Pre-Disaster Recovery 

Planning Guide for Tribal 

Governments

FP 104-008-02 | September 2019
Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

Cover Photographs

Upper Center: Governor (then Deputy Tribal Coordinating Officer) Michael Chavarria was tasked 

with restoring the ancient lands of the Santa Clara Pueblo. The Pueblo’s sacred grounds were 

damaged after fires which stripped away the vital absorptive vegetation, creating a powerful runoff 

that devastated their ancient ruins, hunting and fishing grounds, and Native spiritual grounds. 

Photo by Adam DuBrowa/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Location: Santa Clara 

Pueblo, New Mexico, December 2013.

Lower Left: The Meskwaki Nation’s 100th Annual Powwow took place at an alternate location in 

2014 due to flooding at the historic Powwow grounds. Since the annual Powwow is critical to 

Meskwaki culture and economy, FEMA was able to support relocation of the event to a temporary 

powwow facility through the Public Assistance (PA) program. Photo by Steven Zumwalt, FEMA. 

Location: Tama, Iowa, August 2014.

Lower Center: This home on Absentee Shawnee Tribal land was totally destroyed by the May 19-

20, 2013 tornado. Photo by George Armstrong/FEMA. Location: Shawnee, Oklahoma, May 2013. 

Lower Right: The Santa Clara Pueblo’s sacred grounds were damaged after fires scorched the 

grounds, stripping the vital absorptive vegetation and creating a powerful runoff that devastated 

their ancient ruins, hunting and fishing grounds, and Native spiritual grounds. Photo by Adam 

DuBrowa/FEMA. Location: Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico, December 2013.
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

Contents Figures .......................................................................................................................................... iv

Tables ........................................................................................................................................... iv

Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ v

Abbreviations and Acronyms ........................................................................................................ vi

Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 1

Purpose of this Guide.............................................................................................................. 1

Who is this Guide For? ........................................................................................................... 2

What is Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning?................................................................................ 2

How to Use this Guide ........................................................................................................... 3

Why is Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Critical?..................................................................... 5

Why is Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Important to Your Tribe?.......................................... 6

Planning Activities Checklist ................................................................................................... 8

Part 1: Basic Recovery Planning Activities ...................................................................................... 9

Basic Activity 1: Designate a Point Person and Define an Organizational Structure for 

Recovery Planning ................................................................................................................ 10

Basic Activity 2: Understand What Resources are Available .................................................. 12

Basic Activity 3: Develop an Inclusive Public Engagement Strategy ...................................... 14

Basic Activity 4: Identify Vital Community Sites and Assets .................................................. 15

Basic Activity 5: Identify Existing Tribal Recovery Partners .................................................. 17

Basic Activity 6: Identify Outside Partnerships to Build Resilience ....................................... 19

Basic Activity 7: Commit to Enhancing Resilience through Risk Reduction and Risk 

Management ......................................................................................................................... 22

Basic Activity 8: Develop Recovery Financial Management Roles, Policies, and Procedures . 24

Checklist of Basic Planning Activities .................................................................................... 26

Part 2: Recommended Recovery Planning Activities ..................................................................... 27

Recommended Activity 1: Build on Existing Plans and Initiatives......................................... 28

Recommended Activity 2: Conduct a Vulnerability Analysis ................................................ 29

Recommended Activity 3: Assess Recovery Capacity ............................................................ 31

Recommended Activity 4: Establish Recovery Priorities ....................................................... 34

Recommended Activity 5: Adopt a Recovery Ordinance or Resolution ................................ 36

Recommended Activity 6: Develop/Update the Hazard Mitigation Plan .............................. 37
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

Checklist of Recommended Planning Activities .................................................................... 39

Part 3: Developing a Recovery Plan .............................................................................................. 41

Planning Step 1 – Form a Collaborative Planning Team ........................................................ 42

Planning Step 2 - Understand the Situation .......................................................................... 46

Planning Step 3 - Determine Goals and Objectives ............................................................... 51

Planning Step 4 – Develop the Plan ....................................................................................... 55

Planning Step 5 – Prepare, Review, and Approve the Final Plan ........................................... 60

Planning Step 6 – Implement and Maintain the Plan ............................................................ 61

Checklist of Planning Step Activities ..................................................................................... 62

Annex A: Workbook Activities ..................................................................................................... 63

Summary of Workbook Activities ......................................................................................... 63

Basic Activity 1: Recovery Point Person ................................................................................ 65

Basic Activity 2: Training Needs ........................................................................................... 66

Basic Activity 3: Messaging ................................................................................................... 67

Basic Activity 4: Critical Assets and Resources ...................................................................... 68

Basic Activity 5: Tribal Partners ............................................................................................ 69

Basic Activity 5 (continued): Relationship Diagramming ..................................................... 70

Basic Activity 6: External Partnerships ................................................................................... 71

Recommended Activity 1: Existing Plans .............................................................................. 74

Recommended Activity 4: Priorities ..................................................................................... 75

Planning Step 1: Core Capabilities ........................................................................................ 76

Planning Step 3: Determining Recovery Goals and Objectives .............................................. 79

Planning Step 4: Existing Policies .......................................................................................... 80

Annex B: Sample Outline for a Pre-Disaster Recovery Plan ........................................................... 81

Section 1: Pre-Disaster Recovery Plan Introduction .............................................................. 81

Section 2: Recovery Leadership ............................................................................................. 82

Section 3: Recovery Operations ............................................................................................ 82

Section 4: Recovery Implementation .................................................................................... 83

Annex C: Financial Management .................................................................................................. 85

Initial-Term Cost Recovery ................................................................................................... 86

Long-Term Cost Recovery ..................................................................................................... 87

Contracting ........................................................................................................................... 88
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

Grants Management .............................................................................................................. 89

Annex D: Resources ..................................................................................................................... 91

General Guidance .................................................................................................................. 91

Key Disaster Declaration Resources ....................................................................................... 91

Preparedness and Planning Support ...................................................................................... 92

Preparedness and Planning Support (Non-FEMA Resources and Studies) ............................. 92

FEMA Grant Recipient Guidance ........................................................................................... 94

PA Resources ......................................................................................................................... 94

IA Resources ......................................................................................................................... 95

Hazard Mitigation Resources ................................................................................................ 95

Grants ................................................................................................................................... 95

Annex E: Recovery Timeline ........................................................................................................ 97

Annex F: Typical FEMA Recovery Programs ................................................................................. 99

Individual-Oriented Resources .............................................................................................. 99

Community-Oriented Resources ......................................................................................... 100
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

Figures Figure 1: Levels of Pre-Disaster Planning Activities.......................................................................... 4

Figure 2: The Disaster Cycle and Why Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning is Important ....................... 6

Figure 3: The Benefits of a Pre-Disaster Recovery Plan .................................................................... 7

Figure 4: Checklist of Planning Activities......................................................................................... 8

Figure 5: Sample Relationship Diagram......................................................................................... 18

Figure 6: Checklist of Basic Planning Activities.............................................................................. 26

Figure 7: Checklist of Recommended Planning Activities.............................................................. 39

Figure 8: Sample Communication Mapping Diagram................................................................... 44

Figure 9: The Relationship between Recovery Plans and other Community Plans, Decisions, and 

Policies........................................................................................................................................... 47

Tables Table 1: Capacity Assessment Survey ............................................................................................. 32

Table 2: Planning Step 1 Recommended Actions........................................................................... 45

Table 3: Planning Step 2 Recommended Actions........................................................................... 50

Table 4: Description of Core Capabilities....................................................................................... 53

Table 5: Planning Step 3 Recommended Actions........................................................................... 54

Table 6: Planning Step 4 Recommended Actions........................................................................... 59

Table 7: Planning Step 5 Recommended Actions........................................................................... 60

Table 8: Planning Step 6 Recommended Actions........................................................................... 61

Table 9: Sample Table of Risks and Mitigation Measures............................................................... 81
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

Acknowledgements 

FEMA would like to express gratitude to the tribal members and other individuals who provided 

their time, attention, knowledge, and stories to support the development of this guide and the 

included case studies. 

Contributors and reviewers:

• Sophi Beym, Navajo Nation

• Pete Broncho, Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation

• Ken Choke, Nisqually Indian Tribe

• Ray Denny, Confederated Tribes of Umatilla Indian Reservation

• Adam Geisler, La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians, California

• Kevin Greenleaf, Kootenai Tribe of Idaho

• Theresa Gregor, Ph.D., Inter-Tribal Long-Term Recovery Foundation

• Jeff Hansen, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma

• Laurie Hernandez, Nisqually Indian Tribe

• Wes Jones, Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation

• Jon Korta, Mayor, City of Galena, AK

• Mary Leitka, Nisqually Indian Tribe

• Matt May, Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska

• Chris McCuen, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation

• Ila McKay, Spirit Lake Tribe, North Dakota

• Cruz Ponce, Inter-Tribal Long-Term Recovery Foundation

• Cliff Puckett, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (SRPMIC)

• Susie Sam, Administrator, City of Galena, AK

• Kent Scheid, Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa/Meskwaki Nation

• April Sells, Poarch Band of Creek Indians

• Chris Spencer, Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa/Meskwaki Nation

• John Tovey, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation

• Rose Whitehair, Navajo Nation

• Tim Zientek, Citizen Potawatomi Nation 
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

Abbreviations and Acronyms ACF Administration for Children and Families 

ADA Americans with Disabilities Act 

AIA American Institute of Architects 

AIBA American Indian Business Alliance 

APA American Planning Association 

ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers 

ASLA American Society of Landscape Architects 

CCP Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program

CDBG Community Development Block Grant 

CNMS Coordinated Needs Management Strategy

CPCB Community Planning and Capacity Building

DAIP Disaster Assistance Improvement Program 

DCM Disaster Case Management 

DLS Disaster Legal Services 

DOL United States Department of Labor

DUA Disaster Unemployment Assistance 

EMI Emergency Management Institute 

EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency 

ESF Emergency Support Function 

FDRC Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator 

FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency

FIOP Federal Interagency Operational Plan 

GRAC Galena Recovery Advisory Committee 

HA Housing Assistance 

HHS United States Department of Health and Human Services 

HMGP Hazard Mitigation Grant Program

HUD United States Department of Housing and Urban Development 

IA Individual Assistance 

ICS Incident Command System 

IHP Individuals and Households Program 

ITLTRF Intertribal Long-Term Recovery Foundation 

MOU Memorandum of Understanding

NCAI National Congress of American Indians 

NDRF National Disaster Recovery Framework 

NFIP National Flood Insurance Program 

NGO Non-Governmental Organization 

NIMS National Incident Management System
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

NNABA National Native American Bar Association 

NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

NREL National Renewable Energy Laboratory 

NTEMC National Tribal Emergency Management Council

OMB Office of Management and Budget 

ONA Other Needs Assistance 

PA Public Assistance 

PDA Preliminary Damage Assessment 

PDRP Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan 

RD Rural Development

RSF Recovery Support Function 

SBA United States Small Business Administration 

SPR Stakeholder Preparedness Review 

SRIA Sandy Recovery Improvement Act 

SRPMIC Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community 

TDRC Tribal Disaster Recovery Coordinator 

TDRM Tribal Disaster Recovery Manager

THIRA Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment 

UNAHA United Native American Housing Association 

USDA United States Department of Agriculture 

USET United South and Eastern Tribes 

VOAD Voluntary Organization Active in Disaster 
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

Introduction 

Purpose of this Guide 

Each year, disasters impacting families, their 

homes, and whole tribal nations show how 

important it is to plan for recovery before a 

disaster occurs. Planning for recovery ahead 

of disasters ensures that tribal communities 

can:

1) Act quickly to identify appropriate 

recovery leadership and their roles 

and responsibilities;

2) Restore the health and well-being of 

individuals and households;

3) Meet the needs of affected tribal 

organizations, businesses, and 

institutions;

4) Position themselves to meet future 

needs; and

5) Increase their resilience in the face 

of future disasters.

The Relationship among Mitigation, 

Response, and Recovery Planning 

Hazard mitigation planning identifies risks and 

vulnerabilities associated with natural disasters and 

develops long-term strategies for protecting people 

and property from future hazard events. Hazard 

mitigation plans often include information useful to 

the recovery planning process.

Response Planning is typically undertaken by first 

responders to organize actions and roles that focus 

on immediate life safety and sustaining efforts. It 

also includes providing disaster survivors with basic 

needs, such as food and shelter, after an incident. 

Recovery planning, the focus of this guide, is led by 

planners who develop a strategic plan, including 

recovery roles and priorities for holistic, long-term 

recovery with the goal of bringing a community back 

to a sense of long-term sustainability and normalcy

The following acts enable the Federal Government to 

provide assistance to tribes after a disaster:

• The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 

Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act), as 

amended (42 U.S.C. §§ 5121 et seq.)

• The Sandy Recovery Improvement Act of 

2013 (SRIA) amended the Stafford Act to 

provide federally recognized Indian tribal 

governments the option to request a 

Presidential emergency or major disaster 

declaration

Recovery planning is a process that can 

include taking small steps to articulate and 

document tribal recovery planning 

considerations or taking the larger step of 

developing a formal pre-disaster recovery 

plan. Sometimes, community recovery is 

confused with individual and household 

recovery. Community recovery, the focus of 

this guide, is the recovery of tribal resources 

that benefit everyone who lives and/or 

works on tribal lands. 

The Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide 

for Tribal Governments provides a basic 

framework and guidance for tribal 

leadership and stakeholders as they plan for recovery and recognizes that different tribes have 

different levels of capacity and different ways of planning. This guidance is applicable to both 

federally recognized and state recognized tribes and is appropriate preparation for all incidents 

with or without a Presidential Disaster Declaration. 

FEMA acknowledges the sovereignty of federally recognized tribes and is committed to helping 

tribal governments build more resilient communities. Federally recognized tribes can request 

emergency or major disaster declarations directly to the President (through FEMA) as a recipient 
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

or apply for assistance as a subrecipient 

under a state declaration. Tribes that are 

not federally recognized work through 

their state to request emergency or major 

disaster declarations as a subrecipient but

may not apply directly. As part of the 

disaster recovery process, tribes who have 

received a Presidential Disaster Declaration 

may request and gain access to additional 

recovery programs such as those under the 

Individual Assistance Program (IA), Public 

Assistance (PA) Program, and Hazard 

Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). 

Understanding the application and 

reporting requirements of these programs 

during non-disaster periods may be a financial and time-saving benefit to tribes during recovery, 

and familiarity with these programs can be a useful part of pre-disaster planning for any tribe. 

FEMA’s New Recipients of Disaster Grants Guide is a consolidated resource guide that outlines all 

the regulatory and policy deadlines and requirements of the disaster grants process. The FEMA 

New Recipients Guide is a useful reference tool for recipients with limited to no experience 

navigating the IA, PA, and HMGP. To access the guide, visit https://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/assets/documents/179496. 

Financial Management 

Initial- and long-term post-disaster financial 

management are important pre-disaster planning 

considerations. 

Initial-Term: Ensuring eligibility for reimbursement of 

disaster-related costs from all potential sources.

Long-Term: Understanding and planning for impacts 

to revenues coupled with the need to fund certain 

long-term recovery activities.

A discussion of financial management is included in 

Annex C of this guide.

Who is this Guide For? 

This guide is for tribal government 

leadership and stakeholders who will be 

involved in the recovery process after a 

disaster. These stakeholders may include: 

the tribal chief executive and tribal government employees, including planners and emergency 

managers, healthcare professionals, and experts in natural and/or cultural resource preservation. 

What is Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning? 

Pre-disaster recovery planning is the development of a set of goals for recovery that take into 

account all community sectors (e.g., the local economy, housing, infrastructure), the 

documentation of recovery priorities, resources, procedures, implementation steps, and the 

identification of the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders in supporting a recovery process 

that may last for years after a disaster. Planning for recovery before disasters happen positions 

tribes to begin the recovery process immediately after a disaster strikes. 

 

 

Printed copies of this guide or the other resources 

referenced may be available on a limited basis to 

tribes that lack adequate internet access. Contact 

your Regional Tribal Liaison if your tribe needs 

printed materials. 
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

How to Use this Guide 

Pre-disaster recovery planning helps ensure that if a natural or man-made disaster strikes, tribes 

will be prepared to address recovery after the incident even if the incident does not rise to the level 

of a federal declaration. Where the incident is of such severity and magnitude to warrant a 

Presidential Disaster Declaration, having a pre-disaster recovery plan will enable a tribe to define 

and articulate priorities for recovery, including mitigation strategies, which will foster fast delivery 

of resources from federal, state, and non-government partners. 

This guide focuses on three levels of activity that correspond to varying degrees of tribal capacity. 

Note that even though this guide categorizes different planning activities based on a tribe’s 

capacity to implement them, all tribes should strive to develop full recovery plans which 

document recovery roles and responsibilities and planning goals. This may require the use of 

outside resources, some of which are listed in Annex D of this guide.

• Part 1: Basic Planning Activities – Activities that tribes with minimal resources can do, such 

as identifying and documenting recovery partners, available resources and resource gaps, 

essential financial and management procedures, and vital community assets that may be 

focal points for recovery planning efforts after a disaster.

• Part 2: Recommended Planning Activities – Activities which build on the basic recovery 

activities listed above, such as establishing recovery priorities, adopting a recovery 

ordinance, and writing or building on an existing comprehensive plan or hazard 

mitigation plan.

• Part 3: Developing a Recovery Plan – Tribes with significant resources and government 

staff (or the ability to hire consultants) should consider developing a formal pre-disaster 

recovery plan. A pre-disaster recovery plan is a holistic planning document that identifies

known hazards and vulnerabilities, existing capabilities, recovery goals, recovery roles, 

responsibilities and procedures, and known (or needed) partnerships with federal or state 

governments, and with non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Each level of activity in this guide is denoted with one of the following symbols: 

In addition to activity descriptions, this guide includes an activity workbook that can be used to 

document vulnerabilities, capabilities, and goals, which may contribute to the development of 

formal recovery plans. In this guide, workbook activities are denoted with a “workbook” symbol: 
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

Before attempting the activities in this guide, it may be helpful to develop a hypothetical scenario 

in which a major disaster has occurred, such as a flood, and determine what tribal officials and 

other recovery stakeholders would do given the current state of recovery planning efforts. Based 

on that scenario, gaps in roles or capabilities to address recovery may be identified. When

completing this activity, look beyond needs that would arise in the immediate aftermath of the 

disaster and think about long-term recovery issues – that is, recovery issues related to housing, 

rebuilding tribal facilities, and other things that could take years to address. Consider what the

potential long-term consequences might be to housing, infrastructure, natural and cultural 

resources, economic activity, healthcare and social services, and other community sectors. For 

reference, a recovery timeline from the National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) is included 

in Annex E of this document.

