U.S. flag
        An official website of the United States government
          Here’s how you know
        Here’s how you know
        world globe
        Languages
      EnglishEspañolFrançaisKreyòlTiếng Việt简体中文한국어 **Official websites use .gov** A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS** A **lock** (
A locked padlock
) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
              .
  Apply for Assistance


                Toggle Menu

    close
            Disasters & Assistance
                  
                                                      Current DisastersCalifornia Severe StormsHermit's Peak/Calf Canyon FireMaine Severe StormsMichigan Severe StormsRhode Island Severe Storms (December 2023)Rhode Island Severe Storms (January 2024)Washington WildfiresWildfire ActionsWrangell Cooperative Association Severe StormAll Disaster Declarations
Assistance After a DisasterGovernments and Private Non-ProfitsIndividuals and Families
Tools to RecoverCommon RumorsDisaster Multimedia ToolkitDisaster-Related FAQFEMA in Your LanguageSave Your Family TreasuresVolunteer & Donate
General Disaster InformationSearch Your LocationHow a Disaster Gets DeclaredDisaster AuthoritiesHistoric DisastersGrants
                  
                                                      FEMA GrantsPreparedness GrantsHazard Mitigation Assistance GrantsResilience GrantsContinuing Training Grants ProgramEmergency Food and Shelter ProgramShelter and Services Program
Policy & GuidanceProcurement & Contracting"Buy America" PreferenceBipartisan Infrastructure LawLow-Carbon Goals2 CFR Policy Updates
ToolsAuthorized Equipment ListBenefit-Cost AnalysisEnvironmental & Historic Preservation GuidanceFEMA Grants Outcomes (FEMA GO)Grants Management Technical AssistanceNon-Disaster Grants Management SystemFloods & Maps
                  
                                                      Flood InsuranceFind an Insurance FormWork with National Flood InsuranceNFIP’s Pricing ApproachInsurance Outreach PublicationsRules and LegislationFlood Insurance Advocate
Floodplain ManagementManage Floodplain RiskGet Financial HelpCommunity Assistance Program for StatesCommunity Rating SystemFloodplains & Wildlife ConservationIntergovernmental Collaboration
Flood MapsFlood Data Viewers & Geospatial DataChange Your Flood Zone DesignationRisk MAPProducts and ToolsGuidance & ReportsCooperating Technical Partners
Know Your RiskHomeowners, Renters or Business OwnersCommunity OfficialsEngineers, Surveyors or ArchitectsReal Estate, Lending or Insurance ProfessionalsState, Local, Tribal or Territorial GovernmentsEmergency Management
                  
                                                      National PreparednessTraining & EducationNational Incident Management System (NIMS)National Planning FrameworksNational Preparedness GoalContinuity Resource ToolkitEquityExercises
Risk ManagementHazard Mitigation PlanningClimate ResilienceBuilding ScienceEarthquake RiskDam SafetyHurricane, Wind & Water Surge HazardsHazardous Response Capabilities
Tools for PractitionersIntegrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS)Planning GuidesCommunity LifelinesEnvironmental Planning & Historic PreservationRecovery ResourcesCase Study LibraryPrepTalks
Individuals & CommunitiesPreparedness Activities, Research & WebinarsFaith-Based & Volunteer Partnership ResourcesYouth & Emergency PlanningCommunity Emergency Response Team (CERT)Activities to Reduce Risk for Your HomeAbout
                  
                                                      About UsHow FEMA WorksStrategic PlanOffices & LeadershipRegions, States & TerritoriesTribal AffairsHow to Pay FEMAHistory of FEMAContact Us
NewsroomBlogEventsFact SheetsFEMA LiveMobile ProductsNewslettersPress ReleasesPodcastSocial Media
Reports & DataAnnual ReportsData VisualizationsDisaster Relief Fund ReportsFEMA Guidance DocumentsGlossaryOpenFEMAResilience Analysis & Planning Tool
FEMA in ActionWe Are FEMADisaster ResilienceTwenty Years Later: 9/11Work With Us
                  
                                                      CareersBenefitsCareer PathsHow to ApplyRecruitment EventsFEMA Employee Resources
Business and OrganizationsDoing Business with FEMANational Business Emergency Operations Center
PartnershipsCommunity Disaster Resilience ZonesEmergency Manager ExchangeFederal Agency Mission AssignmentsResilient Nation Partnership NetworkApply for Assistance

world globe
        Languages
      EnglishEspañolFrançaisKreyòlTiếng Việt简体中文한국어  Assistance After a Disaster
              
              
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                                                                    

              Governments and Private Non-Profits
                          Governments and Private Non-Profits

                      Simplifying the Program
                  
                                        
                    
          
                    
                            
                                                    Process of Public Assistance Grants
                                                How to Apply
                                                Tools and Resources
                                                Resource Library
                                                Audits, Arbitration and Appeals
                                                Community Disaster Loan Program
                                                Fire Management Assistance Grants
                                                                      Public Assistance Hazard Mitigation
                              
                                                                                      Individuals and Families
          Simplifying the Public Assistance Program
world globeEnglish
    Español
alert - warningThe COVID-19 incident period ended on May 11, 2023. FEMA will continue to provide funeral assistance until Sept. 30, 2025, to those who have lost loved ones due to this pandemic.
To help meet the goals of FEMA’s 2022-2026 Strategic Plan, FEMA re-established the Public Assistance Steering Committee.



