEFINITION 

NIMS National Incident Management System

NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NPS National Park Service

NQS National Qualification System

NRCS Natural Resources Conservation Service

NRCSDC NRCS District Conservationist

NRCSSC NRCS State Conservationist

OIG Office of the Inspector General

OMB Office of Management and Budget

PAPPG Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide

PDA Preliminary Damage Assessment

PDAT Procurement Disaster Assistance Team

PDM Pre-Disaster Mitigation

PTB Position Task Book

RD Rural Development

RUS Rural Utilities Service

SAFER Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response

SAMHSA Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

SBA Small Business Administration

SCI Sustainable Communities Initiative

TIGER Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery

USACE United States Army Corps of Engineers

USDA United States Department of Agriculture

USGS United States Geological Survey

VA Department of Veterans Affairs

VOAD Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters

WIOA Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
Federal Emergency Management Agency 36 

Appendix A: Introduction to Financial 

Assistance Programs

A wealth of financial assistance is available to aid jurisdictions in their disaster recovery efforts. Disaster 

financial management teams should become familiar with relevant programs before a disaster occurs, to

streamline the process of recovering disaster costs and enable quick identification and support of 

applications for disaster recovery funding. 

This appendix introduces key concepts to help jurisdictions identify and review relevant programs, 

including available types of disaster financial assistance and the role of presidential disaster declarations 

in the process. 

Types of Disaster Financial Assistance 

Disaster recovery funding falls into five primary categories: state programs, Federal disaster assistance, 

supplemental funding, annual programs and nongovernmental and philanthropic organizations.

Understanding these categories helps jurisdictions navigate available programs, manage cash flow 

activities and identify programs that best support their needs and timelines. 

States have limited disaster funding programs for recovery, which are typically geared towards 

emergency costs related to expansion or modification of existing human services programs or 

providing cost-share support. Additionally, states may allocate funding from annual programs to 

address disaster needs. States also work with VOADs to coordinate nongovernmental resources for 

individual and family recovery. Emergency managers and recovery managers are encouraged to 

consult with the State Emergency Management Office or the State Disaster Recovery Coordinator 

regarding disaster assistance programs or other help in identifying resources from state agencies for 

their local communities. 

Many Federal disaster funding programs for recovery provide financial support directly to the 

locality (recipient), with some providing support through the state (recipient) to the locality 

(subrecipient). Some Federal grant programs require recipients to provide matching financial 

contributions. Through the Stafford Act, FEMA provides Federal disaster resources. FEMA’s 

Individual Assistance, Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs are the three main 

programs of support in these disasters. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the 

Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) may also 

expand support under presidential declarations.
Federal Emergency Management Agency 37 

In times of need, Congress may pass a supplemental spending bill to allocate additional funds to 

recovery programs and support additional needs of affected jurisdictions. Typically designated to 

an existing program, supplemental funding creates a disaster-specific version of that program with 

disaster-specific timelines. Supplemental funding can also allocate funds to help cover state needs 

not typically covered by emergency response and recovery programs (for example: funding to 

recover urban forests, reduce wildlife fire incidence due to downed wood or rebuild nursery 

production capabilities.

State and Federal annual programs are a significant source of disaster funding for recovery but 

usually were not designed with disaster timelines in mind. For example, annual programs that 

support housing needs during steady-state may apply to housing for disaster response and recovery 

efforts. However, the eligibility, timelines and requirements of the program are not conducive to 

quick disaster recovery efforts. Jurisdictions should review annual programs as complementary, not 

primary, sources of disaster funding for recovery. 

Nongovernmental, nonprofit and philanthropic organizations provide both disaster-specific and 

annual resources, often to other nonprofits and quasi-governmental entities, for support activities. 

Many Federal and state programs provide funds to nonprofit organization applicants (community 

housing or development) for projects that benefit many individuals through housing, social 

services, infrastructure or economic development projects. Nonprofits may use the funding to 

support their operations, which support and benefit individuals and families. Sometimes, though 

not often, nonprofits will award and distribute mini-grants to individuals and families.

The Role of Presidential Disaster Declarations

The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act) authorizes the 

President to issue two types of declarations—emergency and major disaster—in response to catastrophes 

in the United States that overwhelm state, local, tribal and territorial governments.23 Both types of 

declarations allocate Federal disaster assistance to individuals and families, certain nonprofit 

organizations and public agencies and supplement emergency services, such as the protection of lives, 

property, public health and safety. 

Many Federal programs require a presidential disaster declaration before funding can be made available, 

so jurisdictions should look for that requirement when reviewing potential programs. Jurisdictions also 

need to understand the disaster declaration process, particularly which types of incident may result in an 

emergency declaration or major disaster declaration, to plan accordingly when identifying potential 

 

23 FEMA Disaster Declaration Process: https://www.fema.gov/pdf/media/factsheets/dad_disaster_declaration.pdf. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 38 

programs to support specific incidents. Below are descriptions of the two types of presidential disaster 

declarations. 

 Emergency Declarations: These supplement state and local emergency services, such as 

protecting lives, property, public health and safety, or lessen or avert the threat of a 

catastrophe in any part of the U.S. An emergency declaration can be for any occasion or 

instance when the President determines Federal assistance is needed, including before an 

actual incident when a threat is recognized. For example, states and territories are 

frequently granted declarations prior to a hurricane making landfall or a significant 

flooding event. Assistance and funding are limited in scope to activities such as 

evacuations and protection of public assets. If the total amount of Federal assistance for a 

single emergency exceeds five million dollars, the President shall report to Congress. 

 Major Disaster Declaration: Issued after a disaster or catastrophic event, this declaration is a 

broader authority to help states and local communities, as well as families and individuals, 

recover from the damage. The President can declare a major disaster declaration for any natural 

event, including any hurricane, tornado, storm, high water, wind-driven water, tidal wave, 

tsunami, earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, mudslide, snowstorm or drought, or, regardless 

of cause, fire, flood or explosion that the President believes has caused damage of such severity 

that it is beyond the combined capabilities of state and local governments to respond. A major 

disaster declaration provides a wide range of Federal assistance programs for individuals and 

public infrastructure, including funds for emergency and permanent work.
Federal Emergency Management Agency 39 

Appendix B: Timeline of Common 

Federal Disaster Funding Programs 

for Recovery

A significant number of disaster recovery funding programs are available to aid jurisdictions. To help 

jurisdictions research potential programs, this appendix presents some of the most widely applicable 

Federal disaster recovery funding programs. 

Figure 3 and the narrative timeline that follows it provide an overview of the most widely applicable 

disaster recovery funding programs in chronological order of when they are typically activated. They also 

provide an overview of the program requirements and considerations, including potential eligible 

recipients. Where relevant, the appendix differentiates between the applicant or recipient, the subapplicant 

or subrecipient and the beneficiary of the program.

Whole Community Approach 

As part of the Whole Community Approach to Emergency Management, emergency managers engage, 

support and guide all members of their jurisdictions and communities through response and recovery 

efforts. Individuals and families, nonprofits and philanthropic organizations, critical infrastructure and 

key resource entities, small businesses, agricultural entities and jurisdictions should consult the local 

emergency manager for disaster response and recovery funding guidance.

 Program timing can vary greatly. Most Federal programs are contingent upon a presidential 

declaration. Following a declaration, some programs are available immediately to deal with the 

immediate consequences of the incident, while eligibility for other programs occurs over time as 

the impacts of the disaster become more apparent. For example, GSA disaster assistance 

programs are some of the first mechanisms available to jurisdictions, enabling rapid contracting 

of basic services or items to accelerate the response and recovery.24 Other programs, such as the 

Highway Trust Fund Emergency Relief Program (ER Program), requires the impacted state DOT

to submit an application for damages to Federal-aid highway routes, which normally requires a 

damage inspection field report. As a result, states may not receive funding from this program for 

six months or longer. 

 If programs require additional actions from a jurisdiction (e.g., developing an action plan) prior to 

disbursement, funds may not be available until weeks or months after application. 

 This timeline uses the date of disaster declaration (when the source requires a declaration) and the 

actual date of the disaster (when a declaration is not required). 

 

24 Jurisdictions must ensure compliance with the Federal procurement under grant regulations if using GSA Disaster Purchasing. 

Purchases are not automatically compliant with these regulations. For more information, review the PDAT: Purchasing Goods 

and Services through the GSA Disaster Fact Sheet. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 40 

 These timeframes are general categories and do not denote a specific start or end date of 

application for each program. 

 Each program’s timeline can also vary from activation to activation. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 41 

FIGURE 3: EXAMPLE TIMELINE OF KEY FEDERAL FUNDING PROGRAMS FOR RECOVERY
Federal Emergency Management Agency 42 

For the purposes of this appendix, timeframes are divided into one week, one month, three months, six 

months and one-year post-disaster or disaster declaration. These timeframes are notional and do not 

denote a specific start or end date of application for each program. Each program’s timeline can vary from 

activation to activation, so jurisdictions should review the most recent versions of applicable programs 

during disaster response and recovery efforts.

The information on each program provides a high-level overview of the relevant agency, activating 

mechanism, cost-sharing requirements, eligibility, timeline, website link and Assistance Listings 

(AL)/Catalog of Federal Disaster Assistance (CFDA) number.25 The at-a-glance references below are not 

authoritative for the referenced programs—jurisdictions should seek definitive information on programs 

of interest directly from those programs.

One Week After Disaster or Declaration

Actions related to saving lives and mitigating further damage are the priority during the immediate aftermath of 

a disaster response. Jurisdictions can perform several quick actions to positively impact disaster financial 

management efforts.

In the chaos of the response, the disaster financial management team can use pre-coordinated mechanisms 

for funding response actions. When authorized, actions such as implementing GSA schedule purchasing and 

activating standard emergency contracts accelerate the response and recovery for the jurisdiction. Pre-disaster 

coordination links the various managers who are legally responsible for response and recovery actions with the 

actions necessary for successful reimbursement.

Emergency Rehabilitation of Flood Control Works or Federally 

Authorized Coastal Protection Works

This program helps repair and restore flood control works damaged by flood, or federally authorized 

hurricane flood and shore protection works damaged by extraordinary wind, wave or water action. Public 

sponsors must provide lands, easements and rights of way; indemnify the Federal Government from 

damages due to authorized work; and satisfactorily maintain any flood control or shore-protection works 

involved. 

Agency: U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)/Department of the Army/USACE

 

25 The Federal Government made changes in the way they structured several websites. They combined some legacy sites into one 

master site, the new beta.sam.gov. In the merger, the Federal Government converted the title/verbiage of the old CFDA website 

and called the new site “Assistance Listings.” While there are new titles, each assistance listing is associated with a unique 

five-digit CFDA number. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 43 

Activating Mechanism: Public sponsors of flood control and shore-protection works that are active in the USACE 

Rehabilitation and Inspection Program submit written requests to the appropriate USACE district.