Many of the activities in this guide require a combination of resources, skillsets, and community 

support to complete. In some cases, the activities may require planning expertise or may require 

the support and political willpower of the tribal government. Figure 1 below describes the level of 

effort involved in different planning activities (basic, recommended, and developing a more

formal recovery plan); however, it should not be used to rule out undertaking any of the activities.

Figure 1: Levels of Pre-Disaster Planning Activities 

Note that completing the basic and recommended activities is a major step towards formal 

planning. The information gathered about known capability gaps, vital assets, recovery goals, key 

tribal stakeholders and their roles, and the partnerships identified while undertaking the activities 

are all major components of a formal pre-disaster recovery plan.

 
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

Why is Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Critical? 

The importance of pre-disaster 

recovery planning cannot be 

overstated. Communities throughout 

the United States, both tribal and nontribal, have faced major damages left in 

the wake of disasters. Their ability to 

recover quickly can be largely 

improved through planning efforts, 

including defining leadership roles and 

strengthening existing partnerships. 

Understanding the requirements 

(including time constraints) for 

reimbursement, grants, and other 

financial resources is also critical for 

successful recovery. In addition to 

planning for recovery, mitigation 

planning (which can be accomplished 

in conjunction with pre-disaster recovery planning) is also beneficial in identifying and 

prioritizing strategies that provide risk reduction from natural hazards and build in resilience. 

These two plans can work together to support recovering more quickly from a disaster. If you 

have a mitigation plan, use it to inform your recovery strategy. For more resources on mitigation 

planning for tribal governments, visit https://www.fema.gov/tribal-mitigation-planningresources. 

There are many reasons to perform pre-disaster recovery planning. Identifying, evaluating, and 

documenting the condition of valued and critical facilities (e.g., cultural facilities or elder 

housing), and identifying which facilities are located in vulnerable areas (e.g., in flood plains or 

steep slope areas), can help prepare your tribe for recovery by enabling the community to quickly 

prioritize where to direct recovery resources after a disaster strikes.

Finally, there are two different phases of recovery addressed in this guide: 

• Short-term recovery, which usually overlaps response efforts, involves addressing the most 

critical issues after the event (finding shelter, access to health care, debris clearance, etc.) 

and later seeking reimbursement of these recovery costs. Short-term recovery may also 

include identifying temporary housing solutions and reopening businesses, government 

facilities, and tribal institutions, among other things.

• Long-term recovery involves addressing all community sectors to bring back a sense of 

normalcy and a fully functional, sustainable community. This can take months to years, 

depending on the severity of disaster impact.

 

Recovery Planning Principles 

• Your tribe, its leadership, and stakeholders are 

ultimately responsible for directing their own 

recovery. 

• Disaster recovery planning is a broad, inclusive 

process that helps pre-identify important 

resources and critical partnerships.

• Recovery planning is closely aligned with hazard 

mitigation planning.

• Recovery planning is goal-oriented. 

• Recovery activities will be comprehensive and 

long-term. 

• Resiliency and sustainability are investments in 

the future.
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

Why is Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Important to Your Tribe? 

Figure 2: The Disaster Cycle and Why Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning is Important 

The focus of this guide is planning for recovery after a disaster. 

Being able to recover successfully means understanding and establishing roles and responsibilities, identifying critical 

assets, assessing and building on existing capacity, and formally planning for recovery before a disaster strikes. 

Recovery planning will help tribal governments take advantage of recovery resources and 

opportunities and better confront challenges in the following ways: 

1) Recovery planning supports traditional tribal community processes in which the whole 

community considers tribal resources, the needs of all its members, and the needs of 

future generations. 

2) Recovery planning encourages coordination with state and local governments and other 

external partners to increase access to recovery resources for your tribe.

3) Recovery planning can provide a place to establish procedures and roles to help align your 

tribe with federal practices having to do with procurement, the Incident Command System

(ICS), grants management, etc.

4) The Sandy Recovery Improvement Act of 2013 (SIRA) amended the Stafford Act to provide 

federally recognized Indian tribal governments the option to request a Presidential 

emergency or major disaster declaration directly, rather than working through the state. 

Pre-disaster planning discussions help tribal members consider recovery priorities and 

strategies that reflect your tribe’s values and vision. Recovery plans provide formal 

documentation of tribal intentions and roles for directly requesting a Presidential Disaster 
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

Declaration. For more information, see FEMA’s current Tribal Declarations Pilot Guidance: 

https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/128307

Recovery planning will put tribes in a better place to address pre-existing community needs, take 

advantage of available resources, think differently about how their resources can be adapted to 

new purposes, and seize opportunities to rebuild in a resilient way. Effective planning and 

preparation for potentially harmful events, both large and small, will save both time and money 

because roles and responsibilities will be clearly identified, and resources will be directed where 

they are needed most. 

Figure 3: The Benefits of a Pre-Disaster Recovery Plan 

Without a Pre-Disaster 

Recovery Plan 

With a Pre-Disaster 

Recovery Plan 

Vision and Goals 

Without articulating a vision and 

goals to establish a strategy and 

direction for recovery before a 

disaster, there is no framework for 

implementing recovery after a 

disaster.

With a vision and goals that 

establish a strategy and direction for 

recovery in place, a basic 

framework for post-disaster 

recovery is built, and the recovery 

process can begin quickly after a 

disaster.

Roles and 

Responsibilities 

If internal roles and responsibilities 

for accounting for, directing, and 

implementing recovery are not 

articulated, recovery could be 

delayed, and roles and 

responsibilities could be 

haphazardly assigned to people 

without the necessary expertise to 

undertake them.

When stakeholders understand the

responsibilities they will have after 

a disaster, they can move more 

seamlessly into their recovery roles.

Partners and 

Resources 

Having to identify partners and 

resources from scratch after a 

disaster can take a lot of time, and 

in addition to the overwhelming 

tasks associated with recovery, can 

be incredibly burdensome.

When partners and resources are 

already identified and initial 

working relationships have been 

established, partners may be called 

upon for support immediately after 

a disaster.

Recovery from a 

Disaster 

Without a Pre-Disaster Recovery 

Plan, recovery will be delayed, 

recovery may not address holistic 

community needs within your 

tribe, and opportunities for 

partnership development and 

resources may be missed.

With a Pre-Disaster Recovery Plan 

in place, the recovery process can 

begin quickly, your tribe will be 

prepared to meet holistic 

community recovery needs, and 

partnerships and resources can be 

accessed more readily.
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

Planning Activities Checklist 

The checklist of planning activities presented below can be used for reference as your tribe 

completes basic or recommended activities or as the planning steps are undertaken to develop a 

formal pre-disaster recovery plan. Each of the planning activities is described in the following 

sections. 

Figure 4: Checklist of Planning Activities 

 

BASIC ACTIVITIES

1. Designate a Point Person and Define an Organizational Structure for 

Recovery Planning 

2. Understand What Resources Are Available 

3. Develop an Inclusive Public Engagement Strategy 

4. Identify Vital Community Sites and Assets 

5. Identify Existing Tribal Recovery Partners 

6. Identify Outside Partnerships to Build Resilience 

7. Commit to Enhancing Resilience through Risk Reduction and Risk 

Management 

8. Develop Financial Management Recovery Roles, Policies, and 

Procedures 

 

 

RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES

1. Build on Existing Plans and Initiatives 

2. Conduct a Vulnerability Analysis 

3. Assess Recovery Capacity 

4. Establish Recovery Priorities 

5. Adopt a Recovery Ordinance or Resolution 

6. Develop/Update the Hazard Mitigation Plan 

 

PLANNING STEPS

1. Form a Collaborative Planning Team 

2. Understand the Situation 

3. Determine Goals and Objectives 

4. Develop the Plan 

5. Prepare, Review, and Approve the Final Plan 

6. Implement and Maintain the Plan 
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

 

Part 1: Basic Recovery Planning Activities

Basic Recovery Planning Activities can be completed by tribal departments and agencies or 

community organizations with minimal investment of resources. By focusing on the concept of 

creating greater resilience within a community, a tribal government can improve its preparedness 

without formal plans, policy changes, or additional programs. The activities in this section do not 

need to be completed sequentially. Additionally, tribes may identify other basic activities they 

could complete to prepare for recovery.
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

Basic Activity 1: Designate a Point Person and Define an 

Organizational Structure for Recovery Planning 

Determining how your tribe will organize and who will lead the efforts for long-term tribal 

recovery should be defined prior to a disaster. The NDRF describes how the federal government 

organizes itself to support recovery. This organization may not be appropriate for all tribes, but 

reviewing the NDRF may provide some guidance, depending on tribal capacity and priorities.

Potential Tribal Recovery Roles 

• Tribal Leadership – Tribal Chief Executive and/or Council who sets policy, direction, approval of 

expenditures, designation of roles and responsibilities of tribal government staff and recovery 

committee (if used), and approval of the recovery plan.

• Emergency Manager – Typically responsible for coordination and direction of response, life 

safety, sheltering, feeding, etc.

• Tribal Disaster Recovery Manager (TDRM) – Coordinates planning, grants, partnership, and 

outreach to governmental agencies and stakeholders.

• Tribal Recovery Committee or Task Force – Designated tribal representatives who serves as an 

advisory committee for post-event recovery planning, policy, and implementation, or major 

recovery projects.

• Long-Term Recovery Group – Coordinates Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) 

support to individuals and families. 

Begin with establishing which agency or individual will lead the recovery planning effort and who 

will support the effort, along with their roles and responsibilities both pre- and post-disaster. This 

scope of responsibilities may be assigned to one or more individuals within a tribal government, 

or to leaders in the community. What is most crucial is that your tribe acknowledges the 

responsibilities of the designated parties and supports their efforts for managing, coordinating, 

and planning for both short-term recovery (e.g., Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDAs)) and 

long-term recovery (e.g., developing permanent housing solutions). Finally, your tribe must

determine how this group will work together with the tribal leadership and emergency managers. 

Defining an organizational structure for how all tribal stakeholders will interact (e.g., leadership 

vs. support roles) will help all stakeholders understand their role in the recovery planning process. 

Figure 5 on page 18 of this guide depicts a sample relationship diagram (which can also be 

considered an organizational structure).

When staffing resources are limited, additional support may be called upon from national and 

regional tribal associations, volunteer organizations, non-profits, charitable or social services 

agencies, and regional planning bodies, as well as intergovernmental staff. These potential partners 

may be able to provide technical assistance related to planning or grant applications, assist with 

strategic planning, help to build a tribe's capacity to plan for recovery, administer federal disaster 
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funds, or apply for grants. For more information about partnerships and examples, see Basic 

Activity 5: Identify Existing Tribal Recovery Partners and Basic Activity 6: Identify Outside 

Partnerships to Build Resilience in this guide.

For more information on designating recovery leadership, see “Leadership” under Planning Step 4 

– Develop the Plan. 

Role of the TDRM 

In order to manage long-term recovery after a disaster, a tribe should consider hiring a TDRM. This 

person may come from within your tribe, be part of the recovery planning team, or come from outside of 

your tribe. Note that federal funds may be available to support the hiring of a TDRM post-disaster for 

periods of up to two years. A TDRM should have the strategic planning and project management 

background necessary to direct the recovery planning process. When designating a TDRM and recovery 

leadership team, consider the following: 

• Who will be in charge of managing and coordinating decisions, and how are they implemented? 

• Is the designated leader well-versed in your tribe’s ideology, vision, and goals? 

• What qualifications are needed for a key person in this position?

The Relevance of Regionalism for Recovery Management 

Tribal communities with limited capabilities to manage recovery on their own may elect to share the costs 

of hiring a TDRM and burdens of managing large-scale recovery efforts with adjacent communities or 

counties. This can be established pre- or post-disaster through Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) 

or similar agreements. A regional disaster recovery management structure can encompass small towns 

and rural counties, and in the wake of a disaster, can facilitate a coordinated recovery effort that benefits 

an entire region. Regional cooperation also allows communities to demonstrate a critical mass of 

disaster-impacted people, infrastructure, housing, and businesses. Collectively, such a partnership 

attracts more resources than communities separately. 

Regionalism also comes with challenges – mainly, the coordination of individual communities that may 

have different needs and priorities. A regional approach requires additional coordination, relationship 

building, and the ability to inspire unity of effort.

Go to the Workbook Activity (Recovery Point Person) in Annex A to list the recovery 

point person/people who can provide leadership after a disaster strikes. 
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Basic Activity 2: Understand What Resources are Available 

Pre-Disaster Planning Resources

The difference between a successful recovery and an unsuccessful recovery can often hinge on 

whether or not a tribe clearly understands what resources are available to support pre-disaster 

planning and post-disaster recovery. FEMA can support pre-disaster planning in a number of ways 

in addition to providing general guidance. For example, pre-disaster Mitigation Grants can be used 

to fund a tribe's hazard mitigation planning, which is the process of strategically identifying 

projects that will reduce long-term risks to human life, the environment, and property from 

disasters. A FEMA-approved Mitigation Plan is required for some types of disaster assistance grants 

and for specific projects that may be funded by pre-disaster Mitigation Grants (planning projects 

are exempted if no Mitigation Plan exists). Additionally, FEMA regional staff offer a number of 

opportunities to provide in-person training and technical assistance to tribes that wish to know 

more about mitigation planning. This technical assistance can enhance the mitigation strategies 

that are captured in the hazard mitigation plan, which will improve how resources are prioritized 

and used. Note that the Mitigation Plan can inform your tribe’s pre-and post-disaster capabilities 

and resources. For more information, review the Tribal Mitigation Plan Review Guide: 

http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/18355. 

Post-Disaster Resource Considerations

Resources for long-term community recovery may include funding as well as technical advisory 

staff, such as federal or state program officers with knowledge of the policies, procedures, and 

requirements associated with recovery programs, grant writers, and financial assistance managers. 

More information about typical FEMA recovery resources related to IA, PA, and Mitigation can be 

found in Annex F of this guide.

Finally, the following three resources related to recovery management may be particularly useful 

and can be found at http://www.fema.gov/national-disaster-recovery-framework/communityrecovery-management-toolkit. 

• Resources to Organize Following a Disaster

• Resources for Managing Recovery

• Resources to Plan for Post-Disaster
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Other Resources to Support Individual and Household Needs 

Community recovery is sometimes confused with individual and household recovery. Community 

recovery, the focus of this guide, is the recovery of tribal resources that benefit everyone who lives 

and/or works there. These resources include cultural sites, schools, infrastructure, businesses, etc. 

However, while individual and household needs focus directly on individuals or families, they are a 

legitimate concern for many community stakeholders. In addition to resources provided by FEMA, other 

sources may be of assistance in addressing the needs of individuals and households in disaster 

recovery. Two of these include:

1. National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD): http://www.nvoad.org/

NVOAD is an association of organizations who mitigate and alleviate the impact of disasters. It 

provides a forum to promote cooperation, communication, coordination, and collaboration and 

foster more effective delivery of services to tribes affected by disasters.

2. DisasterAssistance.gov: https://www.disasterassistance.gov/

The Disaster Assistance Improvement Program’s (DAIP) mission is to provide disaster survivors 

with information, support, services, and a means to access and apply for disaster assistance 

through joint data-sharing efforts between federal, state, tribal, local, and private sector 

partners. 

Annex F includes more information about FEMA resources to support individual and household needs, 

as well as overall community needs.

Training

A variety of training programs from various resource providers are available to help build the 

capacity of tribes to develop a pre-disaster recovery plan and to address recovery needs after a 

disaster. Many of these resources may be available for little or no direct cost through government 

agencies at all levels. FEMA offers a Tribal Curriculum (https://training.fema.gov/tribal/) that 

includes an emergency management framework course (course number E0580), an emergency 

operations course (course number E0581), an emergency management overview for tribal leaders 

(course number L0583), a mitigation course (course number E0582), and a continuity of 

operations course (L0552) - along with other relevant training courses available online through 

the Emergency Management Institute (EMI) related to damage assessments, IA, PA, etc. These 

courses may be taken as individual schedules allow. Visit https://training.fema.gov/emi.aspx for 

more information.

In addition to training programs for pre- and post-disaster recovery, preparedness training is also 

made available by the Center for Domestic Preparedness (including an annual Tribal Nations 

Training Week). Visit https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/resident for more information.

Go to the Workbook Activity (Training Needs) in Annex A to list training needs, and 

then look up courses available through EMI that may fulfill those training needs.
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Basic Activity 3: Develop an Inclusive Public Engagement Strategy 

All tribe members can benefit from understanding the purpose of pre-disaster recovery planning 

and how they can contribute to the process. Diversity of opinions in discussing community 

vulnerabilities and the value of community resources will help build consensus around the 

prioritization of vital asset protection, both through mitigation activities and during recovery, 

should a disaster strike. 

Start a conversation on recovery planning and consider the following questions: 

• Do tribal members believe that preparing for disaster recovery invites a disaster?

o If so, how can the conversation be changed to focus on the need to be prepared in 

general – in the same way emergency responders may plan for how to address 

immediate response needs after incidents? In other words, is it better to have a plan 

in place even if it is never used, or to not have a plan when it is needed? 

• Why is your tribal community preparing for recovery? 

• Would your tribe be able to recover from the disasters most likely to impact them? 

• How have other tribes recovered from similar disasters? 

• Who in your tribe should be involved in recovery planning and in recovery activities? 

• How is your tribe prepared to support individuals with access and functional needs after a 

disaster?

If not already developed as part of other planning efforts such as hazard mitigation planning, an 

inclusive public engagement strategy should also be developed to engage tribal members after a 

disaster strikes. Understanding how tribal members will be engaged in the recovery process will 

facilitate faster communication after a disaster.

Go to the Workbook Activity (Messaging) in Annex A to list ideas for messaging and 

methods for engaging the public in collaborative planning.

 
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Basic Activity 4: Identify Vital Community Sites and Assets 

Case Study: Community Engagement 

Community events can be used as a forum for engaging community members and providing an 

opportunity for interested partners to find out how they contribute to pre-disaster recovery planning. In 

2010, after severe flooding at Spirit Lake Nation, North Dakota, tribal leadership requested federal 

support for recovery planning. During the recovery planning process, tribal leadership engaged the entire 

community to determine what its recovery priorities should be. The tribe held community meetings at 

each of its four districts, along with recovery engagement at schools and at its community college. This 

level of engagement allowed all community members to participate in the recovery by giving them the 

opportunity to share ideas and make their voices heard. For more information on identifying and 

engaging people to support planning efforts, see Planning Step 1: Form a Collaborative Planning Team in 

Part 3 of this document.