The committee is an advisory group of state, territorial, tribal and local government representatives designed to help improve the Public Assistance process for applicants. The committee first convened in 2017 to provide real-world partner perspectives, inform strategic program changes and discuss overall program improvements.



Improvements



FEMA is now beginning to implement proposed changes from the committee. Below is a listing of items the agency is doing to improve the Public Assistance process. These measures will be formally adopted and included in future versions of the “Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide.”



Simplifying the Processes



In March 2022, FEMA made the first changes based on recommendations to help speed recovery efforts and reduce applicant burdens.



Simplified documentation requirements for unobligated projects.Waved the requirement that unobligated projects with completed small projects must be prepared based on actual costs.Adjusted the deadline for projects with work already completed.Began deploying technical experts from FEMA Consolidated Resource Centers to aid project scoping and development for complex operations and projects.Released the “Public Assistance Sampling Procedure*”* to reduce documentation level requirements.Provided examples allowing a FEMA Regional Administrator to approve time extensions for project closeout.alert - info**Have a Question?**Visit Frequently Asked Questions from Public Assistance Simplified Procedures Policy Webinar.



Streamline Public Assistance



In September 2022, FEMA took these additional steps to streamline Public Assistance.



Allowed additional flexibility in costs claimed for power restoration work.Eliminated size requirements for the eligibility of the removal of hazardous trees, limbs, branches, and stumps for debris removal projects.Allowed applicants to develop cost estimates faster without using consensus-based codes in 50% rule calculations.Not requiring separate cost analysis from work performed through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact during disaster response and recovery operations.Simplifying Management Cost



In March 2023, FEMA released a Memo “Simplifying the Public Assistance Program - Management Costs” to further streamline Public Assistance as it relates to Management Costs documentation for force account labor.



FEMA now accepts a summary of force account labor and equipment costs incurred for administration and management of PA awards. The summary should capture work and costs being claimed, including:



number of employees;list of equipment used and the equipment rates;total labor and equipment hours (or miles for vehicles) spent during the time frame;total labor and equipment costs; andgeneral description of all tasks performed by individuals during the time frame.Applicant funding is still based on actual costs incurred, but FEMA now requires less detailed documentation as a starting point.



Detailed documentation will only be requested if additional review is necessary due to questions or concerns. Recipients and Subrecipients are still required to retain actual cost documentation pursuant to federal record retention regulations and may be asked to provide documentation for audits or to support appeals or arbitration cases.



Independent Assessment of FEMA’s Public Assistance Program Now Available



Effective Jan. 20, 2023, the findings and recommendations of the 2022 Public Assistance (PA) Assessment are now available.



The purpose of the PA assessment was to determine if the PA National Delivery Model and the establishment of the Consolidated Resource Centers were meeting the original design intent from 2017 to standardize PA Program delivery; increase accuracy, efficiency, and simplicity; and improve timeliness and accessibility for processing grants for states, localities, Tribal Nations, and territories (SLTT). A contract to conduct the assessment was secured in early 2022.



The resulting independent report will aid in meeting the agency’s commitment to simplify and streamline program requirements, reduce the burden on stakeholders/applicants and expand access to PA grant funding.



Read the ReportPDF Link Icon



Key Findings



PA assessment key findings include the following:



The PA National Delivery Model has increased transparency and accuracy in the execution of the PA Program.The obligation of over $50 billion in almost three years (March 2020- December 2022) in response to COVID-19, compared to an average of $5-8 billion per year outside of COVID-19 events (2018-2020), may not be possible without the PA National Delivery Model.PA assessment recommendations include:



Build more flexibility into the delivery of the PA Program through re-evaluating existing Consolidated Resource Center operating procedures and increasing FEMA staff deployments to partner with stakeholders.Institute an approach for the PA Program to identify and elevate possible policy or processing inconsistencies for resolution.Adjust the current policy development and publication process to reduce confusion for internal and external stakeholders.Apply a unified risk-based approach to delivering the PA Program to streamline program requirements and promote consistency.Increase training opportunities, including a focus on building targeted skillsets for those that execute the PA Program, to enhance customer service.Consistently engage FEMA Regions, applicants, and recipients when updating PA Program policy or processes to support effective change management.FEMA’s efforts to address the recommendations from the PA assessment are well underway and will continue throughout 2023 and future years as needed.



Review the Recommendations Implementation SummaryPDF Link Icon
Last updated April 21, 2023

            Return to top Disasters & Assistance
      
    
                  Grants
      
    
                  Floods & Maps
      
    
                  Emergency Management
      
    
                  About
      
    
                  Work With Us

Facebook

          Instagram


          Twitter

          YouTube

          LinkedIn

          Newsletter

        Contact FEMA

DHS logo
              FEMA.govAn official website of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
          Accessibility
                Accountability
                Careers
                Civil Rights
                Contact Us
                FOIA
                Glossary
                No FEAR Act
                Plug-Ins
                Privacy
                Report Disaster Fraud
                Website Information
                DHS.gov
                USA.gov
                Inspector General