Cost-Sharing Requirements: Assistance depends on the rehabilitation work having a favorable benefit-to-cost 

ratio. Costs to repair Federal projects, such as USACE constructed, locally operated and maintained projects, 

are funded 100 percent of the USACE costs. Costs for non-Federal projects are shared 80 percent by USACE 

and 20 percent local.

Eligibility: Owners of damaged flood protective works or state and local officials of public entities responsible 

for the maintenance, repair and operation of flood control and shore protection work that are active in the 

USACE Rehabilitation and Inspection Program are eligible to apply as recipients. Their active status must be in 

effect before the flood or coastal storm damages the project. Gaining active status requires USACE inspection 

of the flood control work. Beneficiaries of this program also include all persons living in areas protected by 

eligible flood control or coastal protection works.26

Timeline: Make written applications by letter or on forms used by the local USACE district commander. Submit 

applications within 30 days after a flood or unusual coastal storm. 

Website: Emergency Rehabilitation of Flood Control Works or Federally Authorized Coastal Protection Works

AL/CFDA Number: 12.102 Emergency Rehabilitation of Flood Control Works or Federally Authorized Coastal 

Protection Works

GSA Disaster Purchasing

This program allows local, state and federally recognized tribal governments to buy supplies and services 

directly from contractors and suppliers who hold GSA schedules to facilitate recovery from a major 

disaster.27 These governments may also use Disaster Purchasing for preparedness and response functions. 

GSA schedules allow the purchaser to obtain services or goods at a federally appropriate and preapproved rate.28 Entities must ensure compliance with Federal procurement under grant regulations if 

using GSA Disaster Purchasing. Purchases are not automatically compliant with the Federal procurement 

under grant regulations.29

Agency: GSA

Activating Mechanism: Preparedness for, response to or recovery from a disaster

Cost-Sharing Requirements: N/A

 

26 Federal Grants Wire. Emergency Rehabilitation of Flood Control Works or Federally Authorized Coastal Protection Works. 

https://www.federalgrantswire.com/emergency-rehabilitation-of-flood-control-works-or-federally-authorized-coastalprotection-works.html#.W0yg0bgpC0. 

27 As a condition of receiving financial assistance under the Public Assistance program, applicants must take additional steps 

when procuring goods or services through the GSA purchasing program to ensure full compliance with the Federal 

procurement under grants rules found at 2 C.F.R. § 200.317–.326. 

28 The disaster financial management team should verify their jurisdiction has not excluded GSA schedule purchasing.

29 See the PDAT: Purchasing Goods or Services through the GSA Disaster Fact Sheet and Public Assistance: Purchasing Goods 

or Services through Cooperative Purchasing Programs Fact Sheet for more information.
Federal Emergency Management Agency 44 

Eligibility: Local, state and federally recognized tribal governments, or any instrumentality thereof, are eligible 

to buy supplies and services. Local educational agencies or institutions of higher education may be eligible to 

purchase supplies and services. Contractors and recipients of the local or state governments are not eligible. 

Purchases are limited to GSA Schedule contracts only. GSA’s Determination of Eligibility process can assist 

with eligibility inquiries. 

Timeline: N/A

Website: GSA State and Local Government Customers: Disaster Purchasing (program); GSA Determination of

Eligibility Process

AL/CFDA Number: N/A

GSA Disaster Purchasing – Public Health Emergency Program

This program allows local, state, federally recognized tribal and territorial governments to buy supplies 

and services directly from contractors and suppliers holding GSA Schedules to respond to a declared 

public health emergency. GSA Schedules allow the purchaser to obtain services or goods at a federally 

appropriate and pre-approved rate.30 Entities must ensure compliance with the Federal procurement under

grant regulations if using GSA Disaster Purchasing. Purchases are not automatically compliant with the 

Federal procurement under grant regulations.31

Agency: GSA

Activating Mechanism: HHS-declared public health emergencies

Cost-Sharing Requirements: N/A

Eligibility: Limited to local, state, federally recognized tribal and U.S. territorial governments and GSA schedule 

contractors receiving grant funds in direct response to a public health emergency. 

Timeline: N/A

Website: https://www.gsa.gov/acquisition/purchasing-programs/gsa-schedules/state-and-local-governmentcustomers 

AL/CFDA Number: N/A

 

30 The disaster financial management team should verify their jurisdiction has not excluded GSA schedule purchasing.

31 See the PDAT: Purchasing Goods or Services through the GSA Disaster Fact Sheet and Public Assistance: Purchasing Goods 

or Services through Cooperative Purchasing Programs Fact Sheet for more information.. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 45 

One Month After Disaster or Declaration

Once the disaster response has stabilized, restoring the community lifelines32 becomes the focus. Information 

about damages, locations and extent of damage increases in importance. These damage assessments help 

refocus assets and resources for restoration. Coordination responsibilities continue to transition from the 

emergency manager to the recovery manager during this phase.

On many large-scale disasters, housing, power and utility infrastructure become the prime focus for initial 

restoration operations. With initial recovery, the goal will be to allow displaced survivors back into their homes 

with the appropriate power, water and sewer systems to restore some basic normalcy.

Community Development Block Grants (CDBG-DR) Program

When the President issues a disaster declaration, Congress may appropriate additional funding for this

program to provide specific funds to a disaster. Provided directly to local and state jurisdictions, CDBGDR funding gives recipients a high degree of discretion over its use through a broad range of recovery 

projects. This source of Federal disaster recovery aid is the most flexible. For instance, CDBG-DR can 

fund mitigation activities, pay a local match to meet Federal cost-share requirements or cover structural 

improvements to public infrastructure. 

Jurisdictions should note that it can take three to six months to develop an action plan to award funding to 

projects and that each time Congress funds CDBG-DR, new requirements and limitations may be 

identified. As such, jurisdictions should review the disaster legislation and the CDBG-DR language for 

specific requirements, regulatory waivers and limitations on spending. 

Agency: HUD/Community Planning and Development (CPD)

Activating Mechanism: Presidential Disaster Declaration 

Cost-Sharing Requirements: N/A

Eligibility: A Federal Register Notice provides eligible recovery activities, program requirements and specific 

waivers33 for each CDBG-DR allocation. 

Timeline: Congressional approval required. 

 

32 For more information on the seven community lifelines (Safety and Security; Food, Water, Shelter; Health and Medical; 

Energy (Power & Fuel); Communications; Transportation; and Hazardous Materials) visit https://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/assets/documents/177222. 

33 HUD and CPD Fact Sheet: Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR). 

https://www.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/CDBG-DR-Fact-Sheet.pdf. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 46 

Website: Community Development Block Grants Disaster Recovery Program 

AL/CFDA Number: N/A

Emergency Community Water Assistance Grant (ECWAG)

ECWAG assists the residents of rural areas that have experienced a significant decline in quantity or 

quality of water, or in which such a decline is imminent, to obtain or maintain adequate quantities of 

water that meet the standards set by the Safe Drinking Water Act. Grant funds may be used to extend 

waterlines on existing systems; construct new water lines; repair existing systems; perform significant 

maintenance on existing systems; construct new wells, reservoirs, transmission lines, treatment plants, 

storage tanks, etc.; replace equipment; provide connection and/or tap fees; pay costs incurred within six 

months of the date an application was filed with USDA to correct an emergency situation that would have 

been eligible for funding under this program; or provide funds for any other appropriate related purpose. 

Grants are not to exceed $500,000 to address water sources and $150,000 to address the distribution 

system. Grant eligible entities should have insufficient cash flow or lack resources to address the 

emergency.

Agency: USDA/Rural Utilities Service (RUS)

Activating Mechanism: A major disaster or emergency such as, but not limited to, a drought, earthquake, flood, 

tornado, hurricane, disease outbreak, or chemical spill, leakage or seepage. 

Cost-Sharing Requirements: None. Up to 100 percent of the project cost, not to exceed the maximum 

limitation. 

Eligibility: Public bodies in rural areas and towns with populations of 10,000 or less, private nonprofit 

corporations, political subdivisions of a state and federally recognized tribes may apply. The Rural 

Development state office makes the decision based on applications received. Projects compete nationally for 

available funds under the provisions of the ECWAG program. 

Timeline: Consult the official designated as the state point of contact for information on application 

requirements. Submission is on standard application forms furnished by the USDA to the appropriate district 

office. Each year the RUS reviews and scores for priority applications received before November 1. Reviews 

continue as long as funds are available. 

Website: Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants 

AL/CFDA Number: 10.763 Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants

Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program – Recovery

This program helps sponsors implement emergency recovery measures to relieve imminent hazards to life 

and property created by a natural disaster that causes a sudden impairment of a watershed. The program 

also provides technical and financial assistance to improvements to protect, develop and utilize the land 

and water resources in watersheds. Examples include clearing debris from clogged waterways, restoring 

vegetation and stabilizing riverbanks. The measures taken must be environmentally and economically 

defensible 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 47 

Another option for assistance includes opportunities for landowners to offer to sell an easement on 

agricultural land to the Federal Government. The easement provides permanent restoration of the natural 

floodplain hydrology as an alternative to traditional attempts to restore damaged levees, lands and 

structures. The easement lands would be ineligible for future Federal disaster assistance. The Natural 

Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) funds 100 percent of the cost of any needed land treatment 

practices.

Agency: USDA NRCS

Activating Mechanism: Any floods, fire, drought or other natural causes that suddenly impair a watershed and 

endanger life and property. 

Cost-Sharing Requirements: NRCS provides up to 75 percent of the funds to restore the natural function of a 

watershed. The sponsor pays the remaining 25 percent by cash or in-kind services. 

Eligibility: Each project (with the exception of a floodplain easement) requires a sponsor (recipient) who applies 

for the assistance. A sponsor can be any legal subdivision of state or local government, including local officials 

of city, county or state governments; federally recognized tribes; soil conservation districts; U.S. Forest Service; 

and watershed authorities. This program is also available to U.S. territories. Owners, managers and users of 

public, private or federally recognized tribal lands are eligible as subapplicants under the sponsors for EWP 

assistance for damages caused by a natural disaster to their watershed area. Beneficiaries may include public 

and private landowners or managers and communities within impacted watershed areas. 

Timeline: The local NRCS office can provide a sample application. During or immediately after a natural 

disaster, the sponsor contacts the local NRCS District Conservationist (NRCSDC) or his or her representative to 

determine if the repairs/actions needed are eligible under EWP guidelines. If repairs are eligible, the NRCSDC 

works with the area office and the NRCS State Conservationist (NRCSSC) to determine if funds are available to 

provide the needed assistance and to quantify the type and cost of repairs. The sponsor files an application for 

assistance with the NRCSSC.

Website: Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program-Recovery

AL/CFDA Number: 10.904 Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention

Indian Community Development Block Grants (ICDBG) Program

This is a sister program to the CDBG, focused specifically on federally recognized tribes. The ICDBG 

program provides recipients with funding for decent housing, suitable living environments and economic 

opportunities,

34 primarily supporting projects for low-and-moderate income tribal members. The two 

subprogram areas are Single-Purpose Grants and Imminent Threat Grants. Single-purpose grants are 

awarded annually on a competitive basis, whereas the Secretary of HUD may fund the imminent threat 

grants to reduce imminent threats or problems that challenge the public health or safety of federally

recognized tribal members.