In the event of a disaster, protecting your tribe's most valued assets is a top priority. Tribes may 

place a high value on assets such as elder housing, schools, or health care facilities that serve 

vulnerable members of the population. Sacred or historical sites may also be considered high value 

assets. Additionally, critical infrastructure that serve high value assets should be considered high 

priorities for protection - to ensure that those assets can continue to operate during and after a 

disaster. An elder housing complex or health clinic, for instance, may be served by a bridge or 

roadway that is a vital link to outside food and medical supplies, or by electric infrastructure 

necessary to keep the facility operational.

Producing an inventory of such assets may stimulate discussion on their value and importance, 

and how the community would prioritize future activities for their preservation or planned 

recovery in the event of a disaster. Doing this can also inform mitigation plans that capture risk 

assessments, including potential losses to assets. After a disaster, the inventory can be used during 

PDAs in order to quickly identify vital facilities, vulnerable populations, and anticipated costs for 

repair and recovery. Mitigation funds may be available for activities to protect important facilities 

and sites. 

Note which vital assets may not necessarily be located on tribal lands. For example, some tribes 

have fishing and hunting rights on non-tribal lands. Access to hunting and fishing not located on 

tribal lands may be a high value asset that could be impacted by a disaster and should be 

accounted for when conducting an asset inventory.

“Tribal Sovereignty is not only about governing a land boundary; it's a way of life for Tribal Leaders and their 

Membership. It's an inherent right to promote, protect and restore the land, water, and air, whenever 

possible. Sovereignty goes beyond boundary lines to ancestral lands for Tribal Leaders to be active 

participants and members of their surrounding community.”

Sally Peterson, Tribal Vice-Chairwoman, Middletown Rancheria 
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Sacred or Historic Sites 

Document what measures are appropriate to protect (pre-disaster) or recover (post-disaster) sacred or 

historical sites, highlight why the sites are significant, and identify what should (or should not) be done after a 

disaster to recover them. Actions may include: 

1. Compiling an inventory of important sites and their location and condition;

2. Evaluating the degree of tribal significance of the site; and

3. Determining if there are special considerations when either identifying or recovering sacred or 

historic sites. For example, your tribe may not wish to publicly identify certain sacred sites or include 

outside partners in their recovery. 

Case Study: Sharing Resources on Data Collection and Recording 

Nisqually Indian Tribe, Washington 

Responding to a winter storm event in 2012, the leadership of the Nisqually Indian Tribe near Olympia, 

Washington discovered how difficult it was to accurately identify, catalogue, and report on the resources used 

by tribal members and volunteers in clean up and recovery efforts. For example, labor hours and equipment 

donations, including tools, may be credited against the non-federal share requirement of FEMA funding. 

Generators and heavy equipment, among other things, are all potentially eligible as reimbursable expenses 

when applying for FEMA funding. However, accurate reporting and documentation are required as part of the 

grant application process. 

Following this experience and hearing about the similar experiences of other tribes, members of the Nisqually 

Indian Tribe developed reporting forms to use that not only accurately identified and documented resources 

following a disaster, but also provided a clear understanding of what information is needed ahead of time. 

The form enabled their recovery team to anticipate the type and extent of information required by FEMA, thus 

saving time and increasing their efficiency in applying for recovery funding. Expanding on their efforts, the 

Nisqually Tribe continues to share this resource with many other tribes in helping them to prepare for 

recovery in advance of any disaster. For more information on this resource contact Mary Leitka at 

leitka.mary@nisqually-nsn.gov. 

Go to the Workbook Activity (Critical Assets and Resources) in Annex A to list Critical 

Resources and Assets for your community. This will help you define and document 

resources that may be priorities for recovery after a disaster.
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Basic Activity 5: Identify Existing Tribal Recovery Partners 

Impacts from disasters will affect tribes differently, varying from one location to another. The 

ability of any community to recover quickly depends on available resources, expertise, their level 

of preparedness, and the support received from the community and its organizations. Tribes 

should first look within their own communities to identify partners to address long-term recovery. 

When a disaster strikes, which existing tribal partners can be called on to help ease the burden? 

Businesses, health care providers, and service organizations can contribute in a variety of ways, 

such as through donations of supplies and facilities, or access to broader networks outside the 

immediate community.

• Identify which organizations and agencies within your tribe provide essential services, and 

therefore should have roles and responsibilities clearly written in the Tribal Recovery Plan 

to provide emergency/enhanced support to the community and disaster survivors during 

and after a disaster. Including them in pre-disaster planning conversations is important 

because they can help you during the planning process to identify risks, resources, and 

strategies. 

• Identify which organizations can provide specialized care after an incident, and how they 

can be brought into the discussion early-on to better plan for emergencies. Examples may 

include organizations or agencies that provide healthcare, housing, environmental services, 

or education, among others. 

• Consider that these organizations and agencies may also be impacted by the disaster, with 

limited ability to perform the duties they've been assigned in the planning phase. What 

effect would their absence from the recovery process have, and what organizations 

(possibility external) should be identified to backfill? 

An example of a basic relationship diagram is presented in Figure 5. Solid lines indicate direct 

relationships or lines of authority. Dotted lines indicate internal or external partners. The diagram 

places tribal leadership above other key stakeholders such as tribal departments, the TDRM, and 

the tribal emergency manager. Notice the inclusion of Recovery Support Functions (RSFs). Federal 

recovery operations are organized into RSFs, each supported by multiple federal agencies and 

partners. For more information about RSFs, visit https://www.fema.gov/recovery-supportfunctions. Note that tribes are encouraged, but not required to form their own tribal RSFs. The 

federal RSFs are flexible to support tribal recovery needs regardless of how a tribe organizes itself. 

While ESFs are associated with response activities and are therefore not the focus of this guide, 

information gathered by response officials can help inform the recovery process.
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Figure 5: Sample Relationship Diagram 

Try to diagram both how the stakeholders in your tribe are organized as well as the relationships 

your tribe has with external partners. 

Go to the Workbook Activity (Tribal Partners) in Annex A to diagram relationships 

among tribal partners.
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Basic Activity 6: Identify Outside Partnerships to Build Resilience 

“As soon as I became chairman in 1997, I said we will not be a tribe that does not work with the 

surrounding community. We have created a lot of relationships. If I have a question, I am not afraid to 

ask them because I have a personal relationship with neighboring jurisdictions.”

Jose Simon, Chairman, Middletown Rancheria 

Tribes are encouraged to look within their own communities first to identify the people, 

resources, and assets that can be used to support recovery, with the goal of facilitating and

enhancing self-determination and sovereignty. Supporting the inherent capability of your tribe to 

organize and use existing resources during recovery from a disaster promotes social and 

organizational resilience, a pre-cursor for physical resilience. Surrounding communities and 

external tribal associations can also be partners. Many have already identified themselves as key 

support organizations for tribes in the aftermath of disasters. Examples include:

• National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)

• United Native American Housing Association (UNAHA)

• American Indian Business Alliance (AIBA)

• National Tribal Emergency Management Council (NTEMC)

• Intertribal Long-Term Recovery Foundation (ITLTRF)

• United South and Eastern Tribes (USET)

Identifying Partners 

One key pre-disaster recovery task is to identify potential partners from outside the tribal community. 

These may include other tribes or tribal organizations, neighboring communities, and those within the 

federal and state government. A recovery partner may be a person, an agency, or a committee who has 

been designated to address recovery planning. FEMA has assigned a Federal Disaster Recovery 

Coordinator (FDRC), Community Planning and Capacity Building (CPCB) Coordinator, and a Regional 

Tribal Liaison to each of its ten regions in the United States. Building a relationship with your region’s 

FDRC, CPCB Coordinator, and Regional Tribal Liaison will facilitate faster and better-informed federal 

support of recovery after a disaster. Regional planning organizations or local universities can also help to 

address recovery planning needs, but it is better to establish relationships with these entities before a 

disaster strikes. For more information on identifying recovery partners, see Identify Recovery Partners 

and Establish Recovery Support Roles for External Partners under Planning Step 1: Form a Collaborative 

Planning Team.

Additionally, many organizations at the federal, state, county, and local levels of government, as 

well as non-profit, academic, and other NGOs, may offer resources such as planning expertise,
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municipal/tribal accounting, volunteer management, and grant writing and management. 

Establishing relationships with groups who offer these skillsets and resources will help build 

resilience and prepare tribal communities for future disaster recovery.

FEMA regional offices can also provide technical assistance for a number of activities. Each 

Regional Office has an FDRC, a Regional Tribal Liaison, mitigation planners, and a CPCB Regional 

Coordinator, among other staff, who can help tribes work through planning issues before and 

after a disaster strikes. 

As external partnerships are identified, consider which partners might be part of the pre-disaster 

planning process versus those that might be part of a post-disaster recovery process, or both. Some 

organizations can help inform critical pre-disaster recovery considerations and could be part of a 

planning committee, while others may offer resources for post-disaster recovery after the fact but 

may not have the capacity to contribute to pre-disaster planning efforts.

Case Study: Leveraging Partnerships: Galena, AK 

The community of Galena, Alaska was struck by a historic flood in May, 2013 when an ice jam occurred on 

the Yukon River and pushed flood waters into the community for several days. The damage to the community 

was significant, impacting an estimated 90% of homes, businesses, and government services, and causing 

major damage to power, water, sewer, and roads. 

Despite the hardships of this natural disaster, the community pulled together, rebuilt, and has continued to 

thrive. One reason for their swift and direct recovery is an overall sense of cooperation that existed within the 

community prior to the disaster, enabling them to quickly focus on identifying recovery needs and strategies. 

The three distinct local entities in the community - the Louden Tribal Council, the City of Galena, and the 

Galena City School District - worked collaboratively both during the disaster and throughout the recovery to 

ensure the needs of the community were put before the needs of any of the individual organizations.

According to Mayor Jon Korta, “Tanana Chiefs Conference is a regional social services agency set up to assist 

the native communities in our region, and they were gathering donations. As they are a native based 

organization and the majority of the population of Galena is of native descent, they were going to disburse 

$1,000 to all of the native people in the community. However, someone in the local native community spoke 

up and said essentially that we are one community, native and non-native together, and that any donations 

disbursed based on race would be divisive. And so, the decision was made to disburse relief funds to all 

residents of the community, regardless of race. This may seem like a small decision, but for me, it cemented 

the fact that we are in fact all one community and that we were all in this together and that the only way we 

were going to recover was by working together as one.”

In addition, community unity was evident in the formation of the Galena Recovery Advisory Committee (GRAC) 

that was organized to help guide the recovery process. As an ad hoc group of about a dozen members, they 

were selected to ensure representation from all aspects of the community so all voices could be heard. 

Indeed, to underscore their unity, the group chose the slogan “Better than Ever, Standing Together.” The 

GRAC and the community met together a number of times to create a vision for what the community wanted 

to become as it rebuilt. This was not an easy process, as residents were tired and worn out after a long and 

stressful summer of fervent activity, trying to prepare their homes and businesses for the coming winter. 

However, a significant portion of the community was willing to engage in the process, due in part to the level 

of cooperation that existed and the understanding that everyone’s voices mattered and could make a 

difference in the future of the community. This level of engagement and cooperation was key to laying out a 

clear vision for their recovery process.
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Also consider which external organizations or agencies can support disaster recovery – that is, 

which federal and state agencies and NGOs could potentially support recovery. In addition to 

understanding federal and state resources that might be available, partnerships with nearby local 

jurisdictions are helpful. Consider taking this basic activity a step further and developing mutual 

aid agreements with nearby local jurisdictions. This is discussed further in Recommended Activity 

3 – Assess Recovery Capacity.

Case Study: Establishing Outside Partnerships – Middletown Rancheria Tribe, California 

California droughts have left many tribal communities extremely vulnerable to massive wildfires, such as the 

Butte and Valley fires in 2015, which affected both tribal nations and surrounding communities. During this 

regional event, the ITLTRF provided assistance to the Middletown Rancheria tribe during its immediate 

recovery. The tribal community, led by Tribal Chairman Jose Simon and Vice Chairwoman Sally Peterson, were 

already assisting fellow tribal members, employees, and their families, as well as the community at large. 

The ITLTRF assisted in organizing an ICS team and participated in council meetings, state coordination calls, 

and community meetings. The ITLTRF’s ability to share information on supporting partners and other tribes, 

both in the recovery phase as well as in the preparedness phase, was important. The ITLTRF also facilitated 

peer-to-peer networking between the Middletown Rancheria Tribe and other tribes to share information about 

preparedness programs, which was invaluable, as was information about the decision points to consider 

whether the tribe requests a declaration from the President, or when the tribe is a subrecipient under a staterequested declaration. 

Go to the Workbook Activity (External Partnerships) in Annex A to list outside possible 

partners to collaborate with your community.

 
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Basic Activity 7: Commit to Enhancing Resilience through Risk 

Reduction and Risk Management 

Building Codes 

Establishing building codes and/or reviewing 

existing codes and regulations is a good risk 

reduction measure. Following recognized building 

codes to establish minimum safety standards for 

building construction and repair will aid in reducing 

initial impacts as well as repetitive damage. 

Building codes may also provide leverage to your 

tribe to ensure federally funded projects adhere to 

your tribe's desires for more resilient development.

 

Disaster resilience is the ability to adapt to 

changing conditions and to withstand and 

rapidly recover from disasters. Physical 

resilience focuses on hazard risk reduction. 

Tribal governments can start enhancing their 

community resilience by evaluating basic risk 

reduction strategies in flood insurance, 

mitigation planning, building code 

standards, and other areas. Below are some 

basic questions that will help tribes begin to 

evaluate their overall resiliency. 

Increasing the resilience of a community is central to hazard mitigation and recovery planning. 

While many of the activities within these phases of the disaster lifecycle may vary, the shared 

objective of increased resilience means that risk reduction/mitigation and recovery planning often 

inform and reinforce one another.

Documenting risks and securing commitments from across the tribal community to address those 

risks when disaster strikes will create unity and promote progress. Then, with an understanding of 

the benefits of hazard mitigation, the community can focus on holistic resilience.

Some questions to consider:

1. Does your tribe participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)? If not, should 

your tribe participate? Do the counties or townships that intersect your tribal land 

participate? If not, how does that affect your ability to receive assistance from FEMA? Note 

that flood insurance builds capacity in its own right, but your community’s participation 

in NFIP (if you’re in a Special Flood Hazard Area) is a requirement for receiving most 

FEMA programs. 

2. Does your tribe have a mitigation plan? If so, pre-disaster mitigation grants can help fund 

projects in your plan. Your tribe may also be eligible for HMGP funds after a Presidential 

Disaster Declaration. If you’re unsure, visit https://www.fema.gov/hazard-mitigationplan-status or contact your Regional Tribal Liaison to find out. Note that certain FEMA 

programs require a mitigation plan, including PA Categories C-G, the Fire Management 

Assistance Grant Program, and Hazard Mitigation Assistance grants. For guidance on 

developing a mitigation plan, see Recommended Activity 6 – Develop a Hazard Mitigation 

Plan. 

3. Do your building code standards protect against disasters? Codes and standards can be 

enhanced to make homes and other structures more resilient to disasters specific to a 

geographic region. For example, many tribes have successfully addressed structural 

vulnerabilities to wildland fires in heavily forested areas through use of fire-retardant 

construction materials. Similarly, damages in flood-prone areas can be mitigated through 

requirements for higher building elevations or reinforced structural components. 
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Working Together to Revive Native Traditional Methods to Combat Wildfires in California 

Tribal members, scientists and the U.S. Forest Service are working together to revive traditional Native 

American land management practices to contain blazes sparked by drought. Rick Flores, steward of the 

Amah Mutsun Relearning Program at the University of California Santa Cruz Arboretum, is working with 

California’s Amah Mutsun tribe to spread understanding of these cultural practices that involve conducting 

controlled burns every year during the damper fall and winter months and clearing out coniferous trees that 

use a large amount of water. The North Fork Mono tribe has been working with the U.S. Forest Service on 

similar controlled burns for years and is now receiving more and more requests for consultation about 

traditional Native American land management practices as they relate to controlling wildfires. 

Since California has experienced significant drought in recent years, these practices are being successfully 

adopted more frequently as the U.S. Forest Service and tribes collaborate on best practices. This is an 

example of the federal and tribal governments working together and, more importantly, of tribes sharing 

traditional best practices for disaster mitigation that can be used by other tribes and non-tribal communities 

or encouraged by the U.S. Forest Service and other organizations.

(This is a summary of an article entitled “Native traditional methods revived to combat California drought, 

wildfires,” published by Al-Jazeera America on June 12, 2015. The article was retrieved from: 

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/6/12/native-knowledge-used-to-combat-calif-drought.html). 
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Basic Activity 8: Develop Recovery Financial Management Roles, 

Policies, and Procedures 

Financial management is a critical part of recovery planning in general, and an important 

consideration for any tribe that has disaster-related expenses that may be eligible for 

reimbursement. Good financial management ensures that direct costs and costs for contracting 

related to disasters are reimbursed quickly, and that disruptions to revenue streams are mitigated 

effectively in the long-term. Note that not all costs will be reimbursable, even with financial 

management standards that are in compliance with federal and state requirements, but costs that 

are reimbursable will be reimbursed more quickly with effective financial management practices. 

It is critical that your tribe develop financial management roles, policies, and procedures before a 

disaster strikes. Key to completing this task is understanding that different resource providers have 

different requirements for cost reimbursement. For example, FEMA PA has specific requirements 

for what is eligible for reimbursement, as well as documentation requirements. These 

requirements are outlined in Annex C, and discussed in more detail in the PA Program and Policy 

Guidance: https://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-policy-and-guidance. 

Financial management roles and responsibilities associated with short term recovery include, but 

are not necessarily limited to:

• Assessing and justifying/documenting short-term recovery needs and actions (e.g., debris 

removal);1

1 For more information about conducting PDAs, visit https://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/assets/documents/109040. For more information about the tribal declaration process, visit 

https://www.fema.gov/tribal-declarations-pilot-guidance. 

• Seeking, applying for, and managing grants and other financial resources; 

• Documenting material and labor costs and their justification; 

• Issuing and managing purchases and contracts, and where feasible, having contracts 

already in place; and

• Updating policies and procedures to comply with federal and/or state requirements for 

reimbursement. 

These responsibilities may fall under the purview of an emergency manager but could also be 

delegated to chief financial officers or other tribal departments. The updating of financial 

management policies and procedures to comply with federal regulations, for example, may 

require the approval of tribal elected officials.
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Roles and responsibilities for long-term financial management may include, but are not necessarily 

limited to:

• Assessing potential (or actual) impacts to revenue streams; 

• Updating policies to encourage revenue generation (e.g., changing the structure of taxes 

and/or fees); 

• Seeking, applying for, and managing grants and other financial resources (See Annex D for 

general information about FEMA resources for which a tribe may be eligible); and

• Ensuring compliance with federal (or state, or other) grant requirements. 

These responsibilities may fall under many different tribal departments, which often include 

public works, housing, or other functions that seek and manage grants. After a disaster, hiring or 

designating a TDRM with the expertise necessary to manage long-term financial management is 

recommended. 

Similar to addressing short-term financial management policies, the updating of policies and 

procedures associated with long-term financial management, such as changing procurement 

procedures and tax and fee structures, among others, may require the approval of tribal elected 

officials. All of these considerations are discussed in more detail in Annex C.
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Checklist of Basic Planning Activities 

Figure 6: Checklist of Basic Planning Activities 

 

BASIC ACTIVITIES 

1. Designate a Point Person and Define an Organizational Structure 

for Recovery Planning 

2. Understand What Resources Are Available 

3. Develop an Inclusive Public Engagement Strategy 

4. Identify Vital Community Sites and Assets 

5. Identify Existing Tribal Recovery Partners 

6. Identify Outside Partnerships to Build Resilience 

7. Commit to Enhancing Resilience through Risk Reduction and 

Risk Management 

8. Develop Recovery Financial Management Recovery Roles, 

Policies, and Procedures 
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

Part 2: Recommended Recovery Planning Activities 

The Recommended Activities in this section typically require a greater investment of time and 

resources than the Basic Activities presented in the previous section. The outcome of these actions 

is greater preparedness for post-disaster recovery. Tribal communities who complete the 

Recommended Activities will have accomplished some of the basic elements that can contribute to 

a formal pre-disaster recovery plan.
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

Recommended Activity 1: Build on Existing Plans and Initiatives 

Establishing common objectives through synchronized plans and regulations, including mitigation 

plans, comprehensive plans, land use plans, capital improvement plans, radiological preparedness 

plans, and flood or wildfire prevention plans before a disaster will result in greater recovery 

progress by avoiding conflicting priorities following a disaster. Resolving such conflicts also 

ensures recovery funds are maximized and used effectively. Linking recovery planning to your

tribe’s existing plans will help inform future planning efforts, capitalize on past efforts, and 

contribute to a broad and holistic approach. Recovery considerations and activities can, in turn, 

inform future revisions to other community plans. In addition to using the plans listed earlier in 

this section, tribes that are part of the Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program and who have 

completed or who are in the process of completing a Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk 

Assessment (THIRA) and Stakeholder Preparedness Review (SPR) can use that information to 

inform recovery plans (e.g., aligning recovery plan goals to the estimated impacts and targets in 

the THIRA).

• More information about the THIRA can be found here: https://www.fema.gov/threatand-hazard-identification-and-risk-assessment

• More information about the SPR can be found here: https://www.fema.gov/stakeholderpreparedness-review

When rebuilding post-disaster, your tribe should consult their existing plans, regulations, and 

building codes to determine if they need to be updated to promote resilience, and to ensure 

recovery efforts are in line with community goals and regulations. Plans and regulations also guide 

decisions in determining which structures, facilities, or services receive priority for rebuilding 

when funds are limited. Decisions on authorizing rebuilding programs are more difficult when 

plans are not in sync, such as when regulations for building in a floodplain conflict with adopted 

land use plans. 

Go to the Workbook Activity (Existing Plans) in Annex A to list existing plans that your 

community has or could benefit from developing to guide recovery. 
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

Recommended Activity 2: Conduct a Vulnerability Analysis 

 

In the preceding section, Basic Activity 4 discussed how it can be helpful to identify and inventory 

vital community resources and assets. As additional funding and capabilities are made available, it 

is helpful to examine in greater detail how vulnerable your community assets are to different types 

of threats and develop strategies for their protection. Tribal communities who have important 

natural and cultural sites should understand how such sites are vulnerable, for example, to 

landslides, wildfires, or flooding. 

Flood Risks 

Flooding is one of the most common and costly disaster events that can affect a community. Flood 

risk can also change over time because of new building and development, weather patterns, and 

other factors. FEMA works with federal, state, territorial, tribal, and local partners across the nation 

to identify flood risk and help reduce that risk through the Risk Mapping, Assessment, and Planning 

(Risk MAP) program.

Risk MAP provides high quality flood maps, information, and tools that can be used to enhance a 

tribe’s mitigation plans and take action to better protect their citizens. Through more precise flood 

mapping products, risk assessment tools, and planning and outreach support, Risk MAP strengthens 

local ability to make informed decisions about reducing risk.

Each Risk MAP flood risk project is tailored to the needs of each community and may involve 

different products and services. Learn more about the goals and long-term vision of Risk MAP, how 

the program works at http://www.fema.gov/risk-mapping-assessment-and-planning-risk-map, or 

contact your Regional Tribal Liaison for more information. Tribes can take part in helping to identify a 

potential need for a Risk MAP flood risk project by submitting a mapping need request for a 

geographic area in FEMA's Coordinated Needs Management Strategy (CNMS) tool: 

https://msc.fema.gov/cnms. 

Tribes with existing comprehensive plans, housing plans, or hazard mitigation plans may already 

have an understanding of the community’s vulnerabilities and risks, as well as a strategy on how 

to protect vulnerable and culturally significant locations. If these plans have not been developed, a 

vulnerability analysis can be a building block for planning.

A vulnerability analysis can identify vulnerable populations, cultural sites, and critical 

infrastructure such as communications networks, etc. in the community which may be especially 

prone to disaster impacts, and recommend strategies for protection. Review the following 

resources for more information:

• Tribal Mitigation Plan Review Guide: http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/assets/documents/18355

• Integrating Historic Property and Cultural Resource Considerations into Hazard Mitigation 

Planning: http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/4317
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In addition to assessing the vulnerability of their critical community resources and services, tribes 

should take time to assess the unique vulnerabilities of their tribal community members. Tribes 

can anticipate some of the unique needs tribal members may have after a disaster by reviewing the 

different types of personal property that are considered essential for everyday living within your 

tribe (e.g., what cultural and spiritual items do tribal members have; what tools or essential items

would be required for maintaining certain lifestyles, etc.). By identifying these items, a tribe can

be prepared for the particular risks each tribal member may face in the event of a disaster. 

Additionally, a tribe can compare those items with the standard line item list FEMA uses across all 

federally declared disasters as part of the Other Needs Assistance (ONA) program. To be prepared 

for a federally declared disaster, tribes should fill out the ONA Administrative Option Selection 

Form, which gives tribes the ability to add personal property line items that FEMA will review, 

approve, and reimburse (with a 25% cost share from your tribe) when the Individuals and 

Households Program (IHP) is authorized for a tribal disaster. The ONA Administrative Option 

Selection Form can also be used to adjust the amount of assistance that will be available to tribal 

members under certain ONA categories (e.g., transportation assistance, childcare assistance, etc.). 

The form is available at: http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/31206. 

Case Study: Inventory of Critical Facilities 

In the summer of 2013, the To'hajiilee community in New Mexico (part of the Navajo Nation) were overcome 

by flash flooding following a severe thunderstorm. During the incident, members of the Navajo Nation 

worked to strengthen a dam in hopes of stopping what they believed could become a major source of flood 

damage. Unfortunately, the community was unaware of the existence of three additional earthen dams in the 

same community that were even more vulnerable to the rising waters than the one they were attempting to 

strengthen. Built years prior with no records of construction and currently hidden because of overgrowth, the 

residents had no advanced warning of their condition or the pending danger. Faced with limited resources to 

address the older structures on short notice, these earthen dams eventually broke, which caused major 

flooding that damaged homes and vital public facilities, including a school and the fire department.

It is important to identify vital facilities, particularly community structures or facilities for vulnerable 

populations, and document their condition or need for protection against disaster impacts. It is equally 

important to identify critical infrastructure that may protect those vital facilities. In some cases, like this one, 

infrastructure such as earthen dams may not be clearly visible and/or records of older infrastructure may not 

exist. Without the presence of construction records or current documentation of condition, it may be helpful 

to interview elders or other individuals in the community knowledgeable on the history of facilities and 

structures. Identification of vital facilities and critical infrastructure before a disaster will help to address 

vulnerabilities that may cause major problems after a disaster. 
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

Recommended Activity 3: Assess Recovery Capacity 

 

Another activity that tribes may wish to conduct as part of pre-disaster recovery planning is an indepth assessment of their resources and organizational capacity to manage and coordinate 

recovery. This step builds upon ideas presented in Basic Activity 2 – Understand What Resources 

are Available, Basic Activity 5 - Identify Existing Tribal Recovery Partners, and Basic Activity 6 – 

Build Outside Partnerships. Consider the following: 

• Who are the people in leadership and staff positions, and what is their capacity to take on

additional or supplemental roles in disaster recovery? If there is no capacity to take on 

additional roles in disaster recovery, consider external partners to help fill this capacity gap. 

It might be helpful to revisit Basic Activity 6 – Build Outside Partnerships. 

• Which organizations and services within the community might be called upon to assist in 

community recovery? These may range from assistance in grant writing and grant funds 

management to coordination of community outreach, volunteer management, and 

resource procurement. Again, if these organizations and services do not exist, consider 

external partners to fill this gap. It might be helpful to revisit Basic Activity 6 – Build 

Outside Partnerships. 

• Using Recommended Activity 2 – Conduct a Vulnerability Analysis, what are the 

characteristics of the tribal economy, including employment and revenue generators, and 

how might they be vulnerable after a disaster? What support would be needed to address 

impacts to these things after a disaster?

Use the assessment survey in Table 1 to help identify your tribe’s capacity in the areas of staffing, 

communication and outreach, and financial capacity, and discuss the results with tribal leadership. 

By answering the assessment questions, your tribe will be able to determine whether they have the 

resources needed to manage a disaster. If not, your tribe can leverage or build its outside 

partnerships, pursue training, and/or develop mutual aid agreements to help build recovery 

capacity. Mutual aid agreements are a tool that can be used to address capacity gaps. They specify 

the sharing of emergency service assistance after an incident and could be used to facilitate surge 

capacity immediately after a disaster. Establishing mutual aid agreements is a complex process that 

at minimum requires legal review and approval by tribal leadership. However, the benefits are 

two-fold: if overwhelmed, tribes can get the emergency services they need from another source, 

and the agreement ensures your tribe can be reimbursed by FEMA or the state (in the event of a 

declaration) to cover the costs of those services. More information about how to develop a mutual 

aid agreement can be found in the National Incident Management System (NIMS) Guideline for 

Resource Management and Mutual Aid, available here: https://www.fema.gov/resourcemanagement-mutual-aid. 
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

Table 1: Capacity Assessment Survey 

Staffing 

What staffing resources are available to assist with the increased workload associated 

with recovery activities?

Do current staff have the subject matter expertise necessary to undertake recovery 

activities, develop new programs, and organize complex long-term projects?

Do all departments in your tribal government fully understand their roles in 

recovery and development?

What community leadership is available to lead recovery efforts, both within your

tribal government and among external organizations? What tools or processes does 

your tribal government have to support recovery planning (e.g., a hazard mitigation 

plan that can be leveraged)?

If additional staffing is needed, what would it take to get it? How long would it 

take?

What organizational structures already exist within partner organizations to manage 

recovery? Are there long-term recovery organizations or committees that can 

coordinate NGOs who are providing support to individuals, managing volunteers 

and donations, or contributing other services?

Communication and Outreach

What tools does your tribal government have to involve the community in recovery 

planning?

How can your larger tribal government be used to help educate community 

members about the importance of recovery planning and preparedness?

Does your tribal leadership have the means to communicate with community 

members after a disaster and to coordinate recovery activities?

What relationships does your tribal community have with organizations that can 

assist with communication related to recovery planning and implementation?
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

 

Financial Capability 

What current tribal government and NGO financial resources are available to use for 

potential recovery activities?

What emergency communications and work technology systems are in place to 

facilitate intra-tribal governmental operations? Are contingency plans available for 

continuity of the operation of your tribal government and/or NGOs over an 

extended period of time? Specifically, are mechanisms in place for emergency 

funding and procurement after a disaster?

Are there financial reserves available to address potential needs? What is the ability 

of your tribal government and supporting nonprofit organizations to apply for 

grants, establish lines of credit, or secure other funds for risk mitigation or 

recovery?

Is the accounting and management infrastructure in place to properly account for 

grant funds? What volume of fund administration could be managed after a 

disaster?

What is the ability of your tribe to prepare competitive grant applications?
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

Recommended Activity 4: Establish Recovery Priorities 

 

It is not uncommon for catastrophic disasters to place competing demands on multiple segments 

of a community. Loss of housing or healthcare facilities is immediately detrimental to any 

community. The effects of such losses are compounded when infrastructure damage occurs to 

critical roads, bridges, and utilities that serve these same areas. 

Decisions must be made in the short-term which critically affect not only the future health and 

safety of the population, but the region’s long-term environment and economic stability. Even in 

disasters with lesser impacts, tribal leaders can be faced with difficult decisions on whether to 

repair or rebuild when resources are scarce.

Match your vulnerabilities to the resources and partnerships at your disposal. Given what you 

understand about your vital community assets and the resources available to you, what are the 

priorities in your community for enhancing resilience either pre- or post-disaster? These may 

include:

• Protecting homes

• Protecting culturally significant sites

• Quickly restoring essential services

• Fostering sustainable development

• Building equity among community programs

• Enhancing community capacity

• Enacting mitigation measures (see Recommended Activity 6: Develop a Hazard Mitigation 

Plan) 

Note that identifying tribal priorities is the first step to developing goals, objectives, and 

implementation steps that would be part of a pre-disaster recovery plan.

Go to the Workbook Activity (Priorities) in Annex A to list recovery priorities for your 

community.
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

Case Study: Identifying Priorities in Addressing Future Threats 

Residing on the Olympic Peninsula in northwestern Washington, the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe is concerned 

about a range of potential disaster impacts resulting from sea level rise. In addition to environmental and 

economic impacts to salmon fishing and the threat to shellfish gathering along local beaches, effects of 

climate change threaten local transportation infrastructure and public safety. With close to 300 members 

living in the area, the threat of flooding on roads and buildings by higher ocean waters is real and has been 

experienced regularly in recent years. Coastal flooding annually during what is known as the King Tide, which 

occurs naturally, is predictable and not associated with climate change. However, it is already affecting 

access roads and residential buildings in the area. Future sea level rise is expected to raise the water table, 

affecting water quality and septic systems and potentially closing the main access road to the community, 

preventing emergency service access or limiting residential travel to outside areas. Higher risk of wildfire is 

also anticipated from increasing heat waves and drought impacts to surrounding forests. 

To better understand the potential disaster challenges they face, and to enhance the continued resiliency of 

their community, the tribe prepared a Climate Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Plan. To develop the 

plan, tribal leadership worked with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the University of Washington, and others to identify their 

priorities and strategies for dealing with multiple impacts with limited resources. As part of their adaptation 

strategy, the tribe developed this four-step strategy to help guide future climate adaptation efforts:

• Prioritize future implementation actions and identify responsible parties for implementation;

• Build community support for preparedness;

• Incorporate preparedness efforts into tribal government operations and policies; and

• Collaborate with surrounding communities, the county, and partners to monitor key changes.

By joining forces, each partner has increased their resiliency more than they could alone.

While the tribe recognizes that it is not responsible for climate change, the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe is 

taking responsibility for their community’s health and well-being where it can. Evaluating community 

strengths, anticipating future impacts, thinking about what is important to the community, preparing for 

challenges ahead: these are the things that will help to keep the Jamestown S’Klallam community 

resilient. The plan is available at: https://jamestowntribe.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/3-

JSK_Climate_Change_Adaptation_Report_Final_Aug_2013s.pdf.

“Preparing for, or adapting to, the impacts of climate change is not an outcome, but a process.” – Jamestown 

S’Klallam Tribal Climate Change Plan
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Recommended Activity 5: Adopt a Recovery Ordinance or Resolution 

After a disaster, tribal officials will face numerous decisions that need to be made within short 

timeframes. For the good of your tribe, leadership will need to make these time-sensitive decisions 

quickly – decisions that might otherwise involve substantial tribal member engagement. For this 

reason, it can be helpful to pass a law, known as a recovery ordinance, which permits tribal 

officials to make urgent recovery decisions within short periods of time (15 to 30-day 

increments) under specific circumstances (extreme disasters). 

A recovery ordinance establishes the authority by which individuals or tribal officials can assume 

responsibility for recovery, identifies the roles they play, and lays out how the recovery process is 

structured and communicated in the event of a disaster. This is important to tribal members as 

well as outside agencies who are coordinating services and resources. If passing a recovery 

ordinance is not possible, a more basic recovery resolution could be crafted and adopted prior to 

any incident to establish a common understanding of the importance of pre-disaster planning. 

The American Planning Association (APA) has developed a sample recovery ordinance that they 

call the “Model Pre-Event Recovery Ordinance,” that may be used or adapted to suit an individual 

tribe’s needs. APA strongly recommends writing the recovery ordinance during non-disaster 

periods. While it can also be created post-disaster, creating it pre-disaster provides tribal leadership 

and the community with enough time to discuss its provisions as well as the conditions that must 

be met for it to be effective. Then, when a disaster does strike, tribal elected officials can simply 

vote to authorize its use. Some key points from the APA2: 

1. The Model Pre-Event Recovery Ordinance creates overall guidance for local post-disaster 

recovery facilitation and intervention on behalf of planned outcomes.

2. The ordinance authorizes a recovery management organization designed for cooperative 

action with federal, state, and local emergency management and partner entities.

3. The ordinance guides preparation of short-term and long-term recovery plans in 

coordination with local emergency management and community partner organizations.3

2 https://www.planning.org/research/postdisaster/ 3 Keep in mind: As the disaster evolves from days to weeks, the presence of those with immediate emergency 

management skills should diminish in favor of those with long-term recovery skills sets such as: Long-term 

Planning, Community and Economic Development, Infrastructure, Municipal Finance and Accounting, Volunteer 

Management, and Fundraising and Grants Management. 

4. Most importantly, the ordinance establishes emergency powers for extraordinary actions 

facilitating short-term recovery, intervening in matters affecting private property and 

protecting public safety, and ensuring desired long-term recovery outcomes.