Agency: HUD

Activating Mechanism: Presidential Disaster Declaration 

 

34 HUD ICDBG: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/ih/grants/icdbg. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 48 

Cost-Sharing Requirements: This program does not require an applicant to leverage resources through cost 

sharing or matching. The recipient may receive rating factor points depending on the amount to which they 

leverage the grant with other funds and support documentation provided.35

Eligibility: Federally recognized tribe, band, group or nation (including Alaska Indians, Aleut and Eskimos) or 

Alaska Native villages. Federally recognized tribal organizations may be eligible on an individual grant-by-grant 

basis. 

Timeline: Single-Purpose Grant: Awarded on a competitive basis; see the annual Notice of Funding Availability. 

Imminent Threat Grants: Available annually at the discretion of the Secretary of HUD’s allocation of funding to 

this noncompetitive, first-come-first-served program.

Website: Indian Community Development Block Grants (ICDBG) Program

AL/CFDA Number: 14.862 Indian Community Development Block Grants (ICDBG) Program 

Individual Assistance

Individual Assistance Program provides direct assistance to survivors and to jurisdictions to support the 

recovery of individuals and households impacted by disasters: 

 Through the Individuals and Households Program (IHP), Individual Assistance provides financial 

and direct assistance to eligible individuals and households who have underinsured necessary 

expenses and serious needs. 

 Additionally, Individual Assistance offers several community service grants to jurisdictions and 

qualified private organizations, such as the following:

– The Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program (CCP) provides eligible jurisdictions 

with supplemental funding to assist disaster-impacted individuals and communities in 

recovering from the major disaster through the provision of community-based outreach and 

psycho-educational services. 

– Disaster Case Management (DCM) promotes partnership between a case manager and a 

disaster survivor to assess and address a survivor’s disaster-caused needs through a disaster 

recovery plan, including providing guidance and tools to assist the survivor. 

The types of Individual Assistance services activated depends on the disaster, and all forms of assistance 

may not be approved. Activation of the Individual Assistance services depends on the types of assistance 

identified in the governor’s or tribal chief executive’s request and the needs identified in the joint 

Preliminary Damage Assessment and other assessments. 

Agency: DHS/FEMA

Activating Mechanism: Presidential declaration of a major disaster under the Stafford Act.

 

35 More information on this grant program’s Rating Factors and points can be found at

https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/2017ICDBGNOFA_MOD.PDF. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 49 

Cost-Sharing Requirements: Cost-sharing depends on which Individual Assistance services are 

activated, as each service has its own cost-sharing requirements. Most Individual Assistance services, 

like the Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program, do not have a cost-share. Other Needs 

Assistance and Transitional Sheltering Assistance are subject to a cost-share. 

Eligibility: Individuals and households, as well as states, localities, federally recognized tribes and 

territories governments.

Timeline: Within 30 days of the incident, the governor or tribal chief executive may request a major 

disaster declaration that includes the types of Individual Assistance needed to help meet disaster 

survivors' needs. After the President approves the disaster declaration, FEMA officials (the Assistant 

Administrator for Recovery, the Individual Assistance Division Director, the Regional Administrator or the 

Federal Coordinating Officer) may approve which Individual Assistance services to activate. 

Website: Individual Assistance Program and Policy Guide 

AL/CFDA Numbers: 97.032 Crisis Counseling; 97.033 Disaster Legal Services; 97.034 Disaster 

Unemployment Assistance; 97.048 Individuals and Households Program; 97.050 Other Needs Assistance

Public Assistance

This program provides supplemental assistance to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments and 

certain private nonprofit organizations via grants to alleviate suffering and hardship from major disasters 

or presidentially declared emergencies. Grant funds can be used to clear debris; apply emergency 

protective measures to preserve life and property in response to the disaster; and repair or replace 

damaged structures (e.g., buildings, utilities, roads and bridges, water-control facilities and recreational 

facilities). For insurable structures located in identified Special Flood Hazard areas, assistance from 

FEMA is reduced by the amount of insurance that could have been obtained under a standard National 

Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policy (see Appendix C). The FEMA Regional Administrator approves 

grants based on applications from eligible applicants. States distribute funds to subrecipients.

Agency: DHS/FEMA 

Activating Mechanism: Presidential declaration of a major disaster or emergency under the Stafford Act, 

designated for public assistance. 

Cost-Sharing Requirements: Federal, not less than 75 percent; state and local governments or private 

nonprofit organizations, the remainder. The grant may stipulate other matching requirements. 

Eligibility: States, localities, federally recognized tribes, Alaska Native villages and any political subdivision of a 

state can apply as recipients. Private nonprofit organizations that operate utility, educational, emergency or 

medical facilities, or that provide custodial care or other essential services of governmental nature to the 

general public, are also eligible to apply. Typically, the state or federally recognized tribe is the recipient 

(applicant) and other entities are subrecipients (subapplicants). As a condition of grants under the Stafford Act, 

applicants are encouraged to mitigate natural hazards. 

Timeline: Apply through the governor’s authorized representative to the FEMA Regional Administrator in 

accordance with FEMA Disaster Assistance Regulations, 44 CFR Part 206, except as provided in Part 

206.35(d) for emergency declarations involving primarily Federal responsibility. Consult the office or official 

designated as the point of contact in the state for more information. The applicant normally submits a Request 

for Public Assistance within 30 days of a declaration. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 50 

Website: FEMA Public Assistance 

AL/CFDA Number: 97.036 Public Assistance Grants 

Three Months After Disaster or Declaration

At the three-month mark, the jurisdiction has typically gained clarity around the extent of the damage, impacts, 

costs and continuing primary issues. The focus during this time period typically ranges from restoring 

infrastructure to beginning long-term recovery. The Public Assistance process begins with projects identified, 

scoped and financially estimated. The various managers who are legally responsible work on specific housing, 

utility or other infrastructure projects. The concentration of effort becomes specific and often narrows to 

individual projects that are the primary focus area. The disaster financial management team helps manage the 

disaster financial management administrative processes.

Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program

This program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An 

essential community facility provides an essential service for the orderly development of the community 

and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings. 

Agency: USDA Rural Development (RD)

Activating Mechanism: Applications are accepted year-round for this program.

Cost-Sharing Requirements: Amount varies. Grants are authorized on a graduated scale. Applicants in small 

communities with low populations and low incomes will receive a higher percentage of grants.

Eligibility: Rural areas including villages, townships, towns, municipalities, special-purpose districts, cities, 

community-based nonprofit organizations and federally recognized tribal lands with no more than 20,000 

residents according to the latest U.S. Census Data are eligible to apply as recipients. 

Timeline: Ongoing 

Website: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/community-facilities-direct-loan-grant-program 

AL/CFDA Number: 10.766 Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program

Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF)

This Federal-state partnership helps ensure safe drinking water. Created by the 1996 Amendments to the 

Safe Drinking Water Act, the program provides financial support to water systems and to state safe water 

programs. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 51 

Agency: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Activating Mechanism: States rank the project applications they receive from water systems and produce a 

Project Priority List. 

Cost-Sharing Requirements: States contribute 20 percent to match the Federal grants.

Eligibility: States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are eligible to apply as recipients. 

Timeline: N/A

Website: https://www.epa.gov/drinkingwatersrf 

AL/CFDA Number: 66.468 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) 

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) Program 

FEMA provides financial assistance (grants) to assist in reimbursement for equipment, supplies and 

personnel to any local, federally recognized tribal or state government to mitigate, manage and control 

any declared fire burning on public or private forest land or grassland that threatens destruction as a major 

disaster. 

Agency: DHS/FEMA 

Activating Mechanism: Funding allocated from the Disaster Relief Fund. 

Cost-Sharing Requirements: 75 percent Federal, 25 percent non-Federal. 

Eligibility: States and federally recognized tribal governments are eligible to apply for fire management 

assistance grants as recipients. Subrecipients may include local jurisdictions, other state entities and federally 

recognized tribes. 

Timeline: A state governor submits a request for a fire management assistance declaration through the FEMA 

region to the FEMA Administrator while the fire is burning and uncontrolled. Under an approved fire 

management assistance declaration, state or federally recognized tribal governments may submit a grant 

application to FEMA’s Regional Administrator for review and approval pursuant to the requirements specified in 

Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations (44 CFR) Part 204.36 

Website: Fire Management Assistance Grant Program 

AL/CFDA Number: 97.046 Fire Management Assistance Grant

National Dislocated Worker Grants (DWGs)

Formerly known as National Emergency Grants, this program provides resources to states and other 

eligible applicants to respond to large incidents causing significant job losses. The intent is to temporarily 

expand capacity to serve dislocated workers, including military service members, and meet the increased 

 

36 Title 44 CFR Part 204: https://ecfr.io/Title-44/cfr204_main.
Federal Emergency Management Agency 52 

demand for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) employment and training services. This 

program helps create temporary jobs for workers dislocated by disasters to clean up and recover from the 

disaster, to reemploy laid-off workers and to enhance laid-off workers’ employability and earnings.

Agency: U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)/Employment and Training Administration (ETA)

Activating Mechanism: Presidential Disaster Declaration 

Cost-Sharing Requirements: None

Eligibility: After a disaster declaration, states can apply as recipients. Individuals dislocated by a disaster may 

be subrecipients. Beneficiaries may include these individuals and their dependents. 

Timeline: Applicants define the period of performance in the application. The project start date must 

reasonably align with the date of the first dislocation and the subsequent submission of the application. For 

Disaster DWGs addressing an emergency or major disaster declared by FEMA, the project start date cannot be 

before the disaster’s incident date in the FEMA declaration, and no costs may be covered prior to the date of 

the disaster declaration.

Website: National Dislocated Worker Grants 

AL/CFDA Number: 17.277 WIOA National Dislocated Worker Grants/Workforce Investment Act National 

Emergency Grants 

Six Months After Disaster or Declaration

At six months post disaster, the jurisdiction is typically focusing heavily on long-term infrastructure projects. 

The disaster financial management team should have abundant administrative documentation for disaster 

financial management from the Federal or state government or other private funders. 

Infrastructure projects tend to large-scale projects that link initial recovery needs with long-term and final 

recovery; they often include major roads, highways, bridges, long-term housing and final utility line starts.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) – Entitlement 

Program

This program uses annual formula grants to help entitlement communities (metropolitan cities and urban 

counties) develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living 

environment and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- to moderate-income persons. 

The most appropriate disaster-related use of funds is for long-term recovery needs, such as rehabilitating 

residential and commercial buildings; acquiring, constructing or reconstructing public facilities and 

improvements; assisting disaster-affected businesses with economic development activities to create and 

retain jobs; and making relocation payments to displaced people and businesses. Funds are also allowed 

for emergency response activities, such as debris removal, clearance and demolition, and extraordinary 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 53 

increases in the level of public services for disaster victims. At least 70 percent of funds must be used for 

activities that principally benefit persons of low and moderate income. 