Guidance for developing a recovery ordinance may be found by visiting: 

https://www.planning.org/publications/document/9139474/. 
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

Recommended Activity 6: Develop/Update the Hazard Mitigation Plan 

State, tribal, and local governments engage in hazard mitigation planning to identify the risks and 

vulnerabilities associated with natural disasters and develop long-term strategies for protecting 

people and property from future hazard events. Mitigation plans are key to breaking the cycle of 

disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage. Vulnerabilities may include significant 

cultural sites that are in proximity to a river known to flood or housing in poor condition that 

may not be able to withstand impacts from a severe storm. The plan then goes on to describe key 

actions that, if taken by the community, will lessen or “mitigate” impacts from future hazards. 

Examples of these activities may include deciding to build a structure outside of the floodplain, 

relocating vulnerable structures outside of the Special Flood Hazard Area, and building 

infrastructure to protect vulnerable cultural sites or improving housing so it can withstand severe 

weather impacts. Note that many of the previous basic and recommended activities in this guide, 

once completed, can be part of a hazard mitigation plan, just as an existing mitigation plan can 

inform the activities in this guide.

The Mitigation Planning Process 

The mitigation planning process is similar to the recovery planning process in that it involves organizing 

and assessing before developing and implementing a plan. The mitigation planning process steps are:

• Organize the Planning Process and Resources

• Assess the Risks

• Develop a Mitigation Strategy

• Adopt and Implement the Plan 

For more information about the mitigation planning process, visit https://www.fema.gov/hazard-mitigationplanning-process. 
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The Importance of Mitigation Plans 

Mitigation planning involves eliminating long-term risk to human life, the environment, and property from 

hazards. Developing a mitigation plan allows tribes to seek federal assistance to implement mitigation 

actions. Tribes are encouraged to undertake mitigation planning, which can be done as part of the predisaster recovery planning process. For more information about mitigation planning, FEMA offers a Tribal 

Multi-Hazard Mitigation Guidance document which can be downloaded using the link below.

SRIA amended the Stafford Act to provide federally recognized Indian Tribal governments with the option to 

request a Presidential emergency or major disaster declaration independent of a state. If the President 

declares a major disaster for a tribal government that does not have a FEMA-approved mitigation plan, only 

IA and/or PA (not including PA Permanent Work) emergency work can be authorized. Having a FEMAapproved tribal mitigation plan prior to a disaster ensures the tribal government can be considered for 

hazard mitigation in addition to IA and PA disaster recovery funding, as well as Fire Management 

Assistance Grants, Flood Mitigation Assistance Grants, Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grants, and HMGP.

• For information on developing a tribal hazard mitigation plan contact the FEMA Regional Tribal 

Liaison for your Region: https://www.fema.gov/tribal-contacts. 

• Visit https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/18355 for additional Tribal Hazard 

Mitigation Planning Guidance. 

• Visit https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/128307 for guidance on tribal 

declarations.

Case Study: Leveraging Resources to Develop a Hazard Mitigation Plan 

The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (SRPMIC) Emergency Management Program uses 1) 

preparedness and mitigation principles that are the nationally recognized standard and 2) tribal and nontribal partnerships to build and maintain preparedness capabilities.

The process of developing a functional plan that will get approved by FEMA can be time consuming and 

complicated without knowledgeable, in-house resources at hand. Resources dedicated to the SRPMIC 

program are very limited. The staff consists of one person and funding to support the program is extremely 

limited. At the same time, the expectation from the community has been that they have a robust and 

extremely effective emergency management program which meets all industry standards, including a 

hazard mitigation plan. In order to meet this expectation, the leveraging of partnerships has been a great 

benefit to the program. 

For example, because of the partnership and the great relationship between SRPMIC and the County 

Emergency Management Office, the county included SRPMIC in a grant to hire a consultant to develop a 

mitigation plan for all cities and towns in Maricopa County (22 cities and 4.5 million people). The grant was 

awarded and SRPMIC participated in the nine-month process to develop the Mitigation Plan with the other 

cities and towns, with the Consultant doing most of the work. SRPMIC simply had to attend the planning 

meetings, provide data and information specific to SRPMIC, and review and provide feedback on the draft 

plan. 

The end result was a FEMA-approved plan, based on FEMA principles, developed in partnership between 

SRPMIC and their non-tribal emergency preparedness partners. By implementing effective partner 

engagement and using FEMA guidelines, the plan was accomplished. 
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Checklist of Recommended Planning Activities 

Figure 7: Checklist of Recommended Planning Activities 

 

RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES

1. Build on Existing Plans and Initiatives 

2. Conduct a Vulnerability Analysis 

3. Assess Recovery Capacity 

4. Establish Recovery Priorities 

5. Adopt a Recovery Ordinance or Resolution 

6. Develop/Update the Hazard Mitigation Plan 
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

Part 3: Developing a Recovery Plan 

Previous sections have presented examples of what tribal communities can do to create greater 

resilience or capacity with limited resources. Many of the activities form the basis of a more 

formal recovery plan. Should a tribe have the ability to undertake a formal recovery plan, this 

section provides guidance on a formal planning process. These activities are most applicable to 

tribes with the staffing and resources to dedicate to a deliberative planning process. These steps 

align with the six-step process described in Comprehensive Preparedness Guide 101 - Developing 

and Maintaining Emergency Operations Plans.4

4 https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/25975

• Planning Step 1 – Form a Collaborative Planning Team

• Planning Step 2 – Understand the Situation

• Planning Step 3 – Determine Goals and Objectives 

• Planning Step 4 – Develop the Plan 

• Planning Step 5 – Prepare, Review, and Approve the Plan

• Planning Step 6 – Implement and Maintain the Plan

For each planning step, a list of recommended and/or ongoing actions is provided. Note that since 

every tribal community and their respective circumstances is unique, the amount of time and 

effort it takes to work through each step will vary.
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Planning Step 1 – Form a Collaborative Planning Team 

Experience and lessons learned indicate that planning is best performed by a team. Using a team or 

group approach helps organizations define the role they will play in recovery. Basic Activities 6, 7, 

and 8 in this guide are intended to help tribes identify key recovery stakeholders, both internal 

and external, that may be part of a planning team. Tribal governments should consider forming a 

core planning team of people to write a recovery plan with the input of key partners. Core 

planning team participants may include: 

• Tribal leadership; 

• Tribal government agency or department representatives; 

• People with expertise in fields such as community planning, economic development, 

infrastructure, historic and/or cultural preservation, hazard mitigation, and emergency 

management; 

• Businesses and agricultural interests; 

• Grant writers;

• Health and mental health experts;

• Housing experts; and,

• Community organization and NGO representatives. 

The core planning team will set the expectations for involvement and define the contributions that 

will be expected during the planning process. They will likely involve other partners as part of a 

wider collaborative planning team in various stages of the planning process, to make the plan 

more comprehensive and inclusive. Collaborative planning team partners may provide expertise or 

other assistance targeted to specific recovery needs or capability gaps identified by the core 

planning team. Additionally, collaborative planning team members may form subject-specific 

subcommittees that focus on specific needs. For example, if the core planning team identifies 

cultural preservation as an important recovery need, a subcommittee made up of collaborative 

planning team members, including educators, curators, artists, linguists, historians, etc. may be 

formed to focus specifically on cultural preservation and present their findings and ideas to the 

core planning team. Collaborative planning partners may include:

• Tribal community members; 

• Tribal associations such as the National Native American Bar Association (NNABA), 

UNAHA, AIBA, NTEMC, and ITLTRF, among others;

• Other tribal nations;

• Colleges/universities; 

• Neighboring communities and governments; 

• Regional planning organizations; 

• Community and youth groups; 

• Natural and cultural resources partners (e.g., museum curators, artists);

• Tribal organizations or advocacy groups at the national, state, or county level;

• People with community ties that can help with outreach; and,

• People with technical knowledge associated with key community sectors. 
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

The core planning team should coordinate to identify external partners that may either support the 

planning process or may be a critical resource to fill capability gaps during a recovery event. The 

team should establish a formal process to engage their external partners to ensure the expertise and 

resources of the partners are incorporated throughout the plan. Other key partners may be 

identified and engaged, as appropriate, as the planning team begins to identify their tribe's risks

and capability gaps. As new risks emerge, the planning team should maintain the flexibility 

needed to reevaluate the external partners list and ask: “what's missing?” or “who should we 

engage?” 

Identify Recovery Partners

Tribal governments and community leaders are encouraged to coordinate with federal, regional, 

state, and local recovery partners to ensure effective post-disaster recovery operations. 

Identify which agencies and organizations have the expertise or resources to support tribal 

recovery planning, as well as those that could facilitate recovery activities after a disaster or that 

could fill capability gaps. Communication and coordination with agencies and organizations predisaster will help ensure they are prepared to partner and coordinate with your tribe more quickly 

after a disaster. Review the following recommended actions to enhance communication and 

coordination:

• Develop relationships with your regional FDRC, CPCB Coordinator, and Regional Tribal 

Liaison so that they can contribute to the planning process and have an understanding of 

tribal priorities after a disaster strikes. It is also recommended that tribes review the NDRF

and Recovery Federal Interagency Operational Plan (FIOP) to understand how federal 

recovery partners are organized and work with one another. The NDRF may be found 

here: https://www.fema.gov/national-disaster-recovery-framework, and the FIOP may be 

found here: https://www.fema.gov/federal-interagency-operational-plans. 

• Develop external partnerships (partnerships with organizations, associations, and agencies 

not already part of the core planning team) that facilitate the sharing of resources and can 

help compensate for tribal government capability deficits. 

• Determine how government or non-governmental agencies will connect and coordinate 

with tribal recovery efforts, with an emphasis on key sectors (e.g., housing, healthcare, 

social services, businesses) and other community needs that will need to be addressed 

post-disaster. 

• Seek to understand the relationships with state and county agencies and between federal 

and state agencies. Some federal resources may be funneled through state partners and 

there may be opportunities to leverage resources.

Revisit Basic Activity (Tribal Partners) in Annex A to confirm partners.
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Communication Mapping

The core planning team can identify additional external partners by using a technique called 

community mapping. Community mapping is a method of identifying existing and potential 

partners, identifying and defining relationships, and evaluating and strengthening lines of 

communication. Tribal governments can use the Community Mapping Tool found in the LongTerm Community Recovery Toolbox: https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-

1841-25045-2720/ltcr_toolbox_508compliant_062112.pdf. 

This tool can help the collaborative planning team identify and map lines of communication and 

techniques for gathering and sharing information and resources. The figure below shows an 

example of a communication map that highlights the importance of tribal partners as the leaders 

of the recovery effort, while other agencies and organizations provide support.

Figure 8: Sample Communication Mapping Diagram 

Core Capabilities

Earlier sections under Planning Step 1 encourage tribes to identify capability gaps that may exist. 

In addition to communication mapping, also consider the capabilities of the partners identified. 

FEMA identifies eight recovery “core capabilities” necessary to achieve a full recovery after a 

disaster. These include planning, public information and warning, operational coordination, 

health and social services, economic, housing, infrastructure systems, and natural and cultural 

resources. The workbook activity “Planning Step 1: Core Capabilities” in the Workbook Activities 

section of this guide further defines each of the core capabilities and describes some of the 

characteristics of partners that may be able to support them. You may also find more information 
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about core capabilities by visiting https://www.fema.gov/mission-areas and reviewing the 

recovery mission area section of the page. Note that FEMA’s definition of what recovery core 

capabilities are may not exactly align to the capabilities that a tribe considers essential for recovery. 

While using the FEMA recovery core capabilities is generally recommended, they can also serve as 

a starting point for a tribe to identify more specific, additional, or different recovery capabilities 

important to them.

Revisit the list of partners, then go to the Core Capabilities section of the Workbook 

Activities in Annex A and list which partners best support each core capability.

Table 2: Planning Step 1 Recommended Actions 

Planning Step 1: Recommended Actions 

ONE-TIME ACTIONS

Include stakeholders with community ties who can help with outreach, as well as 

those with technical knowledge associated with addressing various capabilities.

Identify key organizations and community leaders that may serve as planning 

partners.

Make sure the identification of team members is an inclusive process.

Define the area to be covered by recovery planning activities, and how the planning 

process will relate to adjoining areas.

Determine if existing planning documents can be leveraged to record pre-disaster 

recovery planning information.

ONGOING ACTIONS 

Develop partnerships with NGOs and define their capabilities and roles in support 

of disaster recovery.

Establish agreements with recovery partners to ensure that their roles are 

understood. 

Determine which governmental agencies (including federal, state, and local) have a 

role in supporting recovery activities.

Identify how external agencies will align with the tribal recovery organizational 

structure and process.

Establish agreements with agencies to fulfill the roles outlined in the pre-disaster 

recovery plan.
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Planning Step 2 - Understand the Situation 

In order to develop a pre-disaster recovery plan, it is important to understand and analyze current 

tribal codes, statutes, and/or charters related to purchasing and contracting, building, housing, the 

environment, historic and/or cultural preservation, etc. In addition, it is important to understand

your tribe’s community goals, known vulnerabilities, and capacity to manage the recovery 

process. For this analysis, the planning team should identify other tribal planning documents and 

review them for situational awareness, potential partners and resources, and to see how the predisaster recovery plan can align with tribal priorities in general. Other tribal planning documents 

can provide insight into the capabilities (and capability gaps) of your tribe.

It is beneficial to review existing plans, policies, and initiatives – such as comprehensive plans – as 

part of the planning process (see Figure 9). Elements of existing plans, such as hazard mitigation 

plans, may be incorporated into a pre-disaster recovery plan, building upon existing long-term 

goals and priorities. Conversely, the pre-disaster recovery plan, once implemented in a postdisaster setting, may prompt the need to update existing plans.

Understanding the linkages between the recovery plans and existing plans will:

• Foster more effective integration of partners and their activities; 

• Help leverage available resources;

• Foster the integration of other tribal government agencies in the pre-disaster recovery 

planning process and post-disaster implementation processes; and,

• Reduce duplication of effort. 

In addition to reviewing existing plans, polices, and initiatives, it is also important to understand 

who is responsible for maintaining certain critical services. Engage tribal partners to better 

understand which federal, state, tribal, county, or township agencies are legally responsible for the 

care and maintenance of critical services, facilities, and infrastructure and under which 

circumstances. Understanding who is responsible for protecting or restoring critical services is an 

important part of establishing an efficient recovery process. For example, if a county road runs 

through a tribe's land, are there agreements between the county and your tribe on care and 

maintenance that would be important for efficiently clearing debris or repairing culverts and 

ultimately restoring traffic flow (which may be particularly important for a non-declared disaster 

for which PA is not available)?
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Figure 9: The Relationship between Recovery Plans and other Community Plans, Decisions, and Policies 

Scope of the Pre-Disaster Recovery Plan

Decisions about the level of detail and overall scope of the pre-disaster recovery plan will impact 

the rest of the planning process. With that in mind, it is optimal to consider the level of detail the 

pre-disaster recovery plan will provide early in the process. It may be beneficial to have both a 

general, flexible framework and a plan with specific details.

A recovery plan does not need to be lengthy, and the aim is to complement key elements of 

recovery that are already addressed in other planning documents. As part of the initial process of 

information gathering, the planning team can identify which activities could be considered and 

included in the pre-disaster recovery plan and which will not, and determine if existing 

community planning documents can be used or built upon. Essential recovery information that 

may be documented in existing planning documents includes:

• Policies and requirements that apply to tribal rebuilding and/or could support recovery 

operational processes and guidelines; 

• Key people and partners and their recovery roles; 

• Recovery resources and potential tribal funding strategies; and

• Policies on the protection and preservation of your tribe's spiritually and culturally 

significant items and sites. 
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The pre-disaster recovery plan may note the existence of such plans and summarize the 

information contained in them, as well as suggest how and when those planning documents will 

be incorporated post-disaster. For example, there may be certain hazard mitigation, development, 

or housing priorities in other community plans that need to be consulted during the recovery 

period to guide disaster-specific decisions on these topics.

Identify Impacts and Community Consequences

Understanding the risks and possible direct, indirect, long-term, and systematic impacts stemming 

from a disaster will provide a foundation for pre-disaster recovery planning and allow the 

planning team to determine potential capability gaps before a disaster. Vulnerabilities and expected 

consequences may be identified in a hazard mitigation plan, a THIRA, other risk assessments, or 

historical data about past disaster impacts. Additionally, an SPR can be used to identify 

vulnerabilities, and completion of an SPR is now a requirement of the Tribal Homeland Security 

Grant Program.

It is also important to take into account identified vulnerabilities and which vulnerabilities your 

tribe might have the most difficult time addressing (e.g. capability gaps), as these will likely 

require attention after a disaster. 

Considerations for conducting an assessment of impacts and community consequences include,

but are not limited to:

• Identify potential direct impacts to major community assets and systems, such as:

o Community and regional economy, including small and large businesses; 

o Museums, historic sites, and other cultural resources; 

o Environmental resources and protected natural areas; 

o Infrastructure systems; 

o Social and community fabric;

o Affordable and accessible housing; 

o Critical infrastructure systems and the cascading impacts that the loss of such 

systems may have on other aspects of the community; 

o Loss of cultural identity due to damage or loss of cultural artifacts or sacred sites; 

and

o Leadership, elder and youth populations. 

• Identify potential indirect impacts, such as:

o Loss of use of tribal lands; 

o Business disruptions from relocation of workforce and/or customer populations, 

location inaccessibility, and other cascading economic impacts; 

o Access to services such as health care, public transportation, grocery stores, day 

cares and schools; 

o Population shifts; and

o Needs related to household pets, service animals, and livestock. 
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• Identify tribal government and other 

organizations that will have an increased 

workload as a result of the disaster (e.g., 

increased demand for social services, 

need for building inspectors and 

permitting, etc.).

• Consider the impacts and consequences 

for all individuals in the community, 

including people with disabilities and 

others with access and functional needs, 

children and teens, tribal elders, and 

those who may be underserved or may 

not normally participate in or contribute 

to public forums. 

• Consider ways to communicate with 

and involve members of the community 

in the recovery process (e.g., displaced residents), ensuring accessible and diverse ways of 

communicating.

• Consider what tribal processes or activities can impede recovery (e.g., deliberations, 

approvals, beliefs, timeframes, laws, delegations of authority).