Program rules include procedures to amend the planned use of funds to delete activities and substitute 

others. This means that when a disaster occurs, a community may amend its planned use of awarded 

funds and instead use the funds for disaster response and recovery activities that do not duplicate 

activities reimbursable by FEMA or other available assistance. 

Agency: HUD/CPD

Activating Mechanism: Presidential Disaster Declaration

Cost-Sharing Requirements: None

Eligibility: Certain metropolitan cities and qualified urban counties can apply as recipients. Recipients in 

designated major disaster areas may request and receive waivers of statutory and regulatory program 

requirements for the use of annual allocations of CDBG funds that recipients designate to address the 

damage; however, statutory requirements pertaining to nondiscrimination, fair housing, labor standards, 

environmental standards and benefiting persons of low and moderate income are not waivable. Unless 

appropriated by Congress, additional grants from emergency supplemental CDBG funds are not available. HUD 

publishes Federal Register Notices for the use of CDBG disaster recovery funds reflecting purposes and 

requirements of appropriations statutes, including waivers and alternative requirements to those of the annual 

CDBG allocations.

Timeline: An entitlement community must follow its citizen participation plan for substantial amendments to its 

action plan. HUD will review and respond quickly to questions about program requirements and requests for 

waivers. HUD notifies eligible governments receiving CDBG disaster recovery allocations, which must then 

develop and submit an action plan for disaster recovery that describes the needs, strategies and projected 

uses of the disaster recovery funds before receiving CDBG grants. 

Website: Community Development Block Grant Entitlement Program

AL/CFDA Number: 14.218 Community Development Block Grants/Entitlement Grants

Community Disaster Loan (CDL) Program 

This program provides funds to any eligible jurisdiction in a designated disaster area that has suffered a 

substantial loss of tax and other revenue. The jurisdiction must demonstrate a need for financial assistance 

to perform its governmental functions. The loans are not to exceed 25 percent of the local government’s 

annual operating budget for the fiscal year in which the major disaster occurs, up to a maximum of five 

million dollars.

Agency: DHS/FEMA 

Activating Mechanism: Presidential declaration of a major disaster or emergency under the Stafford Act, 

designated for public assistance 

Cost-Sharing Requirements: None

Eligibility: Any local government or other eligible jurisdiction, including federally recognized tribes, in a 

designated disaster area that has demonstrated a substantial tax loss and a need for financial assistance to 

perform its governmental functions. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 54 

Timeline: The state’s governor requests a presidential declaration of an emergency or disaster through the 

FEMA Regional Administrator. An applicant should consult the office or official point of contact for more 

information on the process the state requires to apply for assistance. Upon declaration of a major disaster, 

apply through the governor’s authorized representative. 

Website: Community Disaster Loans Program 

AL/CFDA Number: 97.030 Community Disaster Loans 

Highway Trust Fund – Emergency Relief (ER) Program

This emergency subprogram of the Highway Trust Fund supplements the repair or reconstruction of 

Federal-aid highways and roads on Federal lands which have suffered serious damage as a result of 

natural disasters or catastrophic failures from an external cause. For a natural disaster, damage to 

highways must be severe, occur over a wide area and result in unusually high expenses to the highway 

agency. For a catastrophic failure due to an external cause, the failure must not be the result of an inherent 

flaw; must be sudden and cause a disastrous impact on transportation services; and must result in 

unusually high expenses to the highway agency.

Agency: DOT Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

Activating Mechanism: Requires Congressional Appropriation. Serious damage to Federal-aid roads or roads on 

Federal lands caused by a natural disaster or by catastrophic failure. Requires a disaster 

declaration/proclamation. Any of the following fulfill this requirement: the President makes a major disaster 

declaration under the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) or the state governor issues an emergency or 

disaster proclamation and FHWA concurs on the declaration.

Cost-Sharing Requirements: Eligible emergency repairs done within 180 days of the disaster: the Federal share 

is 100 percent; otherwise, the type of Federal-aid highway repaired determines the Federal share. For 

interstate highways, the Federal share is 90 percent; for all other Federal-aid highways, the Federal share is 80 

percent. For roads on Federal lands, the Federal share is 100 percent for both emergency and permanent 

repairs. 

Eligibility: State highway and state and federally recognized tribal transportation agencies are eligible to apply 

as recipients.

Timeline: The state department of transportation submits an application for damages to Federal-aid highway 

routes and by the applicable Federal agency for damages to roads on Federal lands. Applications normally 

include a damage inspection field report which is submitted to FHWA following the initial notification of intent 

to apply for emergency relief funds.

Website: Highway Trust Fund-Emergency Relief Program 

AL/CFDA Number: 20.205 Highway Planning and Construction (Federal-Aid Highway Program) 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 55 

One Year After Disaster or Declaration

One year after the disaster, the disaster financial management team and the various managers who are legally 

responsible are actively managing the administrative components of the disaster financial management 

process. The extensive documentation needed for personnel, equipment, procurements and other expenses 

associated with the disaster consumes much of the time.

In addition to the administrative actions, the emergency manager and recovery manager may coordinate 

potential hazard mitigation projects identified in the FEMA-approved Hazard Mitigation Plan and have 

mitigation funds attached to the declared disaster.

CDBG Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program

This program develops viable urban communities by providing decent housing and suitable living 

environments and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income 

individuals. Entitlement communities can receive (in the aggregate) loan guarantees equal to five times 

their CDBG entitlement amount. Non-entitlement communities can also receive loan guarantees (in the 

aggregate) equal to five times the average grant they have received from their state’s grant under the 

CDBG program. (The state must be willing to pledge its CDBG funds as security for loan guarantees.) 

However, states may place additional restrictions on the amounts offered and requirements of use. The 

maximum loan repayment period is 20 years. Loan guarantees can be used to finance acquisition of real 

property; rehabilitation of housing and publicly owned real property; construction, reconstruction or 

installation of public facilities and related relocation, clearance and site improvements; and for economic 

development activities. At least 70 percent of expenditures of loan proceeds, together with expenditures 

of grant funds and program income, must benefit low- and moderate-income persons. HUD has no 

authority to waive statutory requirements for this program.

Agency: HUD/CPD

Activating Mechanism: N/A

Cost-Sharing Requirements: N/A

Eligibility: Metropolitan cities, urban counties (CDBG entitlement recipients), and states are eligible to apply as 

recipients. In most cases, non-entitlement communities may be eligible as subrecipients under the state and 

can receive a loan guarantee provided that HUD has not exceeded its commitment authority for the year, the 

proposed use is eligible, the guaranteed loan is adequately secured, and the community (or state) has not 

already reached its maximum guarantee level.

Timeline: N/A

Website: Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program 

AL/CFDA Number: 14.248 Community Development Block Grants – Section 108 Loan Guarantees 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 56 

Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) – State Program

This program authorizes states to award formula grants to local areas not covered by the CDBGEntitlement program. These grants provide decent housing and suitable living environments and expand 

economic opportunities, principally for low- to moderate-income persons. Recipients may include disaster 

recovery in their annual action plans for CDBG (state and entitlement) and re-purpose available funding 

more quickly if a disaster occurs. 

Agency: HUD/CPD

Activating Mechanism: Presidential Disaster Declaration 

Cost-Sharing Requirements: None

Eligibility: Forty-nine state governments and Puerto Rico that have elected to administer CDBG funds for nonentitled communities may be eligible to apply. (Since the State of Hawaii has permanently elected to not 

participate in the State CDBG Program, HUD administers the program for the State of Hawaii non-entitlement 

counties.) States with designated major disaster areas may request and receive waivers of statutory and 

regulatory program requirements regarding the use of annual allocations of CDBG funds that states, or state 

grant recipients, designate to address the damage; however, statutory requirements pertaining to 

nondiscrimination, fair housing, labor standards and environmental standards and benefiting persons of lowand moderate-income are not waivable. Unless appropriated by Congress, additional grants from emergency 

supplemental CDBG funds are not available. HUD publishes Federal Register Notices for the use of CDBG 

disaster recovery funds reflecting the purposes and requirements of appropriations statutes, including waivers 

and alternative requirements to those of the annual CDBGallocations. Only non-entitlement Units of General 

Local Government may be eligible subrecipients. 

Timeline: A state must submit a new or amended action plan if its method of distribution changes. HUD will 

review and respond quickly to questions about program requirements and requests for waivers. HUD notifies 

eligible governments receiving CDBG disaster recovery allocations, which must then develop and submit an 

action plan that describes the needs, strategies, and projected uses of the disaster recovery funds for disaster 

recovery before receiving CDBG disaster recovery grants. 

Website: State Community Development Block Grant Program 

AL/CFDA Number: 14.228 Community Development Block Grants/State Program

Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)

This program provides financial assistance to local and state governments for implementing measures that 

will permanently reduce or eliminate future damages and losses from natural hazards through safer 

building practices and improving existing structures and supporting infrastructure. States manage HMGP 

funds, and local governments must work with and through the state to receive the funds. Based on the 

estimated total Federal assistance, HMGP funding is subject to the Title 44 CFR Section 206.432(b) 

sliding scale.

Agency: DHS/FEMA
Federal Emergency Management Agency 57 

Activating Mechanism: Presidential Major Disaster Declaration or Fire Management Assistance Grant 

declaration

Cost-Sharing Requirements: N/A

Eligibility: State agencies, local governments, public entities, private nonprofit organizations as defined in 44 

CFR Section 206.433, federally recognized tribes or authorized tribal organizations and Alaska Native villages 

or organizations are eligible to apply as recipients. All applicants must have a FEMA-approved hazard 

mitigation plan. Property owners are eligible as subrecipients. 

Timeline: A Presidential Major Disaster Declaration activates the timeline. Applicants must notify FEMA if the 

state will or will not participate in this program by providing a Letter of Intent within 30 days after the 

declaration and have 36 months from the close of the application period to complete projects.

Website: The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Guide

AL/CFDA Number: 97.039 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
Federal Emergency Management Agency 58 

Appendix C: Additional Federal 

Disaster Assistance Resources and 

Programs

Federal disaster response and recovery grant programs direct governmental financial aid across 

jurisdictional boundaries to help jurisdictions and communities respond to and recover from disasters. 

Although government financial assistance cannot resolve all monetary constraints, jurisdictions and 

community partners benefit from a locally executed, federally supported approach to disaster response 

and recovery. 

Disasterassistance.gov helps individuals and households find disaster assistance. With over 70 different 

types of assistance from 17 Federal agencies, individuals can search via zip code, declared disaster, 

Federal agency or type of assistance. Applicants can reduce the number of forms required to apply for 

support; check the status of their application; find a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center, hotel or new place 

to live; search food and nutritional support programs; update their address for Federal benefit programs, 

including Social Security; and learn about SBA loans for homeowners, renters and businesses. 