Peer-to-Peer Networks 

Leaders and officials from communities that 

have experienced a significant disaster can be 

a powerful resource to the planning team and 

larger community in grasping the 

consequences and challenges for long-term 

recovery. Planners may want to reach out to 

tribal associations such as NCAI, as well as 

outside professional organizations, to identify 

peers with valuable experience, such as: a 

municipal league, association of towns, cities, 

or counties, APA, and associations of regional 

planning commissions. Your FEMA Regional 

Tribal Liaison may also be aware of tribes that 

have recently gone through a disaster recovery 

process. 

Using information collected and analyzed in this step, the collaborative planning team may hold 

meetings or workshops, accessible to all members of the community, to evaluate risks and discuss 

impacts. 

It is important to look at the interdependencies and connections among the identified impacts and

highlight to all participants the ramifications of the indirect, cascading and long-term impacts of a 

disaster. This understanding will motivate not only a stronger commitment to participate in a 

recovery process, but also a stronger interest in taking mitigation actions in advance to reduce 

losses and lessen potential consequences. Developing an understanding of the potential impacts 

and taking steps to reduce potential losses and consequences improves community resilience. 

The checklist in Table 3 summarizes the key recommended actions for Planning Step 2.
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Table 3: Planning Step 2 Recommended Actions 

Planning Step 2: Recommended Actions 

Determine the desired level of detail and scope of the recovery plan. 

Inventory your tribe’s hazards and vulnerabilities.

Identify the consequences of potential disaster events.

Engage community members, leaders, and businesses in understanding risks and 

identifying community consequences.

Review regional, state, and local pre-disaster recovery plans to understand how 

other governmental entities will be operating post-disaster.
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Planning Step 3 - Determine Goals and Objectives 

Recovery priorities may be developed with the input of tribal members and leadership, and may 

align with other existing priorities that are not necessarily tied to disaster recovery.

Examples of tribal recovery priorities may

include:

• Preserving and restoring natural and 

cultural resources; 

• Developing, reconfiguring, and restoring 

the education system; 

• Protecting sacred/historical sites and 

cultural resources; 

• Encouraging sustainable tribal 

communities; 

• Addressing both physical and mental 

health; 

• Returning displaced persons to their 

homes as quickly as possible; and

• Financing recovery without assuming onerous debt. 

Goals and Objectives 

Goals are broad, general statements that 

indicate what your tribe will do to address 

recovery needs. Goals help define milestones 

for when major elements of the recovery are 

complete and when the operation is 

successful. An example goal might be: “The 

tribe will increase its resiliency.”

Objectives are more specific, measurable, and 

identifiable actions to be carried out. They 

lead to achieving recovery goals. For example, 

an objective to support the goal above might 

be: “The tribe will develop a hazard mitigation 

plan,” or “The tribe will implement building 

codes that increase resiliency.”

Part of the recovery planning discussion will result in an understanding of the tribal community’s 

current situation in relationship to your tribe’s recovery priorities for the future. Consider the 

following: 

• What are your tribe’s main recovery priorities in relation to these different realms within 

the community? 

• What are the goals and associated objectives that need to be addressed to achieve the 

desired outcomes? In other words, what must your tribe do and how will they do it? 

During the planning process, it is important to ensure that recovery goals and objectives are 

consistent with recovery priorities to ensure a unified vision of where your tribe wants to progress 

in the future. 
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Differences in Response and Recovery Planning Goals 

A few high-level examples of the fundamental differences in response planning and recovery planning 

goals are listed below. Notice that the goal in response planning is short-term and often focused on life 

safety, whereas the goal in recovery planning is long-term and considers overall community health.

Disaster Impact: Contaminated Water Supply

• Potential Response Goal: The delivery of drinking water to impacted residents. 

• Potential Recovery Goal: Addressing infrastructure or natural resource impacts to safeguard the 

water supply long-term. 

Disaster Impact: Structural Damage to Local Hospital

• Potential Response Goal: Relocation of patients to other hospitals.

• Potential Recovery Goal: The establishment of an agreement with other regional hospitals to 

manage community needs or building temporary facilities to serve the community. 

Disaster Impact: Major Tribal Employer Structures Fail

• Potential Response Goal: Temporarily condemning structurally-damaged properties for the 

overall safety of the community until those properties can be repaired.

• Potential Recovery Goal: Establishing sustainable new economic drivers that will employ tribal 

members and contribute to a growing economy. 

Go to the Workbook Activity (Determining Recovery Goals and Objectives) in Annex A 

to list goals and objectives. 

Description of Recovery Core Capabilities

The federal government has established a National Preparedness Goal to help the nation 

collectively prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from threats and hazards. 

The National Preparedness Goal outlines “core capabilities” that can help tribal communities 

recover from a disaster. The core capabilities include functions such as planning, public 

information and warning, housing, and health and social services. Tribal planning teams should 

review these core capability suggestions and compare them with the current capabilities of your 

tribe to determine what gaps, if any, should be addressed. More information on each core 

capability as laid out under the National Preparedness Goal can be found on the FEMA website: 

https://www.fema.gov/core-capabilities. 
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Table 4: Description of Core Capabilities 

Recovery Core Capability Description of Recovery Core Capability

Planning Engage the whole community in developing approaches 

to meet recovery goals and objectives.

Public Information and Warning 

Effectively communicate the role of community members 

in recovery, the actions being taken to address recovery 

needs, and the status of recovery initiatives.

Operational Coordination 

Ensure people and processes are in place to coordinate 

and support the achievement of recovery goals and 

objectives. 

Economic Recovery 

Return economic and business activities (including food 

and agriculture) to a healthy state and develop new 

business and employment opportunities that result in an 

economically viable community.

Health and Social Services 

Restore and improve health and social services capabilities 

and networks to promote the resilience, independence, 

health (including behavioral health), and well-being of 

the whole community.

Housing 

Implement both short-term temporary housing solutions 

as well as long-term permanent housing solutions that 

effectively support the needs of the whole community 

and contribute to its sustainability and resilience.

Infrastructure Systems 

Stabilize critical infrastructure functions, minimize health 

and safety threats, and efficiently restore and revitalize 

systems and services to support a viable, resilient 

community.

Natural and Cultural Resources 

Protect natural and cultural resources and historic 

properties through appropriate planning, mitigation, 

response, and recovery actions to preserve, conserve, 

rehabilitate, and restore resources consistent with postdisaster community priorities and best practices and in 

compliance with applicable environmental and historic 

preservation laws and executive orders.
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Consider which areas will need particular attention or will be most difficult to address postdisaster. The impacts may include those related to: 

• Affordable and accessible housing; 

• Social, income, and equity issues; and,

• Infrastructure and public works.

If your tribe does not have the capacity to address recovery post-disaster, utilize existing 

partnerships or seek to build new relationships that will build capacity. 

Table 5: Planning Step 3 Recommended Actions 

Planning Step 3: Recommended Actions 

Develop recovery goals to enable the tribal community to build back better and 

stronger.

Evaluate organizational and administrative strengths and weaknesses.

Evaluate communication vehicles, including breadth, and effectiveness of each.

Evaluate financial strengths and weaknesses.

Determine how your tribe will build needed capacity to address recovery and 

partnership needs and communication with governmental/non-governmental 

entities.

Establish a process to integrate the consideration of resiliency into recovery 

planning.
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Planning Step 4 – Develop the Plan 

Planning Step 4 outlines recovery-specific decisions to be made during the pre-disaster planning 

process, including decisions related to leadership, resources, organizational roles, and 

responsibilities. 

Leadership

Strong leadership is critical for successful recovery, so identifying a leader who will manage 

implementation of the recovery plan must be a high priority in the planning process. A strong 

leader will make securing partnerships easier because the community will be able to demonstrate 

it has put time, thought, and talent into preparing for recovery. 

The Four A’s of Leadership 

The NDRF recommends designating a Tribal Disaster Recovery Coordinator (TDRC) to organize, 

coordinate, and advance the recovery mission. The person in this position must have knowledge of the 

community, relationships with tribal leadership, the ability to build consensus, strong communication 

skills, and ideally, knowledge and experience in community planning. Additionally, an effective TDRC 

needs to have the following general qualities: 

• Authority: The ability to direct and execute recovery. As noted in the Effective Coordination of 

Recovery Resources for State, Tribal, Territorial and Local Incidents, the TDRC will need to 

have the authority and influence to convene and coordinate recovery partners while 

emergency managers continue with incident response. The TDRC should be respected and 

recognized as a leader across as many sectors of the community as possible. 

• Accountability: Recovery leadership must be accountable to the partners of the community and 

those that empowered them to manage recovery in the first place.

• Attitude: Being persistent but patient in working with local partners is critical to managing the 

recovery process, as recovery is a long-term endeavor involving many competing interests, 

needs, and opinions.

• Aptitude: A good TDRC will have the ability to think strategically over the long-term about 

recovery needs, the ability to be flexible in utilizing non-traditional approaches and resources, 

and an understanding about how to leverage resources and bring about partner consensus.

Note: The roles and responsibilities of the TDRC differs from that of the TDRM, as the position of TDRC 

is permanent, and may be filled by existing staff who are designated to manage recovery in the 

immediate aftermath of a disaster but may have other steady-state roles and responsibilities in nondisaster times. TDRMs are hired after disasters, typically for a period of two years, and are dedicated to 

implementing recovery plans and strategies for the long-term. 
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Organizational Roles and Coordination

After designating a TDRC, the next task is to think about the people, agencies, and organizations 

who will support post-disaster recovery. Long-term recovery is a whole community effort that 

will require a team of coordinators to accomplish effectively. The planning team needs to identify 

people in each sector of recovery to coordinate resources and priorities during disaster recovery. 

Those individuals will function as a team with the TDRC to support the community and household 

needs of your tribe. In addition to the sector coordinators, the planning team should also identify 

positions that will be required under certain circumstances. Working with tribal partners and 

other tribal agencies, the planning team should use its goals and objectives to determine which 

people (based on leadership skills, experience, and day-to-day positions) should have a role in 

recovery. For example, if your tribe has received a disaster assistance grant, the planning team 

should identify a person to administer the grant and/or be responsible for project finances. 

Additionally, if your tribe plans to rely heavily on volunteers to support recovery efforts, they 

should identify a volunteer coordinator. Other examples of roles that might be important for longterm recovery include an individual and family recovery manager, a public outreach official, and a 

project financing administrator. Once the positions have been identified, the planning team should 

establish a formal group, organization, or structure for the coordinators to work together as a team 

toward the common goals and objectives established in the previous section.

As part of this process, consider the following questions:

• What situations would require your tribe to take action?

• Who will engage recovery partners in preparation for or immediately after a disaster has 

occurred?

• How will recovery partners work together? Agencies serving in lead roles as coordinators 

of community sectors or functional areas (e.g., housing, health and social services) will 

need to work with their respective supporting agencies and other organizations to

determine their own operational strategies. What actions require coordination across 

different community sectors and how will that be structured?

• How will the tribal government coordinate with federal and state government agencies and 

departments? How can existing relationships be leveraged in a post-disaster environment?

• What information needs to be gathered to assess impacts and recovery-related needs? Who 

can provide this information? How will this information be collected and shared?

• Who will be responsible for delivering effective public communication? 

• How will effective communication be accomplished? How often, in what formats, and for 

what purposes? 

To the greatest extent possible, it is important to be transparent in informing the public and 

managing expectations. Transparency will help to build public confidence in the recovery effort. 

For more information, review “Effective Coordination of Recovery Resources for State, Tribal, 

Territorial, and Local Incidents” available at: https://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/assets/documents/101940. 
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Identify Strategies for Securing and Managing Financial Resources

After the evaluation of financial strengths and weaknesses in Step 3, the planning team will need to 

develop strategies for filling identified financing gaps. Financial resources to consider include both 

grants and low-interest loans. It is important to be aware that loans may be necessary to support 

recovery, especially in cases where grants and similar funds are not available or do not fully 

support recovery needs. Financial resources will not only be needed for individuals and families, 

but for businesses and various sectors of the government. Many potential post-disaster funding 

sources can be pre-identified. Tribes are also encouraged to build their own disaster recovery 

fund.

Establish a Decision-Making and Policy-Making Process 

With likely threats and hazards in mind, the pre-disaster recovery planning team will need to 

determine what goals, priorities, and policies can be established prior to a potential disaster. For 

example, understanding that much of the community is in a flood zone should prompt tribal 

officials to begin thinking about a plan and mitigation measures, such as the relocation of housing 

units away from the flood hazard, for addressing housing needs in the event of flooding. 

Defining a process for making decisions post-disaster can guide leadership in allocating limited 

resources. As the decision-making process is developed, it will be helpful to organize decisions 

through the use of a process that:

• Evaluates the conditions and needs after a disaster; 

• Matches pre-disaster plans against post-disaster results; 

• Sets recovery goals and objectives; 

• Measures progress against those goals and objectives; 

• Defines the process, protocol, and policy related to recovery funding; and

• Ensures there is sufficient input on recovery priorities from key partners and makes sure 

that partner outreach is linked to post-disaster decision making. The process to involve key 

partners pre-disaster is reinforced post-disaster.

Demographic Considerations

The planning team should work together to understand the current demographics of your tribe 

and the major social considerations that may be exacerbated during a disaster. With that 

information, the planning team can start to review the following recovery issues that could require 

additional coordination or support, depending on your tribe's current status. Consider the 

following examples, among other individual and household needs that may exist in your tribe:

• Housing: Limited access to affordable and accessible housing before a disaster will only 

mean fewer options after a disaster. Work with the tribal housing authority or surrounding 

communities to develop strategies for how to temporarily house tribal members that may 

be displaced from their homes after a disaster. 

• Tribal elders, people with disabilities, and people with acute medical needs: What are the 

services that these people rely on to maintain their health and independence? Are those 
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local service providers vulnerable to disasters? If these people are put in shelters or 

evacuated to another area, will they still have access to the same services? Work with 

disability services and support groups, health and medical professionals, and other 

personal support services organizations to identify strategies for ensuring their health, 

safety, and independence. 

• Transportation: Does the tribal community rely on a particular transportation method that 

may be vulnerable to a disaster (e.g., public transit, shuttles, personal vehicles, and 

others)? If so, the planning team should review alternative methods for ensuring that 

displaced people without access to transportation have the ability to travel to and from a 

shelter or a temporary housing unit.

Disaster Case Management (DCM)

DCM involves tracking and addressing the needs of individuals and families and connecting them 

with recovery support resources, especially when those needs and existing social challenges such 

as poverty, social service needs, etc. may be exacerbated by disasters. Recovery planners need to 

incorporate plans and strategies to address both disaster-caused and pre-existing, ongoing social 

service and community development needs. Doing so requires strong partnerships among 

government, local community, NGO, and private sector partners. DCM and other typical FEMA 

programs are further described in Annex F of this guide.

DCM Tools 

The NVOAD website contains valuable DCM tools: 

• NVOAD: http://www.nvoad.org/

• DCM Points of Consensus: http://www.nvoad.org/wpcontent/uploads/dlm_uploads/2014/04/POC_CaseManagement_Final1.pdf

• DCM Guidelines: http://www.nvoad.org/wpcontent/uploads/dlm_uploads/2014/04/dcm_guidelines_-_final_-_2012_-_feb.pdf 

Go to the Workbook Activity (Existing Policies) in Annex A to list policies that may 

need to be adjusted and who has the authority to do so.

Table 6 lists recommended actions to take in developing a plan.
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Table 6: Planning Step 4 Recommended Actions 

Planning Step 

4: Recommended Actions 

Establish a process for making decisions to address recovery needs post-disaster.

Document staff resources to manage recovery and their roles and responsibilities.

Establish a plan to coordinate staff assigned to recovery and other recovery partners 

to ensure there is a system in place for working together post-disaster.

Seek opportunities to build relationships with federal, state, and non-governmental 

partners pre-disaster to enhance post-disaster coordination.

Define an organizational structure that helps to establish clear roles and 

responsibilities, reporting relationships, and other operational details (task force, 

committee, or Recovery Support Functions (RSFs)).

Engage in capacity-building efforts among tribal stakeholders before a disaster 

strikes so that they are familiar with recovery concepts and processes in case they 

are called upon to support recovery.

Obtain data on what assets exist in the community, including housing stock, 

infrastructure, and business.

Establish processes and systems to manage resources for disaster recovery.

Identify potential sector- or function-specific resources (funding, staffing, etc.).
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Planning Step 5 – Prepare, Review, and Approve the Final Plan 

In Step 5, information, documentation, and decisions from the preceding steps should be 

consolidated to write a pre-disaster recovery plan that reflects the input of the community and 

provides a framework for action. All partners involved in the planning process should have the 

opportunity to review the plan and provide feedback. Allow enough time for reviewers to provide 

feedback and additional time for the planning team to make changes based on that feedback. Final 

approval from tribal leadership will also be required, so it is important to build in time for that 

and to consider how to communicate the plan to them (e.g., consider listening sessions, an 

executive summary, or a formal presentation).

Annex B contains a sample outline for a pre-disaster recovery plan. The components, their 

descriptions, and prompts are provided as examples. Choose the components that best suit your 

tribe’s needs. 

Table 7: Planning Step 5 Recommended Actions 

Planning Step 

4: Recommended Actions 

THE PRE-DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN SHOULD DOCUMENT:

How the tribal government will coordinate internally – key roles and 

responsibilities, leadership, structure of the recovery organization, etc. 

How the tribal government will coordinate with the federal government and nongovernment entities.

The tribal community’s recovery priorities.

How the tribal government will address known pre-disaster issues and resource 

gaps. 

AFTER THE PLAN IS COMPLETE:

All stakeholders involved in the planning process should have the opportunity to 

review the plan and provide feedback.

The plan should go through appropriate tribal government review to provide any 

additional feedback and establish final approval and/or adoption. 

 
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Planning Step 6 – Implement and Maintain the Plan 

Once the final plan is prepared, reviewed and approved, your tribe can begin to implement 

planning goals. The goals do not have to be implemented all at once, but basic steps to make the 

plan a reality should be taken quickly to maintain momentum. A regular schedule of inclusive 

training and exercises that bring key partners together, as well as plan document reviews, 

revisions, and updates based on gaps or issues identified during plan exercises, will enable tribal 

recovery leadership to understand outstanding capability or process gaps, mitigation needs, and 

other recovery preparedness needs. Understanding these gaps and needs will also help tribes target 

capacity building efforts where they are most needed. FEMA’s National Exercise Division has a 

robust exercise program designed to support our tribal partners in testing their recovery planning 

capabilities through the design, coordination, implementation, and evaluation of exercises. 

Additional information is available at https://www.fema.gov/national-exercise-program. 

Table 8: Planning Step 6 Recommended Actions 

Planning Step 

6: Recommended Actions 

Train all recovery plan stakeholders on their roles and responsibilities as listed in the 

recovery plan.

Establish a regular schedule of document revision and updating to ensure that any 

newly identified vulnerabilities are addressed in the planning process and to account 

for changes in your tribe’s vision, leadership, or organization.

Document best practices and lessons learned from actual post-disaster recovery 

efforts.

Participate in emergency exercises when possible to evaluate recovery plans, aid the 

community in understanding its role in recovery preparedness and plan 

implementation, and help identify gaps in policies, roles, partners, resources, and 

procedures. Communicate with government and non-government emergency 

management professionals to be aware of training and exercise opportunities.
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Checklist of Planning Step Activities 

 

PLANNING STEPS

1. Form a Collaborative Planning Team 

2. Understand the Situation 

3. Determine Goals and Objectives 

4. Develop the Plan 

5. Prepare, Review, and Approve the Final Plan 

6. Implement and Maintain the Plan 
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Annex A: Workbook Activities 

This workbook can be used to document vulnerabilities, key stakeholders, and partners. Upon 

completion of the workbook, it is recommended that tribes officially document workbook entries 

for record-keeping purposes. This will help lay the groundwork for taking on recommended 

planning activities or for developing a pre-disaster plan.

Summary of Workbook Activities 

It is recommended that in addition to reading the summary of Workbook Activities below, users 

also review the discussions of the activities included in the first three sections of this document. 

Note there are not Workbook Activities associated with all of the recovery planning activities 

discussed in this document.

Basic Activities

Basic Activity 1 - Recovery Point Person: Document your key recovery stakeholders. These point 

people will be responsible for directing the recovery process. It is highly recommended that 

recovery point people include those with a planning background, as the scope of long-term 

recovery is broader than emergency management alone.

Basic Activity 2 – Training: Document your training needs, then visit the EMI website to review 

course selections that may relate to your training needs. Training needs may include planning, 

communications, building an organizational structure, etc. Note that many EMI courses are 

available entirely online.

Basic Activity 3 – Messaging: Document how you will get your community involved in preparing 

for recovery. Convey why preparing is important, and how you will solicit community 

involvement (e.g., media, via community events, through schools, etc.).

Basic Activity 4 – Critical Assets and Resources: Document key assets in your community. These 

may include public facilities, economic drivers, culturally significant sites, etc. Discuss why they 

are critical and how they are vulnerable (e.g., in a flood plain, constructed in such a way that 

makes them particularly vulnerable to storm or wind events, etc.).

Basic Activity 5 – Tribal Partners: Document your key internal stakeholders for recovery. This 

builds on Basic Activity 1 by documenting the whole community of partners who will be critical 

stakeholders in a recovery process. These may include local departments and agencies, schools, 

non-profits, key businesses, etc. Finally, diagram the relationships between internal stakeholders. 
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This will document the connections within your tribe, and the connections to outside stakeholders 

that can partner with your tribe to support recovery.

Basic Activity 6 – External Partnerships: Document your external partners. Describe the agencies, 

non-profits, or other entities with which your tribe has a relationship. These external partners may 

come from different levels of government or NGOs.

Recommended Activities

Recommended Activity 1 – Existing Plans: Document existing plans that may be in place, and for 

each, document the major goals. Plans may include mitigation plans, comprehensive plans, land 

use plans, capital budgets, etc. Documenting existing goals and building on them can make the 

recovery planning process easier.

Recommended Activity 4 – Priorities: Document your recovery priorities after a disaster. Consider 

any existing goals from Recommended Activity 1 and any other crucial elements of your 

community that would be priorities for recovery.

Planning Steps

Planning Step 1 – Core Capabilities: This builds on Basic Activity 6 but facilitates the 

documentation of key stakeholders and partners under the recovery core capabilities. It will also 

allow your tribe to see any gaps in your ability to address certain core capabilities.

Planning Step 3 – Determining Goals and Objectives: This builds on Recommended Activities 1 

and 4. Document specific recovery goals and objectives by sector.

Planning Step 4 – Existing Policies: This builds on Recommended Activities 1 and 4. Review 

existing policies that may impede the recovery process (e.g., consider the existing process for 

obtaining a building permit – would this process facilitate expedient rebuilding after a disaster?) 

Consider changes or additions to existing policies as necessary (e.g., expediting permitting in a 

post-disaster environment).

 
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Basic Activity 1: Recovery Point Person 

Designate a point person and define an organizational structure for recovery planning. 

Name Department Contact Information Role 

e.g., Lead for Recovery

e.g., Lead for PDAs 
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Basic Activity 2: Training Needs 

Training Needs 

Type of Training Needed Corresponding Course Source of Training 

To review the tribal curriculum offered by EMI, visit https://training.fema.gov/tribal/. 
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Basic Activity 3: Messaging 

Messaging 

What messages should your tribe be prepared to send out during a disaster and what methods 

should you use to ensure effective communication for the whole community? 

Critical Points to Get Across 

Outlets that Will Be Used for Messaging to Ensure Whole Community Involvement 
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Basic Activity 4: Critical Assets and Resources 

What are your most critical facilities or vulnerable sites?

Facility or Site Name Why is it critical? How is it vulnerable? 

Note: this worksheet can also be used for PDAs. 
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Basic Activity 5: Tribal Partners 

Who are the key stakeholders for recovery in your tribe? 

Name Department Contact Information 
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Basic Activity 5 (continued): Relationship Diagramming 

Diagram the relationships between tribal stakeholders in an organizational chart. 

Diagram the relationships between your tribe and federal, state, and local partners in an 

organizational chart. 

 
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Basic Activity 6: External Partnerships 

Who are your external partners? 

Other Tribes 

Name Tribe and Role Contact Information 

State Government 

Name Agency/Department Contact Information 
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Local/County Government 

Name Agency/Department Contact Information 

Federal Government 

Name Agency/Department Contact Information 
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Non-Government (e.g., Private Sector, Non-Profits, Volunteer Organizations, Regional NGOs, 

etc.) 

Name Organization Contact Information 
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Recommended Activity 1: Existing Plans 

What planning documents are already in place in your tribal community?

What are the goals, objectives, and outcomes listed in each plan? 

List planning documents that are 

already in place in your tribal 

community. 

What goals, objectives, and 

outcomes are listed in each of 

these plans? 

What other information, 

references, or resources 

included in the plan are 

relevant to recovery? 
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Recommended Activity 4: Priorities 

 

What are your tribe’s recovery priorities? 
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Planning Step 1: Core Capabilities 

Revisit the key tribal stakeholders and partners you listed earlier. Who are the best stakeholders 

and partners for each core capability listed below?

PLANNING CORE 

CAPABILITY 

Purpose: to engage the whole community in developing approaches to 

meet recovery goals and objectives. 

Suggested 

Stakeholders and 

Partners

• People with experience engaging the entire community who are strategic 

thinkers. People with backgrounds in planning, public administration, 

architecture, and landscape architecture and with experience in accessibility 

and universal design are also desirable.

• People involved in the mitigation plan/other community development 

planning.

• Professional organizations – APA, American Institute of Architects (AIA), and

American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).

• Regulators (such as zoning and permitting, safety, Americans with 

Disabilities Act (ADA) coordinators).

Who are the 

potential 

stakeholders and 

partners in your 

community for the 

Planning Core 

Capability?

PUBLIC 

INFORMATION 

AND WARNING 

CORE CAPABILITY 

Purpose: to effectively communicate the role of community members in 

recovery, the actions being taken to address recovery needs, and the 

status of recovery initiatives. 

Suggested 

Stakeholders and 

Partners

• Consider people with community outreach experience or expertise in 

effective and accessible mass communications, facilitation, and/or civic 

engagement.

• Seek stakeholders that have experience in reaching out to populations with 

access and functional needs.

Who are the 

potential 

stakeholders and 

partners in your 

community for the 

Public Information 

and Warning Core 

Capability?
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OPERATIONAL 

COORDINATION 

CORE CAPABILITY 

Purpose: put people and processes in place to coordinate and support 

the achievement of recovery goals and objectives. 

Suggested Stakeholders 

and Partners

• Consider involving community leadership to ensure that all recovery 

processes are integrated. Consider groups that may be at odds postdisaster to address coordination upfront.

Who are the potential 

stakeholders and 

partners in your 

community for the 

Operational 

Coordination Core 

Capability?

ECONOMIC 

RECOVERY CORE 

CAPABILITY 

Purpose: to return economic and business activities (including food 

and agriculture) to a healthy state and develop new business and 

employment opportunities that result in an economically viable 

community. 

Suggested Stakeholders 

and Partners

• Consider including economic development officials, representatives of 

community development corporations, major employers, business 

owners, representatives from employment and labor departments, labor 

organizations, and faculty from colleges and universities.

Who are the potential 

stakeholders and 

partners in your 

community for the 

Economic Recovery

Core Capability?

HEALTH AND 

SOCIAL SERVICES 

CORE CAPABILITY 

Purpose: to restore and improve health and social services capabilities 

and networks to promote the resilience, independence, health 

(including behavioral health), and well-being of the whole 

community. 

Suggested Stakeholders 

and Partners

• Consider including representatives from government departments, 

medical professionals, school district superintendents, consumer and legal 

service organizations, non-profit leadership, and voluntary organizations 

that represent the service and support needs of all community members. 

Who are the potential 

stakeholders and 

partners in your 

community for the 

Health and Social 

Services Core 

Capability?
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HOUSING CORE 

CAPABILITY 

Purpose: to implement housing solutions that effectively support the 

needs of the whole community and contribute to its sustainability and 

resilience. 

Suggested 

Stakeholders and 

Partners

• Consider including developers, residential construction companies, fair or 

affordable housing advocates, homeless organizations, representatives of 

housing agencies, and housing department staff.

Who are the potential 

stakeholders and 

partners in your 

community for the 

Housing Core 

Capability?

INFRASTRUCTURE 

SYSTEMS CORE 

CAPABILITY 

Purpose: to stabilize critical infrastructure functions, minimize health 

and safety threats, and efficiently restore and revitalize systems and 

services to support a viable, resilient community. 

Suggested 

Stakeholders and 

Partners

• Consider including public works officials and engineers, as well as public 

and private infrastructure operators.

• The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and other similar 

professional organizations are potential resources.

Who are the potential 

stakeholders and 

partners in your 

community for the 

Infrastructure Systems

Core Capability?

NATURAL AND 

CULTURAL 

RESOURCES CORE 

CAPABILITY 

Purpose: to protect natural and cultural resources and historic properties 

through appropriate planning, mitigation, response, and recovery 

actions to preserve, conserve, rehabilitate, and restore resources 

consistent with post-disaster community priorities and best practices 

and in compliance with applicable environmental and historic 

preservation laws and executive orders. 

Suggested 

Stakeholders and 

Partners

• Consider including historic preservation experts, environmental 

groups/organizations, non-profits, tribal elders, members of cultural, 

museum, library and archival organizations, stewards of landmarks, parks 

and tree boards, and parks and environmental protection department staff.

Who are the potential 

stakeholders and 

partners in your 

community for the 

Natural and Cultural 

Resources Core 

Capability?
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Planning Step 3: Determining Recovery Goals and Objectives 

Make a draft list of Tribal Recovery Goals, what core capability each supports, and a few objectives 

for each goal. 

Recovery Goals Recovery Core Capability Objectives 
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Planning Step 4: Existing Policies 

List existing policies that may need to be altered either before or after a disaster to address 

recovery needs (e.g., expedited zoning and building code compliance review for rebuilding and 

expedited procurement or hiring policies). For each policy listed, who has the authority to make 

decisions about changes to those policies? 

Policy What needs to change? Who has authority to 

change? 
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Annex B: Sample Outline for a Pre-Disaster Recovery Plan 

Section 1: Pre-Disaster Recovery Plan Introduction 

A. Plan Purpose (narrative): Why is the tribal community preparing for recovery? Why is it 

important?

B. Community Capacity Assessment (narrative): What recovery capabilities does the tribal 

community currently have, and how might they be compromised after a disaster? What 

are the known capability gaps and how will they be addressed?

C. Risks and Vulnerabilities (narrative and table or bullet points): List the tribal community 

assets that would be at risk if a disaster struck. This section may also include different types 

of disasters likely to occur and how the impact on assets may vary, depending on the 

disaster. If a tribal mitigation plan currently exists, it should be referenced for risks and 

vulnerabilities already identified. If not, identifying risks and vulnerabilities as part of the 

pre-disaster recovery planning effort could feed into future mitigation plans.

Table 9: Sample Table of Risks and Mitigation Measures 

Asset Disaster Type 

A 

Disaster Type 

B 

Mitigation 

Measures? Notes 

A Severe Impact Moderate 

Impact No

What mitigation 

measures could 

address the 

vulnerability?

B Moderate 

Impact

Moderate 

Impact No

What mitigation 

measures could 

address the 

vulnerability?

C Moderate 

Impact Severe Impact In Progress

Briefly describe 

mitigation 

measure in 

progress.

D Severe Impact Severe Impact Planned

Briefly describe 

planned 

mitigation 

measure.

D. Recovery Goals and Policies (narrative and table or bullet points): If a disaster strikes, 

which tribal community assets will be a priority for recovery?

E. Implementation Process: How will the recovery strategies, goals, and policies be carried 

out? Develop action statements and timelines to assess progress.
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F. Recovery Administrative Structure: Who will lead the recovery process (use a position title 

not an actual name)? Which departments are responsible for which activities? Should the 

tribal government organization parallel federal and state disaster recovery frameworks?

G. Community Engagement Strategy: Who are the local volunteer agencies active in disasters? 

Are there NGOs and educational organizations available? How should these organizations 

line up with the recovery team? What tribal associations or potential relationships are 

available to support recovery?

H. Mitigation Measures (narrative and table or bullet points, building on the previous 

section): What, if any, mitigation measures have been implemented, are in progress, or are 

planned?

Section 2: Recovery Leadership 

A. Recovery Leadership (narrative and list): Who are the recovery leaders in the community?

What roles have been assigned to each? How will progress be tracked?

B. Authorities (narrative): What legislation or policy enables these leaders to manage recovery 

post-disaster? What are the limitations? Are authorities dependent on specific steps or 

circumstances? 

Section 3: Recovery Operations 

A. Partners (narrative and table or bullet points): Which federal agencies, tribal agencies and 

organizations, regional/state agencies and organizations, and NGOs are recovery partners, 

and what are their recovery roles and responsibilities after a disaster? 

B. Activation of Personnel (narrative): How and when are personnel who are assigned to fill 

recovery roles activated? 

C. Assessment and Data Gathering (narrative): What types of assessment and data gathering 

should be happening after a disaster strikes? Before? Who is responsible for data collection? 

Are there pre-determined guidelines and forms to be used for data collection?

D. Communication Guidelines (narrative and reference to organizational chart): How should 

recovery leaders and partners communicate with one another? What are the essential 

pieces of information that will need to be communicated? How often should they be 

communicating?

E. Notification and Engagement of Recovery Partners (narrative and reference to 

organizational chart): How and when will recovery partners be notified and engaged postdisaster?

F. Federal and State Engagement (narrative and reference to org chart): How will tribal 

recovery leadership communicate with the federal and state governments? What 

established partnerships or interfaces already exist? What areas need strengthening? Is your 

tribe positioned to communicate with potential federal and state recovery partners?

G. Organizational Chart (diagram): How are recovery leadership and partners organized? 

H. Timelines (narrative and timeline): What are the projected timelines for activation of 

personnel, data gathering, engagement of partners, financial trigger points, etc.? 
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Section 4: Recovery Implementation 

A. Execution Strategy (narrative): Describes how the community will execute its strategy for 

pre-disaster recovery planning, taking into account operational items listed in Section 3. As 

appropriate, note reliance on existing plans.

B. Priorities and Policy Alternatives (narrative): List priorities for recovery implementation as 

well as policy alternatives that may either be in place through existing partnerships or are 

legally authorized in emergency situations. Policy alternatives (e.g., expedited permit 

requests), if allowed, should also be mentioned in this section.

C. Funding Strategies (narrative): List funding strategies that may either be in place through 

existing partnerships or legally authorized in emergency situations. These may include 

funding strategies such as providing known resource providers with up-to-date 

assessments of disaster impacts so initial funding requirements can be determined.
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Annex C: Financial Management 

This Annex discusses aspects of cost recovery that are important to all tribes. Initial (short-term) 

cost recovery includes the process, recovery roles, and requirements for receiving reimbursement 

for eligible costs incurred immediately after a disaster. Long-term cost recovery includes measures 

to address impacts to revenue streams after a disaster, and the need for resources and management 

of expenditures required to support certain recovery and long-term reconstruction projects and 

initiatives. Note that sometimes, federal funds and programs for recovery may not be available for 

months after a disaster. Throughout the recovery process, both in the initial-term and the longterm, it is important to understand how to contract for services, equipment, and materials and 

manage grants properly after a disaster, to ensure that resources are used wisely and in accordance 

with applicable laws and regulations.

All of these cost recovery recommendations are especially relevant to ensure your tribe maintains 

eligibility for funding when FEMA provides PA support after a Presidentially Declared Disaster. 

However, PA requirements derive from the same federal requirements applicable to all sources of 

federal funding. Maintaining sound financial management, contracting, grants, and 

documentation management and controls will ensure your tribe is in a good position to seek and 

receive reimbursement for costs.

Information provided in this section is for general planning purposes only. You should consult 

the specific federal requirements or federal program as you define roles, responsibilities, and 

procedures. 

Consult the following checklist of cost recovery considerations for the initial-term (emergency 

managers, financial staff, etc.):

 Reviewing pre-disaster recovery plans and identifying a recovery vision, goals, and 

objectives

 Assessing and justifying initial-term recovery needs and actions (e.g., debris removal)

 Documenting material and labor costs and their justification (e.g., creating disaster 

accounting systems and logging and tracking personnel time and expenses)

 Activating emergency procurement policies, issuing and managing purchases and 

contracts, and where feasible, having contracts already in place

 Ensuring compliance with federal requirements for reimbursement

 Updating policies and procedures to comply with federal requirements for reimbursement
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Consult the following checklist of cost recovery considerations for the long-term (TDRMs, 

financial staff, etc.)