Currently, beta.sam.gov also offers the ability to search and view public data across all domains, create a 

user account, access the help center and provide feedback to GSA regarding the site. GSA is in the 

process of streamlining and consolidating 10 legacy Federal award systems into beta.sam.gov. This 

website will be intuitive, user friendly and secure for users to make, receive and manage Federal awards

via a single sign-on option with multifactor authentication. Until functionality from each of the legacy 

systems is migrated, the legacy sites will provide official government information, run reports and enter 

required data. The Assistance Listings system can be found via beta.sam.gov. Additionally, grants.gov is 

a research resource to help identify grants and cooperative agreements. 

This appendix provides a supplementary list of some additional disaster assistance programs, including 

insurance, grants, toolkits and resources, to help jurisdictions explore wider disaster assistance 

opportunities. These atypical resources may be a good fit for disaster impacts. As part of pre-disaster 

planning, emergency managers and recovery managers should review and become familiar with the 

programs that may provide the greatest benefits to their communities. 

Coastal Concerns

 Beach Erosion Control Projects, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE): Helps control 

beach and shore erosion projects not specifically authorized by Congress.

https://www.federalgrantswire.com/beach-erosion-control-projects.html#.W2TAHtJKiUk 

 Coastal Resilience Grants Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

(NOAA): Funds projects that help coastal communities and ecosystems prepare for and recover 

from extreme weather disasters, climate hazards and changing ocean conditions. 

https://coast.noaa.gov/resilience-grant/ 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 59 

 Coastal & Waterfront Smart Growth, NOAA: Supports development at the water’s edge, and 

includes tools, reports and recommendations for balancing environmental, economic and quality 

of life concerns between development and waterfront risks. http://coastalsmartgrowth.noaa.gov/ 

 Digital Coast, NOAA: Meets the unique needs of the coastal management community by 

providing not only coastal data, but also the tools, training and information needed to make this

data truly useful. http://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/ 

 National Coastal Zone Management Program, NOAA: Works with states and territories to 

protect, restore and responsibly develop coastal communities, resources and economies. 

http://coast.noaa.gov/czm/ 

Conservation Concerns

 Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program, NOAA: Provides funds to state and local 

governments to purchase threatened coastal and estuarine lands or obtain conservation easements, 

with more than 16,000 more acres protected as in-kind matching contributions.

http://coast.noaa.gov/czm/landconservation/ 

 Conservation and Development Program, USDA NRCS: Helps conserve, develop and use

natural resources, improves the general level of economic activity and enhances the environment 

and standard of living in designated resource conservation and development areas through various 

grants for land conservation, water management, community development and environmental 

needs.

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/technical/nra/nri/?cid=nrcs143_013723 

 Conservation Funding Opportunities, National Marine Fisheries Service: Provides financial 

support to protect and restore habitat to sustain fisheries, recover protected species and maintain 

resilient coastal ecosystems and communities. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/fundingopportunities

 Endangered Species/Grants, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS): Provides financial assistance 

through grants and cooperative agreement awards to commercial organizations, foreign entities, 

federally recognized tribal governments, individuals, institutions of higher education, nonprofit 

organizations and state, local and territorial governments. 

http://www.fws.gov/endangered/grants/index.html 

 Environmental Quality Program, FWS: Provides contaminants expertise to all Service 

programs, including the National Wildlife Refuge System, Endangered Species, Migratory Birds, 

Fisheries, Marine Mammals, International Affairs and Law Enforcement. 

http://www.fws.gov/midwest/es/ec/ecFactSheet.html 

 Land and Water Conservation Fund, National Park Service (NPS): Supports the protection of 

Federal public lands and waters, including national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and recreation 

areas and voluntary conservation on private land. https://www.doi.gov/lwcf 

 National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program, FWS: Annually provides grants of up 

to $1 million to coastal and Great Lakes states, as well as U.S. territories, to protect, restore and 

enhance coastal wetland ecosystems and associated uplands. 

http://www.fws.gov/coastal/CoastalGrants/ 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 60 

 National Wildlife Refuge System/Comprehensive Conservation Plans, FWS: Ensures that each 

refuge unit is managed to fulfill the purpose(s) for which it was established. Completed 

comprehensive conservation plans allow refuge managers to take actions that support state 

wildlife action plans, improve the condition of habitats and benefit wildlife.

http://www.fws.gov/refuges/planning/ComprehensiveConservationPlans.html 

 North American Wetlands Conservation Act, FWS: Grants to increase bird populations and 

wetland habitat while supporting local economies and American traditions such as hunting, 

fishing, birdwatching, family farming and cattle ranching. http://www.fws.gov/birds/grants/northamerican-wetland-conservation-act.php

 Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program, NPS: Supports community-led natural 

resource conservation and outdoor recreation projects. http://www.nps.gov/rtca 

 Sea Grant Programs, NOAA: Enhances the practical use and conservation of coastal, marine and 

Great Lakes resources to create a sustainable economy and environment. http://seagrant.noaa.gov/

Dam and Levee Concerns

 Dam Safety Program, USACE: Helps projects deliver their intended benefits while reducing 

risks to people, property and the environment through continuous assessment, communication 

and management. http://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/DamSafetyProgram.aspx 

 Levee Safety Program, USACE: Works with local levee sponsors and stakeholders to make sure 

levees provide their intended benefit, which is to reduce flood risk to people, businesses, critical 

infrastructure and the environment. 

http://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/LeveeSafetyProgram.aspx

 National Dam Safety Program Information, FEMA: Protects Americans from dam failure. A 

partnership of states, Federal agencies and other stakeholders that helps establish and maintain

effective Federal and state dam safety programs to reduce the risks to human life, property and 

the environment. https://www.fema.gov/national-dam-safety-program 

Drought Concerns

 Emergency Drought Assistance, USACE: Provides temporary emergency water assistance to a 

jurisdiction while states and locals governments restore permanent water supplies for human 

consumption. http://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/EmergencyOperations/Drought.aspx 

 Drought Programs and Assistance, USDA: Resources to help farmers, ranchers and small 

businesses respond to persistent drought. https://www.usda.gov/topics/disaster/drought/usdadrought-programs-and-assistance 

 Drought Response Program, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation: Helps water managers develop and 

update comprehensive drought plans and implement projects that will build long-term resiliency 

to drought. https://www.usbr.gov/drought/ 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 61 

Earthquake Concerns

 Earthquake Hazards Program, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): Monitors and reports 

earthquakes, assesses earthquake impacts and hazards and conducts research on the causes and 

effects of earthquakes. https://www.usgs.gov/natural-hazards/earthquake-hazards

 National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, FEMA, National Institute of Standards 

and Technology, National Science Foundation, USGS: Provides effective practices and 

policies to reduce risks to life and property in the U.S. that result from earthquakes. 

http://www.nehrp.gov/ 

Economic and Community Development 

Concerns

 Build to Scale (B2S) Program, EDA: Awards grants that build regional capacity to translate 

innovations into jobs through proof-of-concept and commercialization assistance to innovators 

and entrepreneurs and through operational support for organizations that provide essential earlystage risk capital. Formerly the Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS) Program. 

https://www.eda.gov/oie/buildtoscale/

 Disaster Recovery/Post-Disaster Economic Recovery Resources, U.S. Economic Development 

Administration (EDA): Resources for disaster recovery managers both to prepare for and 

respond to catastrophic disaster scenarios. https://www.eda.gov/programs/disaster-recovery/

 Funding Opportunities, EDA: Provides investments that support construction, nonconstruction, 

planning, technical assistance and revolving loan fund projects. https://www.eda.gov/fundingopportunities/ 

 Green Infrastructure Technical Assistance Program, EPA: A cost-effective, resilient approach 

to managing wet-weather impacts that provides many community benefits.

http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/greeninfrastructure/index.cfm 

 Smart Growth: Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities, EPA: Quick, targeted technical 

assistance to selected communities using a variety of tools that have demonstrated results and 

widespread application to stimulate growth and development and strengthen local capacity to 

implement sustainable approaches. https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/building-blockssustainable-communities 

 Smart Growth: Implementation Assistance Program, EPA: Direct technical assistance to 

communities from a team of national experts in one of two areas: policy analysis or public 

participatory processes. Assistance is tailored to a community’s individual situation and priorities.

https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/smart-growth-implementation-assistance 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 62 

Employment Concerns

 Career OneStop: Worker Re-Employment, American Job Centers Network, Department of 

Labor (DOL): Free help to job seekers for a variety of career and employment-related needs. 

http://www.careeronestop.org/ReEmployment/ 

 Community Economic Development Program, HHS Administration for Children and 

Families (ACF): Funds community development corporations that address the economic needs of 

low-income individuals and families by creating sustainable business development and 

employment opportunities. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/programs/ced 

 Disaster Unemployment Assistance, DOL: Financial assistance to individuals whose 

employment or self-employment has been lost or interrupted as a direct result of a major disaster 

and who are not eligible for regular unemployment insurance benefits. 

http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/unemploy/disaster.asp

 Unemployment Insurance, DOL: Benefits for eligible workers who are unemployed through no 

fault of their own (as determined under state law) and meet other eligibility requirements of state 

law. http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/unemploy/uifactsheet.asp 

 Youth Conservation Corps, NPS: A summer youth employment program that engages young 

people in meaningful work experiences on national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and fish 

hatcheries while developing an ethic of environmental stewardship and civic responsibility. 

https://www.nps.gov/subjects/youthprograms/ycc.htm 

Energy Efficiency Concerns

 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program, U.S. Department of Energy

(DOE): Reduces fossil fuel emissions and total energy use; works with cities, counties, states, 

territories and federally recognized tribes to implement and manage energy efficiency and 

conservation project and programs in transportation, building and other sectors. 

http://energy.gov/eere/wipo/energy-efficiency-and-conservation-block-grant-program 

 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, HHS: Helps keep families safe and healthy 

through initiatives that assist families with energy costs. 

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/programs/liheap 

 Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs, DOE: Funds and implements a variety of 

programmatic activities that assist federally recognized tribes and Alaska Native villages with 

energy development, capacity building, energy cost reduction and electrification of tribal lands 

and homes. https://www.energy.gov/indianenergy/about-us

 Pay for Energy Initiatives, DOE: Provides a list of available resources for local, state and 

federally recognized tribal governments who are designing and implementing energy financing 

programs to serve both public facilities as well as private building in industrial, commercial and 

residential markets. http://energy.gov/eere/slsc/financing-solutions 

 Strategic Energy Planning, DOE: Provides federally recognized tribes and Alaska Native 

communities with technical assistance and resources for strategic energy planning. A strategic 

energy plan identifies a community’s energy priorities and guides decision making to better 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 63 

position a community for new opportunities to increase self-sufficiency. 

https://www.energy.gov/indianenergy/downloads/tribal-strategic-energy-plan-and-planninghandbook

 Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs Office, DOE: Strategic investments in energy 

efficiency and renewable energy technologies through innovative practices. 

http://energy.gov/eere/wipo/weatherization-and-intergovernmental-programs-office 

Environment Concerns

 Brownfields – Urban Waters Program, USACE: Helps communities prevent, assess, safely

clean up and sustainably reuse abandoned Brownfields and idled or under-used industrial and 

commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived 

environmental contamination.

http://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Environmental/BrownfieldsUrbanWaters.aspx 

 Superfund Program, EPA: Cleans up some of the Nation’s most contaminated land and responds 

to environmental emergencies, oil spills and natural disasters. https://www.epa.gov/superfund 

 The Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, U.S. Coast Guard National Pollution Funds Center: An 

immediate source of Federal funding to respond to oil spills in a timely manner. 

https://www.uscg.mil/Mariners/National-Pollution-Funds-Center/About_NPFC/OSLTF/

 Underground Storage Tanks Program, EPA: Protects human health and the environment from 

the adverse effects of petroleum, petroleum-related products and hazardous materials. 

http://www.epa.gov/oust/ 

Fire Concerns

 Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG), FEMA: Enhances the safety of the public and

firefighters with respect to fire-related hazards by providing direct financial assistance to eligible 

fire departments, nonaffiliated Emergency Medical Services organizations and State Fire Training 

Academies. https://www.fema.gov/assistance-firefighters-grant

 Fire Prevention & Safety (FP&S) Grants, FEMA: Part of the Assistance to Firefighters Grants

program; enhances the safety of the public and firefighters from fire and related hazards to reduce 

injury and prevent death among high-risk populations. https://www.fema.gov/fire-preventionsafety-grants 

 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grants, FEMA: Provides 

funding to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to increase or maintain 

trained firefighters in their communities. https://www.fema.gov/staffing-adequate-fireemergency-response-grants
Federal Emergency Management Agency 64 

Flood Concerns

 Automated Flood Warning System, NOAA National Weather Service: Connects local floodwarning systems and integrates and shares information from 1,700 sensors in 12 states.

http://water.weather.gov/afws/ 

 Community Rating System (CRS), FEMA: Recognizes and encourages community floodplain 

management activities that exceed the minimum NFIP standards. https://www.fema.gov/nationalflood-insurance-program-community-rating-system

 Emergency Advance Measures for Flood Prevention, USACE: Performs activities prior to 

flooding or flood fight to help protect against loss of life and damages to property due to flooding. 

https://www.federalgrantswire.com/emergency-advance-measures-for-floodprevention.html#.W2TAZtJKiUk 

 Hazard Mitigation Assistance – Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant Program, FEMA: Funds 

state and local jurisdictions, federally recognized tribes and territories for projects and planning 

that reduce or eliminate long-term risk of flood damage to structures insured under the NFIP. 

https://www.fema.gov/flood-mitigation-assistance-program 

 NFIP, FEMA: Reduces the impact of flooding on private and public structures by providing 

affordable insurance to property owners, renters and businesses and encouraging communities to 

adopt and enforce floodplain management regulations. https://www.fema.gov/national-floodinsurance-program

 Public Law 84-99 Rehabilitation Program, USACE: Rehabilitation assistance to eligible flood 

protection systems damaged by a flood disaster. https://www.iwr.usace.army.mil/Missions/FloodRisk-Management/Flood-Risk-Management-Program/Partners-in-Shared-Responsibility/USACEStaff/PL-84-99-Rehabilitation-Program/ 

 Repetitive Flood Claims Grant Program, FEMA: Funding to reduce or eliminate the long-term 

risk of flood damage to structures insured under the NFIP that have had one or more claim 

payment(s) for flood damages. https://www.fema.gov/repetitive-flood-claims-grant-program-factsheet 

 Silver Jackets, USACE: Brings together state, Federal and sometimes federally recognized tribal 

and local agencies to learn from one another in reducing flood risk and other natural disasters. 

https://silverjackets.nfrmp.us 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 65 

General Disaster Assistance, Resources and 

Tools37

 Community Recovery Management Toolkit (CRMT), FEMA: Guidance, case studies, tools and 

training to help local communities manage long-term recovery. https://www.fema.gov/nationaldisaster-recovery-framework/community-recovery-management-toolkit 

 Civil Rights in Emergencies and Disasters Resources, Office for Civil Rights and Civil 

Liberties, DHS: Information and technical resources to help emergency managers understand 

and meet their civil rights obligations during disasters to protect individuals with disabilities and

racially and ethnically diverse communities, including those with limited English proficiency. 

https://www.dhs.gov/civil-rights-emergencies-and-disasters 

 Earth Science Data, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Science 

Mission Directorate: This major core capability in NASA’s Earth Science Data Systems 

Program ingests, processes, archives and distributes data from a large number of Earth-observing 

satellites. http://science.nasa.gov/earth-science/earth-science-data/ 

 Emergency Management Performance Grant Program, FEMA: Helps implement the National 

Preparedness System by supporting the building, sustainment and delivery of core capabilities 

essential to achieving the National Preparedness Goal of a secure and resilient Nation. 

https://www.fema.gov/emergency-management-performance-grant-program

 Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN): Reducing the Impacts of Disasters Through 

Education, Louisiana State University: Enables educators to use, share and produce resources 

to reduce the impact of disasters. Topics range from food safety to field safety, physical to 

psychological and government to community development. https://eden.lsu.edu/ 

 Financial Assistance and Social Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA): Helps federally 

recognized American Indian and Alaskan Native tribal members meet essential needs of food, 

clothing, shelter and utilities. https://www.benefits.gov/benefits/benefit-details/801 

 Gap Analysis Project, USGS: Conducts national as well as regional and state projects using 

cooperative efforts among Federal, state and regional agencies and private organizations.

http://gapanalysis.usgs.gov/ 

 Individuals and Households Program (IHP) – Other Needs Assistance, DHS: Helps individuals 

and households affected by a disaster address necessary expenses and serious needs not met 

through other forms of disaster assistance or insurance (including personal property, medical, 

dental and funeral). https://www.benefits.gov/benefits/benefit-details/816 

 National Geospatial Program: The National Map, USGS: Provides leadership for USGS 

geospatial coordination, production and service activities. https://www2.usgs.gov/ngpo/

 Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Grant Program, FEMA: Helps local and state jurisdictions, U.S. 

territories and federally recognized tribes implement a sustained pre-disaster natural hazard

mitigation program to reduce overall risk to the population and structures from future hazards 

 

37 These programs, resources and tools may be available to a jurisdiction if they have had a disaster.
Federal Emergency Management Agency 66 

while reducing reliance on Federal funding in future disasters. Awards planning and project 

grants and provides opportunities for raising public awareness about reducing future losses before 

disaster strikes. http://www.fema.gov/pre-disaster-mitigation-grant-program 

 Recovery Funding and Technical Assistance Summary, FEMA: An overview of Community 

Planning and Capacity Building Recovery Support Function support and further resources for 

local governments to effectively and efficiently enact recovery management in a post-disaster 

environment. https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1466705670641-

82c846c9cfe2db88a70bf2475d5785bf/RSF_CPCB_41416.pdf

 State and National Grants, Corporation for National and Community Service (AmeriCorps): 

Focuses on economic opportunity, education, veterans and military families, disaster services, 

healthy futures, environmental stewardship and capacity building.

https://www.nationalservice.gov/build-your-capacity/grants/funding-opportunities

 Technical Assistance, USDA NRCS: Helps private landowners, conservation districts, federally

recognized tribes and other organizations address opportunities, concerns and problems related to 

the use of natural resources and helps land users make sound natural resource management 

decisions. Assistance can be resource assessment, practice design, resource monitoring or followup of installed practices. 

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/technical/ 

Historic Preservation Concerns 

 American Battlefield Protection, NPS: Preserves significant historic battlefields associated with 

wars on American soil, with subprograms dedicated to the Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and 

the Civil War. https://www.nps.gov/orgs/2287/index.htm 

 Historic Preservation Fund Grants, NPS: Provides annually appropriated funding to tribal 

historic preservation offices to protect and conserve important tribal cultural and historic assets 

and sites. https://www.nps.gov/preservation-grants/index.html

 National Center for Preservation Technology and Training, NPS: Helps preservationists find 

better tools, materials and approaches to conserve buildings, landscapes, sites and collections. 

Conducts research and testing, provides cutting-edge training around the U.S. and supports 

research and training projects at universities and nonprofits. http://www.ncptt.nps.gov/ 

 National Heritage Area Federal Financial Assistance, NPS: Preserves and interprets the unique 

and significant contributions to our national heritage of historic and cultural lands, waterways and 

structures. Encourages a broad range of economic opportunities enhancing the quality of life 

within the designated area. Provides a management framework to assist state/local government 

entities, nonprofits and others in developing policies and programs that will preserve, enhance 

and interpret the cultural, historical, natural, recreation and scenic resources of the heritage area. 

https://www.federalgrantswire.com/national-heritage-area-federal-financialassistance.html#.W3cM6-hKiUk

 NEH Grants, National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH): Grants to cultural institutions, 

such as museums, archives, libraries, colleges, universities, public television and radio stations, 

and to individual scholars. http://www.neh.gov/grants/grants.html
Federal Emergency Management Agency 67 

 Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions, NEH: Helps small and mid-sized 

institutions (libraries, museums, historical societies, archival repositories, cultural organizations, 

records offices and colleges and universities) preserve and care for their significant humanities 

collections. http://www.neh.gov/grants/preservation/preservation-assistance-grants-smallerinstitutions 

 Preservation General Information, National Archives and Records Administration: General 

information for institutions and agencies responding to emergencies.

https://www.archives.gov/preservation/disaster-response/general.html

 State, Tribal and Local Plans and Grants, NPS: Provides assistance through programs that 

preserve America’s historic places and diverse history. http://www.nps.gov/orgs/1623/index.htm 

 Technical Preservation Services, Historic Surplus Property Program, NPS: Develops historic 

preservation standards and guidance on preserving and rehabilitating historic buildings; 

administers the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program for rehabilitating historic 

buildings; and sets the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic 

Properties. https://www.nps.gov/tps/

 Unified Federal Environmental and Historic Preservation Review for Presidentially Declared 

Disasters, FEMA: Information relevant to EHP reviews for disaster recovery projects. 

https://www.fema.gov/unified-federal-environmental-and-historic-preservation-reviewpresidentially-declared-disasters 

Housing Concerns

 Approved Nonprofits Program, Federal Housing Authority (FHA): Partners with 

HUD-approved nonprofit organizations and governmental entities to ensure that financing is 

available to provide housing opportunities to low- to moderate-income families. 

http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/housing/sfh/np 

 Capacity Building for Community Development and Affordable Housing Grants, Department 

of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): Provides funding to national intermediaries to 

carry out community development and affordable housing activities that benefit low-income 

families. http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/hudprograms/capacitybuilding

 Community Compass, HUD: Funds technical assistance, capacity building, and data research 

activities for HUD’s customers, including recipients, public housing authorities and federally

recognized tribes. Helps HUD’s customers navigate complex housing and community 

development challenges and provides the knowledge, skills, tools, capacity and systems to 

implement HUD programs and policies successfully. Provides effective technical assistance and 

capacity building for successful program implementation over the long term.

https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/comm_planning 

 CDBG-DR Toolkits, HUD: Provides tools and resources to help recipients identify and prioritize 

critical unmet needs for long-term community recovery. 

https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/2853/cdbg-dr-toolkits 

 Disaster Recovery Toolkit, HUD Office of Policy Development and Research: A list of 

relevant resources, reports, guides and ordinances to aid homeowners and property owners in the 

disaster recovery process. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sandy.html 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 68 

 Good Neighbor Next Door Sales Program, FHA: Enables law enforcement officers, 

pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians to 

contribute to community revitalization while becoming homeowners. HUD offers a substantial 

incentive (a discount of 50 percent from the list price of the home) in return for a commitment to 

live in the property for 36 months as their sole residence. 

https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/sfh/reo/goodn/gnndabot 

 HMGP – Individual, FEMA: Helps individuals and local communities recover from disasters 

through mitigation projects. Among other requirements, the area must have received a 

Presidential Major Disaster Declaration, the community must have an approved hazard mitigation 

plan and the community must be a participant in good standing in the NFIP. A cost-share 

requirement applies; FEMA generally pays up to 75 percent of the cost, and the individual 

typically is responsible for the other 25 percent. https://www.fema.gov/understanding-hazardmitigation-grant-program-individual

 HOME Investment Partnerships Program, HUD: Provides formula grants to locals and states

for use by communities, often in partnership with local nonprofit groups, to fund a wide range of 

activities including building, buying and/or rehabilitating affordable housing for rent or 

homeownership or providing direct rental assistance to low-income people. 

https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/comm_planning/affordablehousing/programs/home 

 Hope VI Main Street Program, HUD Office of Public and Indian Housing: Rejuvenates older, 

downtown business districts while retaining a traditional, historic character. Funds new affordable 

housing or converting obsolete or surplus commercial space (or substandard, vacant housing) into 

affordable housing units. http://www.hud.gov/mainstreet 

 Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8), HUD: The Federal Government’s major 

program for assisting very-low-income families, the elderly and the disabled to afford decent, 

safe and sanitary housing in the private market. 

https://www.hud.gov/topics/housing_choice_voucher_program_section_8 

 IHP – Housing Assistance, DHS: Grants to repair or replace damaged primary residences and 

temporary housing assistance (including rental assistance). 

https://www.benefits.gov/benefits/benefit-details/813

 Mortgage Insurance for Disaster Victims 203(h) and 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage 

Insurance, HUD: Allows the FHA to insure mortgages made by qualified lenders to victims of a 

major disaster who lost their homes and are rebuilding or buying another home.

http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/housing/sfh/ins/203h-dft 

 Public Housing Program, HUD: Provides decent and safe rental housing for eligible low-income 

families, the elderly and persons with disabilities. 

http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/topics/rental_assistance/phprog 

 Rural Housing Service, USDA Rural Development (RD): Technical assistance loans and 

grants, in partnership with nonprofit organizations, to build or improve housing and essential 

community facilities in eligible rural areas. http://www.rd.usda.gov/about-rd/agencies/ruralhousing-service 

 Sustainable Communities Initiative (SCI) Resource Library, HUD: Tools, reports, fact sheets 

and case studies developed by SCI recipients, HUD and its capacity building partners.

https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/sci/resources 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 69 

Park Concerns

 Federal Lands to Parks Program, NPS: Helps communities create new parks and recreation 

areas by transferring surplus Federal land to state and local governments. 

http://www.nps.gov/ncrc/programs/flp/index.htm 

 National Urban and Community Forestry Program, Forest Service: Provides information, tools 

and financial resources. In the event of a natural disaster, the funds may be used to minimize 

hazard situations related to damaged community trees. https://www.fs.usda.gov/managingland/urban-forests/ucf

 Urban Park & Recreation Recovery, NPS: Provides Federal grants to local governments to

rehabilitate recreation areas and facilities; demonstrate innovative approaches to improve park 

system management and recreation opportunities; and develop improved recreation planning. 

https://www.federalgrantswire.com/urban-park-and-recreation-recovery-program.html#.W3cRhhKiUk

Public Health and Wellbeing Concerns

 Applying for Grants, Administration for Community Living (ACL): Provides funding to local 

and state governments, community organizations, colleges and universities and other 

organizations who conduct research or provide services and supports for older adults and people 

with disabilities. https://acl.gov/grants/applying-grants 

 Community Relations Service, Department of Justice: Helps communities address conflicts and 

tensions arising from differences of race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual 

orientation, religion and disability. The Community Relations Service is not an investigatory or 

prosecutorial agency and has no law enforcement authority. http://www.justice.gov/crs 

 Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), HHS ACF: Provides funding to lessen the causes 

and conditions of poverty in communities. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/programs/csbg 

 Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program, Substance Abuse and Mental Health 

Services Administration (SAMHSA): Helps individuals and communities recover from natural 

and human-caused disasters through community outreach and access to mental health services. 

https://www.samhsa.gov/dtac/ccp

 Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program Toolkit, SAMHSA: Includes guides and 

training materials to help states, territories and tribes apply for and establish crisis counseling 

assistance and training programs. https://www.samhsa.gov/dtac/ccp-toolkit

 Disaster Behavioral Health Resources, SAMHSA: Helps state, local, tribal and territorial

providers plan for and respond to behavioral health needs after a disaster. 

https://www.samhsa.gov/dtac/disaster-behavioral-health-resources

 Disaster Distress Helpline, SAMHSA: Provides crisis counseling and support to people 

experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters. 

http://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 70 

 Disaster Legal Services (DLS) Program, American Bar Association: Immediate temporary 

legal assistance to disaster survivors at no charge. 

https://www.americanbar.org/groups/young_lawyers/disaster_legal_services.html

 Disaster Planning Handbook for Behavioral Health Treatment Programs, SAMHSA: Provides 

guidance for developing or improving the behavioral health treatment program’s disaster plan. 

https://store.samhsa.gov/product/TAP-34-Disaster-Planning-Handbook-for-Behavioral-HealthTreatment-Programs/SMA13-4779 

 Disaster Resources for Older Adults and People with Disabilities, ACL: A variety of programs 

that assist with health and wellness, protect rights and prevent abuse, support consumer control, 

strengthen the networks of community-based organizations and fund research. 

http://www.acl.gov/Programs/Index.aspx

 Health Profession Opportunity Grants, HHS ACF: Provides education and training on 

temporary assistance for needy family recipients and other low-income individuals for 

occupations in the healthcare field that are expected to either experience labor shortages or be in 

high demand. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ofa/programs/hpog 

 Health Program for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Public Health Service: Protects 

communities from harmful health effects from exposure to natural and man-made hazardous 

substances by responding to environmental health emergencies; investigating emerging 

environmental health threats; conducting research on the health impacts of hazardous waste sites; 

and building capabilities of and providing actionable guidance to state and local health partners. 

https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov

 Rural Community Programs, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA): 

Provides program funding to increase access to care in rural communities and to address their 

unique healthcare challenges. http://www.hrsa.gov/ruralhealth/community/index.html 

 School-Based Health Centers, HRSA: Provides funding to school-based health centers for a full 

range of age-appropriate healthcare services based on community needs and resources as 

determined through collaboration between the community, school district and healthcare 

providers. https://www.hrsa.gov/our-stories/school-health-centers/index.html 

 Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program, HRSA: Helps small rural hospitals (49 beds or 

fewer) do any or all of the following: 1) Purchase equipment and/or training to help attain the 

value-based purchasing provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA); 2) 

Join or become accountable care organizations or create shared savings programs per the ACA; 

and 3) Purchase health information technology, equipment and/or training to comply with 

meaningful use, International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, standards and payment 

bundling. https://www.hrsa.gov/grants/find-funding/hrsa-19-020 

 Social and Economic Development Strategies, HHS ACF, Administration for Native 

Americans: Promotes social and economic self-sufficiency through financial assistance to locally 

determined projects that reduce or eliminate community problems and achieve community goals. 

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ana/programs/seds 

 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, HHS ACF, Office of Family Assistance: Helps 

needy families achieve self-sufficiency through the use of block grants. 

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/programs/tanf 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 71 

Rural Land and Agricultural Concerns

 Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program, USDA RD: Provides affordable funding 

to develop essential community facilities such as healthcare facilities, public facilities, 

community support services, public safety services, educational services, utility services and local 

food systems in designated rural areas. http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/communityfacilities-direct-loan-grant-program

 Disaster Assistance Program, USDA: Provides a variety of programs and services to help 

communities, farmers, ranchers and small businesses affected by natural disasters. 

https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/disaster-assistance-program/index 

 Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Food and Nutrition Service, USDA: 

Provides short-term food assistance benefits to families suffering in the aftermath of a disaster. 

https://www.fns.usda.gov/disaster/disaster-d-snap

 Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants Program, USDA RD: Helps eligible 

communities prepare, or recover from, an emergency that threatens the availability of safe, 

reliable drinking water. Eligible communities include most state and local government entities, 

nonprofit organizations and federally recognized tribes. http://www.rd.usda.gov/programsservices/emergency-community-water-assistance-grants 

 Intermediary Relending Program, USDA RD: Provides one-percent low-interest loans to local 

intermediaries that re-lend to businesses to improve economic conditions and create jobs in 

eligible rural communities. https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/intermediary-relendingprogram 

 Programs & Services for Communities & Nonprofits, USDA RD: A database of more than 50 

financial assistance programs for a variety of rural applications. 

http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/programs-services-communities-nonprofits 

 Rural Business Development Grants, USDA RD: Targeted technical assistance, training and 

other activities leading to the development or expansion of small and emerging private businesses 

in eligible rural areas. https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/rural-business-developmentgrants 

 Rural Community Development Initiative Grants, USDA RD: Helps nonprofit housing and 

community development organizations, low-income rural communities and federally recognized 

tribes support housing, community facilities and community and economic development projects 

in eligible rural areas. Applications are accepted on an annual basis. 

https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/rural-community-development-initiative-grants 

 Rural Community Development Program, HHS ACF: Works with regional and federally

recognized tribal organizations to manage safe water systems in rural communities. 

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/programs/rcd 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 72 

Small Business Concerns

 Disaster Loan Factsheets, SBA: Information related to homeowners and renters, businesses of all 

sizes, military economic injury loans, homeowner association unit owners, and associations. 

https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance

 Disaster Loan Information, SBA: Provides low-interest disaster loans to businesses of all sizes, 

private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters to repair or replace the following items 

damaged or destroyed in a declared disaster: real estate, personal property, machinery and 

equipment and inventory and business assets. https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disasterassistance

 Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Quick Guides, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation: 

Provides both local chambers of commerce and local businesses with tips and resources on 

responding to and recovering from a disaster. https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/quick-guides 

 Types of Disaster Loans, SBA: Low-interest, long-term loans for physical and economic damage 

caused by a declared disaster, including for home and personal property, business physical 

disaster loans, economic injury disaster loans and military reservists economic injury loans. 

https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance 

Transportation Concerns

 A Guide to Regional Transportation Planning for Disaster, Emergencies and Significant 

Events, DOT: Uses planning principles, case studies, tips and tools to help implement 

transportation planning for possible multijurisdictional disasters, emergencies and other major 

events. http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/nchrp/nchrp_rpt_777.pdf

 Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Transportation Discretionary 

Grant, DOT: Investments in road, rail, transit and port projects that promise to achieve national 

objectives. Formerly the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) 

Discretionary Grants. https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/Freight/infrastructure/tiger/

 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities, Federal Transit 

Administration (FTA): Provides formula funding to states to help private nonprofit groups meet 

the transportation needs of older adults and people with disabilities when the transportation 

service provided is unavailable, insufficient or inappropriate. 

https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/enhanced-mobility-seniors-individuals-disabilitiessection-5310

 Formula Grants for Rural Areas, FTA: Provides capital, planning and operating assistance to 

states to support public transportation in rural areas with populations of less than 50,000 where 

many residents often rely on public transit to reach their destinations. 

https://www.transit.dot.gov/rural-formula-grants-5311

 Grant Programs, FTA: Grants to local public transit systems, including buses, subways, light 

rail, commuter rail, trolleys and ferries. https://www.transit.dot.gov/grants/13070.html 

 MAP-21 – Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century, Federal Highway Administration 

(FHWA): Provides needed funds and transforms the policy and programmatic framework for
Federal Emergency Management Agency 73 

investments to grow and develop the country’s vital transportation infrastructure. 

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/map21/factsheets/mp.cfm 

 Public Transportation Emergency Relief Program, FTA: Helps states and public transportation 

systems protect, repair and/or replace equipment and facilities that may suffer or have suffered 

serious damage as a result of an emergency, including natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes 

and tornadoes. https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/grant-programs/public-transportationemergency-relief-program-5324 

 Recreational Trails Program, FTA: Provides funds to states to develop and maintain recreational 

trails and trail-related facilities for motorized and nonmotorized recreational trail uses.

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ENVIRonment/recreational_trails/overview/ 

 State of Good Repair, FTA: Distributed to state and local governments in urbanized areas to

repair and upgrade rail and bus rapid transit systems that are at least seven years old. 

https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/asset-management/state-good-repair

 Urbanized Area Formula Grants, FTA: Makes Federal resources available to urbanized areas 

and to governors for transit capital and operating assistance in urbanized areas and for 

transportation-related planning. https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/urbanized-areaformula-grants-5307

Veteran Concerns

 Burials and Memorials – Headstones, Markers and Medallions for Placement in Private 

Cemeteries, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): Furnishes upon request, at no charge to 

the applicant, a Government headstone or marker for the unmarked grave of any deceased eligible 

veteran in any cemetery around the world, regardless of their date of death. 

http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/hmm/index.asp 

 Burial Benefits – Partial Reimbursement of Expenses, VA: A monetary benefit generally paid at 

the maximum amount authorized by law for an eligible veteran’s burial and funeral costs. VA 

may grant additional benefits for plot, interment and/or transportation expenses. 

https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/veterans-burial-allowance/ 

 Burial Benefits – Presidential Memorial Certificates, VA: Prepares the certificates which bear the 

current President’s signature expressing the country’s grateful recognition of the veteran’s service 

in the United States Armed Forces. https://www.cem.va.gov/pmc.asp 

 Burial Benefits – Veteran and Dependent Burial in VA National Cemeteries, VA: Honors 

veterans and their families with final resting places and lasting memorials that commemorate 

their service to our Nation. http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/burial_benefits/ 

 Housing Grants for Disabled Veterans, VA: Helps veterans with certain service-connected 

disabilities adapt or purchase a home to accommodate the disability. 

http://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/adaptedhousing.asp

 Inquiry Routing and Information System (IRIS), VA: A web-based inquiry tool for veterans to 

find out about VA benefits claims, as well as general information about the VA and any of its 

other benefits programs. https://iris.custhelp.com/ 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 74 

 Loan Management, VA: Provides a home loan guaranty benefit and other housing-related 

programs to help veterans buy, build, repair, retain or adapt a home for personal occupancy.

http://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/ 

 My HealtheVet Website, VA: Tips and tools to help veterans partner with a healthcare team to 

work together to manage personal health. https://www.myhealth.va.gov/index.html 

 Native American Veterans Housing Loan Program, VA: Direct home loans to eligible Native 

American veterans to finance the purchase, construction or improvement of homes on Federal 

Trust Land or to refinance a prior Native American Veteran Direct Loan (NADL) to reduce the 

interest rate. https://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/nadl.asp 

Water and Wastewater Concerns

 Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Provides 

communities a permanent, independent source of low-cost financing for a wide range of water 

quality infrastructure projects. http://water.epa.gov/grants_funding/cwsrf/cwsrf_index.cfm 

 Federal Funding for Water and Wastewater Utilities in National Disasters, EPA: Information 

for water and wastewater utilities about Federal funding programs for mitigation and recovery 

from disasters. https://www.epa.gov/fedfunds

 Urban Waters Small Grants, EPA: Helps protect and restore urban waters, improve water 

quality and support community revitalization and other local priorities.

http://www2.epa.gov/urbanwaters/urban-waters-small-grants 

 Water Pollution Control (Section 106) Grants, EPA: Helps states (including territories and the 

District of Columbia), interstate agencies and eligible tribes establish and implement ongoing

water pollution control programs. http://water.epa.gov/grants_funding/cwf/pollutioncontrol.cfm 

 Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program, USDA Rural Development (RD): Funds 

clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal 

and stormwater drainage to households and businesses in eligible rural areas. 

http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/water-waste-disposal-loan-grant-program 

Watershed Concerns

 Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program – Floodplain Easement (FPE) Option, 

USDA NRCS: An alternative method to landowners and others where acquiring an easement is 

the best approach to minimize threats to life and/or property. 

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/programs/landscape/ewpp/?cid=nrcs14

3_008216

 Small Watershed Program, USDA NRCS: Helps local organizations conduct surveys and 

investigations and plan and install structural and land treatment measures for watershed 

protection and flood prevention. 

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/ca/programs/planning/?cid=nrcs144p2_064043 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 75 

 Watershed Surveys and Planning, USDA NRCS: Helps local, state, Federal and federally

recognized tribal governments protect watersheds from damage caused by erosion, floodwater 

and sediment and conserve and develop water and land resources. 

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/landscape/wsp/
Federal Emergency Management Agency 76 

Appendix D: Legal Considerations for 

Disaster Financial Management

Many laws and regulations directly affect disaster response or recovery programs. This appendix provides 

an introductory review of laws and regulations that may impact disaster financial management and 

potentially impact audits but are not specific fiscal laws. Elected leaders, managers legally responsible for 

response and recovery actions and emergency and recovery managers should be familiar with these laws 

and regulations and seek legal counsel as needed. 

While this appendix presents some key Federal laws and regulations relevant to disaster response and 

recovery programs, jurisdictions should also review and become knowledgeable of their individual 

jurisdiction laws, ordinances and regulations.

Federal Primary Regulations and Authorities

Title 2, Part 200 of the CFR

Title 2 CFR Part 200 supersedes Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circulars A-21, A-87, A-89, 

A-102, A-110, A-122, A-133 and parts of A-50 related to single audits, as well as 44 CFR Part 13. The 

updated uniform administrative requirements and cost principles in 2 CFR Part 200 apply to awards 

issued or declarations made on or after December 26, 2014. The single audit requirements in Subpart F of 

2 CFR Part 200 apply to audits of fiscal years beginning on or after December 26, 2014.

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/textidx?SID=b976663fee9241e7d59d4c0036c464cc&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5

The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 

Act (Stafford Act)

The Stafford Act (Public Law 93-288, as amended, codified at 42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) states that 

governors from the states and U.S. territories are eligible to request a presidential declaration of a major 

disaster and receive Federal assistance. The President of the United States may declare two types of 

disaster declarations: emergency declarations and major declarations. The majority of disaster recovery

program activations depend on a presidential declaration.

The Disaster Recovery Reform Act (DRRA) of 2018

The DRRA amends the Stafford Act to allow greater flexibility in financial management for disaster 

recovery. The Act specifically allows hazard mitigation assistance in areas affected by wildfire, as well as 

waiving certain Stafford Act provisions on alternate projects and duplication of benefits. Previously, 

hazard mitigation funds were not directly connected to wildfire events.
Federal Emergency Management Agency 77 

The Sandy Recovery Improvement Act of 2013

The Sandy Recovery Improvement Act amends the Stafford Act with significant changes to how FEMA 

may deliver Federal disaster assistance. Among other key changes, this act authorizes federally 

recognized tribal governments to request a declaration of an emergency or major disaster without a state’s 

primacy request. 

Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006

The Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 clarifies and modifies the organizational 

structure, authorities and responsibilities of FEMA.

Homeland Security Act of 2002

The Homeland Security Act of 2002 created the Department of Homeland Security with a mandate of 

preventing and responding to natural and man-made disasters. 

Title 44 of the CFR

Title 44 pertains to Federal agencies’ rules and regulations for emergency management and specifically 

contains rules for implementing the Stafford Act. 

Additional Regulations and Authorities

All grant projects require the following regulations. Failure to comply with the following laws and 

regulations in the production of grant-funded projects may lead to audits, deobligation of funding and/or 

other legal repercussions. 

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended

Grant-funded projects should include specific considerations for serving all members of the community, 

including individuals with disabilities, to meet the ADA as amended and locally adopted 508 compliance 

measures.

Davis-Bacon Act (DBA) and Related Acts

The DBA, as amended, requires employers to pay the “prevailing wage,” as determined by the Wage and 

Hour Division of the DOL, for construction projects using specific types of Federal funds. Subcontractors 

not using DBA wages when required may result in financial audit findings for the grant recipient. The 

President may also waive DBA requirements during disasters. 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 78 

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

The FLSA, as amended, establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping and youth employment 

standards. Grant project work must meet FLSA requirements.

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

Public assistance funds used to implement grant projects must meet the requirements of NEPA, as 

amended, to protect and enhance the environment and the President’s Council of Environmental 

Quality regulations.

National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966

The NHPA, as amended, protects historic and archeological sites within the United States of America and 

affects grant projects that may impact historic or archeological sites. 

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, is a Federal law that protects persons from 

discrimination on the basis of disability in programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance. 

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a Federal law that protects persons from discrimination on the 

basis on race, color or national origin (including language) in programs and activities receiving Federal 

financial assistance. Title VI requires recipients to provide access to their programs and activities, 

including disaster-related programs and activities, on a nondiscrimination basis. Title VI also requires 

recipients to take reasonable steps to ensure that persons with limited English proficiency have 

meaningful access to their programs and services.