 Documenting and utilizing volunteer recovery programs

 Assessing potential (or actual) impacts to revenue streams

 Updating policies to encourage revenue generation (e.g., changing the structure of taxes 

and/or fees)

 Applying for and managing grants

 Ensuring compliance with federal (or other) grant requirements

Initial-Term Cost Recovery 

Initial-term recovery depends heavily on actions taken by tribes and other local entities rapidly 

after a disaster that are often then reimbursed when resources become available. To ensure success 

with initial-term recovery, there are several areas of cost recovery that, at a minimum, should be

addressed before a disaster. It is important for the preparer of the plan to understand and establish 

financial management policies, roles, and responsibilities to manage tribal actions, including 

contracting and financial procedures that will ensure eligibility for reimbursement of disasterrelated costs under federal requirements. 

Disaster Cost Recovery Roles 

• Recipient (Grantee): A non-federal entity that receives a federal award directly from a federal 

awarding agency to carry out an activity under a federal program. The term recipient does not 

include subrecipients.

• Subrecipient (Subgrantee): A non-federal entity that receives a subaward from a pass-through 

entity to carry out part of a federal program. This does not include an individual that is a 

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

directly from a federal awarding agency. 

• Subapplicant: The jurisdiction or eligible applicant that submits a subapplication to the applicant 

for FEMA assistance. Once funding is awarded, the subapplicant becomes the subrecipient.

• Pass-Through Entity: A non-federal entity that provides a subaward to a subrecipient to carry out 

part of a federal program.

• Subaward: An award provided by a pass-through entity to a subrecipient for the subrecipient to 

carry out part of a federal award received by the pass-through entity. It does not include 

payments to a contractor or payments to an individual that is a beneficiary of a federal program. 

A subaward may be provided through any form of legal agreement, including an agreement that 

the pass-through entity considers a contract. 

• Contractor: An entity that receives a contract as defined in 2 C.F.R. § 200.22. Contract means a 

legal instrument by which a non-federal entity purchases property or services needed to carry out 

the 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. 
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Many initial-term recovery projects and activities may be eligible for reimbursement, such as 

applicant labor, equipment/purchased equipment, supplies, contracted work, etc. It is critical for 

your tribe to understand the laws and regulations that apply to the reimbursement programs and

have procedures in place and the capacity to effectively comply with those laws and regulations.

There are several key labor and cost documentation related policies and procedures to capture and 

define in your recovery plan:

• Formalize a documented labor policy to help determine whether or not and how much 

reimbursement may be authorized when you use tribal government, volunteer, or other 

sources of labor. 

• Establish procedures and requirements for documenting time and labor costs, either that of 

tribal government employees or others.

• Establish procedures, roles, and a system to capture disaster-related costs that start as soon as 

an event occurs. This includes labor as mentioned above, but also equipment costs, supplies, 

and contracts. These examples are especially relevant to PA. 

Review the following resources for more information about PA.

• PA Program and Policy Guidance: https://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/assets/documents/111781

Long-Term Cost Recovery 

Long-term considerations include disaster impacts to revenue streams and securing resources to 

address long-term recovery and rebuilding needs. 

Before a disaster, consider your tribe’s current revenue streams. Businesses, including those that 

are tribally owned and those that are not, may be important revenue sources. Consider what the 

economic impact would be if a disaster impacted those businesses. Also, consider how jobs may 

be lost after a disaster and how that will impact tribal members’ ability to support the local/tribal 

economy. Direct and indirect impacts can have a significant influence, such as the loss of access to 

a portion of tribal land critical to an entire tribe’s economy. Finally, consider other sources of 

revenue such as sales tax (if applicable) or other fees that could be negatively impacted after a 

disaster. Understanding these impacts and how to address them in the context of pre-disaster 

planning will help your tribe establish priorities for recovery. A rainy day fund or new borrowing 

authorities may need to be considered depending on the potential impacts to your tribe’s financial 

position.

Part of the pre-disaster recovery planning process is understanding what recovery resources exist 

to support long-term recovery projects or initiatives after a disaster. Note that this goes beyond the 

grants mentioned in the previous subsection. Depending on your tribe’s recovery priorities, there 

may both internal and other external resources which could support long-term recovery needs in 

the face of diminished revenues.

It is highly recommended that your tribe pursue the hiring of a TDRM after a disaster strikes. Ideal 

candidates for a TDRM position have experience in planning, government finance, and strategy 

development, and understand long-term impacts to resources versus needs after a disaster. The 

TDRM can help add the capacity necessary to strategically pursue recovery projects, formulate 
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Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments

partnerships, and conduct the wide-ranging outreach necessary for successful recovery. In some 

cases, federal funding may be available to support the hiring of a TDRM for a two-year term. 

Review the following resources for more information about long-term cost recovery:

• FEMA Effective Coordination of Recovery Resources for State, Tribal, Territorial, and Local 

Incidents: https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/101940

• NCAI – Emergency Management: http://www.ncai.org/policy-issues/tribalgovernance/emergency-management

• TDRM Responsibilities:

https://www.fema.gov/pdf/recoveryframework/tribal_disaster_recovery_managers.pdf

• Disaster Assistance Resources: https://www.disasterassistance.gov/get-assistance/otherrecovery-help

Contracting 

Understanding how to initiate contracts is applicable both pre-event and post-disaster. To be 

eligible for reimbursement of recovery costs, contracts must be written, awarded, and managed 

according to federal and program requirements. Understanding basic federal contracting 

requirements is critically important, regardless of how contracts are funded. When contracting 

under a Federal award, there are federal requirements that must be followed.5

Scope(s) of work should be clear, and only be as flexible as needed to ensure the adequate delivery 

of services. Establishing agreed-upon scope(s) of work ensures that your tribe receives the services 

required and the contractor understands expectations. 

Pricing must also be considered. For example, costs for contracted goods and services may not be 

eligible for PA reimbursement unless an applicant can demonstrate that costs are reasonable. Note 

that in some cases, noncompetitive procurement (i.e., sole-sourcing) is necessary, especially when

there are a limited number of service providers available to address a specific need. There are four

circumstances that allow an applicant to award a non-competitive procurement:

1) The item is only available from one source; 

2) An emergency or exigent circumstance will not permit a delay caused by the 

competitive process;

3) Awarding agency or pass-through entity approval; and

4) Inadequate competition.

In general, sole-sourcing is not allowed unless there is documentation that demonstrates urgency 

in performing the work. Additionally, awarding time and materials contracts without a cost ceiling 

can lead to an audit and potential loss of PA funds. T&M contracts can only be used by Indian 

tribal governments if they can demonstrate that no other contract type is suitable, if they set a

contract ceiling that the contractor exceeds at their own risk, and they have a high level of 

oversight over the contractor. The federal procurement under grant rules require that applicants 

conduct a cost or price analysis in connection with every contract action that exceeds the 

simplified acquisition threshold (as of June 2018, set at $250,000). Understanding PA 

5 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.318- 200.326
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requirements early can ensure compliance with the law is maintained and maximizes the potential 

reimbursement of funds.6 

Although the federal procurement under grant rules require that applicants conduct their 

procurement transactions in a manner providing for “full and open competition,” Indian 

preferences may be permissible if certain requirements are met under the Indian SelfDetermination and Education Assistance Act. The Indian Self-Determination and Education 

Assistance Act sets forth federal policy allowing Indian Tribal Governments to apply preference in 

the award of contracts and subcontracts to “Indian organizations” or “Indian-owned economic 

enterprises” in connection with the administration of a Public Assistance award. Indian Tribal 

Governments using a permissible preference are required to document that they have met the 

requirements under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Act.

Review the following resources for more information about contracting:

• “Top 10 Procurement Under Grant Mistakes Leading to Audits and Potential Loss of FEMA PA

Funding” https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1506978167717-

61cdf0784cbba7f976f8a66700f04f3e/Top_10_FEMA_Grant_Procurement_Mistakes_201709

28.pdf

• PA Contracting Requirements Checklist: https://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/assets/documents/135802

• FEMA Debris Contracting Guidance: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/hsem/disasterrecovery/Documents/dmp-appendix-i.pdf

• “Key Points for Non-State Entities on How to Avoid the Top 10 Procurement Under Grant

Mistakes”: https://www.fema.gov/media-librarydata/1557347000457-1eb78c466ff98f5a58eb6ca7a67ff73b/PDATTop10PuGMistakesFlyer.pdf

Grants Management 

Grants to support long-term recovery may come from multiple sources after a disaster, including 

FEMA, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the U.S. Department 

of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) program, among others. It is important to 

understand grant requirements, as there are both general Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) requirements that apply to all federal grant dollars as well as individual agency 

requirements. 

In addition to the specific requirements of grant providers, many tribes who successfully win 

grants will likely then have to manage larger-than-normal budgets. This can cause challenges, 

especially when the capacity of tribal government staff is strained. It is therefore important for 

tribes to establish or expand existing financial management systems before pursuing grants. This is 

an important consideration when developing a pre-disaster recovery plan: increasing staff to 

properly manage grants and knowing who will be responsible for the overall administration and 

management of grants received.

Review the following resources for more information about grants management:

• FEMA Grants Management Toolkit: https://www.fema.gov/grants-management-toolkit

6 PA Program and Policy Guide: https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/111781
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• Disaster Recovery Staffing Framework and Guide: https://www.lmi.org/en/About-LMI/LMIResearch-Institute-(1)/Reports-Articles/Disaster-Recovery-Staffing-Framework/DisasterRecovery-Staffing-Framework

• PA Program and Policy Guide: https://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/assets/documents/111781

• HUD Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program: 

https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/cdbg-dr/

• USDA RD Programs: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/all-programs

• Federal Grant Policies (general): https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grantpolicies.html

• OMB Uniform Administrative Requirements: https://www.grants.gov/learn-grants/grantpolicies/omb-uniform-guidance-2014.html
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Annex D: Resources 

Note: printed copies of this and other FEMA documents listed may be available on a limited basis. 

Contact your Regional Tribal Liaison if you require printed copies.

General Guidance 

The NDRF. Available at: http://www.fema.gov/national-disaster-recovery-framework

The National Preparedness Goal. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/national-preparedness-goal

Presidential Policy Directive 8. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/learn-about-presidentialpolicy-directive-8

Damage Assessment Operations Manual. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/media-librarydata/1459972926996-a31eb90a2741e86699ef34ce2069663a/PDAManualFinal6.pdf

Effective Coordination of Recovery Resources for State, Tribal, Territorial and Local Incidents. 

FEMA. 2015. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/101940

FEMA National Integration Center Technical Assistance Program. Available at: 

https://www.fema.gov/fema-technical-assistance-program

Recovery FIOP. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/federal-interagency-operational-plans

NIMS Guideline for Resource Management and Mutual Aid. Available at: 

https://www.fema.gov/resource-management-mutual-aid

NFIP Community Rating System. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/national-flood-insuranceprogram-community-rating-system

FEMA and Tribal Nations: A Pocket Guide. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/assets/documents/99643

FEMA Tribal Affairs. Available at: www.fema.gov/fema-tribal-affairs

TDRM Responsibilities. Available at: 

https://www.fema.gov/pdf/recoveryframework/tribal_disaster_recovery_managers.pdf

Key Disaster Declaration Resources 

FEMA Non-Stafford Act Recovery Guide. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/media-librarydata/20130726-1910-25045-8797/non_stafford_act_recovery_guide.pdf

Tribal Declarations Pilot Guidance, January 2017. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/assets/documents/128307

Overview: Process for Tribal Governments to Request a Presidential Declaration. Available at: 

http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/85146

Frequently Asked Questions for Tribal Governments to Request a Presidential Declaration. 

Available at: http://www.fema.gov/frequently-asked-questions-current-process-tribalgovernments-request-presidential-declaration
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Request for Presidential Disaster Declaration Major or Emergency. Available at: 

http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/28122

Tribal Declaration and Disaster Assistance Resources. Available at: http://www.fema.gov/tribaldeclaration-and-disaster-assistance-resources

Preparedness and Planning Support 

Comprehensive Preparedness Guide 101 – Developing and Maintaining Emergency Operations 

Plans. Version 2, 2010. Available at: http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/assets/documents/25975?id=5697

THIRA Guidance. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/threat-and-hazard-identification-and-riskassessment

Core Capabilities. Available at: http://www.fema.gov/core-capabilities

Long-Term Community Recovery Planning Process – A Self Help Guide. Available at: 

http://www.fema.gov/pdf/rebuild/ltrc/selfhelp.pdf

SPR Guidance. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/stakeholder-preparedness-review

Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/tribal-homelandsecurity-grant-program

Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Local Governments. Available at:

https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/129203

Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for State Governments. Available at:

https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/128572

Effective Coordination of Recovery Resources for State, Tribal, Territorial, and Local Incidents. 

Available at: https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/101940

Long-Term Community Recovery Toolbox. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/media-librarydata/20130726-1841-25045-2720/ltcr_toolbox_508compliant_062112.pdf

FEMA National Exercise Program. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/national-exercise-program

Community Recovery Management Toolkit. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/communityrecovery-management-toolkit

FEMA CNMS Tool. Available at: https://msc.fema.gov/cnms

Preparedness and Planning Support (Non-FEMA Resources and Studies) 

APA Website. Available at: www.planning.org

APA Planning for Post-Disaster Recovery: Next Generation. Available at: 

https://www.planning.org/research/postdisaster/

NTEMC Website. Available at: http://ntemc.org/

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) – American Indian and Alaskan Native 

Disaster Preparedness Resource. Available at: 

https://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/planning/abc/Pages/tribal-preparedness.aspx
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NCAI – Emergency Management. Available at: http://www.ncai.org/policy-issues/tribalgovernance/emergency-management

NCAI – Taxation. Available at: http://www.ncai.org/policy-issues/tribal-governance/taxation

Community and Regional Resilience Institute Website. Available at: http://www.resilientus.org/

Daniel J. Weiss and Jackie Weidman. Disastrous Spending: Federal Disaster-Relief Expenditures 

Rise Amid More Extreme Weather (Washington: Center for American Progress, 2013). Available 

at: https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/WeissDisasterSpending1.pdf

Fairfax County Emergency Plans. Available at: 

https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/emergencymanagement/emergency-plans

Hillsborough County Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan (PDRP). 2010. Available at: 

http://www.hillsborough.org/en/residents/public-safety/emergency-management/postdisaster-redevelopment-plan

How to Make Cities More Resilient. 2012. Available at: 

http://www.unisdr.org/files/26462_handbookfinalonlineversion.pdf

Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Strategy. 2013. Available at: 

http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=HSRebuildingStrategy.pdf

Long-Term Community Recovery Plan, City of Galveston, TX. 2009. Available at: 

http://www.cityofgalveston.org/DocumentCenter/View/192

Long-Term Recovery Guide, NVOAD, 2012. Available at: https://www.nvoad.org/mdocsposts/long-term-recovery-guide/

Motion to Approve a Mutual Aid Agreement with the Seminole Tribe of Florida for Law 

Enforcement Services. City of Pembroke Pines, FL. Available at: 

https://ppines.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=600370&GUID=090743C0-FDAD-4FD6-

906D-2F6FDA1B8FE1&Search=

New York City Hurricane Sandy After Action Report, 2013. Available at: 

https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/housingrecovery/downloads/pdf/2017/sandy_aar_5-2-13.pdf

Panama City PDRP, 2008. Available at: 

https://www.floridadisaster.org/globalassets/importedpdfs/panama-city-post-disasterredevelopment-plan.pdf

Post-Disaster Redevelopment Planning: State of Florida Initiative. Available at: 

https://www.floridadisaster.org/globalassets/importedpdfs/post-disaster-redevelopmentplanning-workshop.pdf

Pre-Disaster Planning for Post-Disaster Recovery: Case Studies. Community Service Center at the 

University of Oregon. 2010. Available at: http://redevelopment.net/wpcontent/uploads/2010/09/CRS-Case-Studies_Final.pdf

Planning for Post-Disaster Recovery: Next Generation. Available at: 

https://www.planning.org/research/postdisaster/ 
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Rebuilding Greensburg, Kansas as a Model Green Community: A Case Study. National Renewable 

Energy Laboratory (NREL) Technical Report/TP-6A2-45135. November 2009. Available at: 

http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy10osti/45135-1.pdf

FEMA Grant Recipient Guidance 

FEMA New Recipients of Disaster Grants Guide. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/assets/documents/179496

PA Resources 

FEMA Debris Contracting Guidance. Available at: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/hsem/disasterrecovery/Documents/dmp-appendix-i.pdf

PA Program and Policy Guide. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/assets/documents/111781

PA: Local, State, Tribal, and Private Non-Profit. Available at: http://www.fema.gov/publicassistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit

Top 10 Procurement Under Grant Mistakes Leading to Audits and Potential Loss of FEMA PA

Funding. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1506978167717-

61cdf0784cbba7f976f8a66700f04f3e/Top_10_FEMA_Grant_Procurement_Mistakes_20170928.p

df

PA Administrative Plan Template. Available at: https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=732819

PA Contracting Requirements Checklist. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/assets/documents/135802

PDAT Website: https://www.fema.gov/procurement-disaster-assistance-team

Top 10 Procurement Under Grants Mistakes: https://www.fema.gov/media-librarydata/1557347000457-1eb78c466ff98f5a58eb6ca7a67ff73b/PDATTop10PuGMistakesFlyer.pdf

Supplement to the PDAT Field Manual: https://www.fema.gov/media-librarydata/1466525379386-

2a9382db5b667def50cf9f2f7b482ee8/FEMAProcurementUnderGrantsFieldManualSupplementFin

al.pdf

"PA Fact Sheet: Procurement Conducted Under Exigent or Emergency Circumstances:" 

https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1537192764124-

4c99f98f8cf5b63584ac80d252b0a9b5/EE_Procurment_PA_Fact_Sheet_1-18-

2018_508_FINAL.pdf

"PA Fact Sheet: Reasonable Cost Evaluation"- https://www.fema.gov/media-librarydata/1539879525279-

d00ae1c43f9765c5a4b415e1a31202c5/PA_Reasonable_Cost_Evaluation_Job_Aid_508_FINAL_1

0-16-2018.pdf
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IA Resources 

IA Program and Policy Guide. Available at: http://www.fema.gov/individual-assistance-programand-policy-guide

IHP Unified Guidance. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/assets/documents/124228

IA Program Tools. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/individual-assistance-program-tools

IHP and ONA Administrative Plan. Available at: http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/assets/documents/31206

Hazard Mitigation Resources 

Hazard Mitigation Planning. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/hazard-mitigation-planning

Local Mitigation Planning Handbook. Available at:

http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=7209

Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/pre-disastermitigation-grant-program

Tribal Mitigation Plan Review Guide. Available at: http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/assets/documents/18355

Tribal Mitigation Planning Resources. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/tribal-mitigationplanning-resources

Tribal Mitigation Planning Handbook: https://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/assets/documents/179207

Grants 

FEMA Grants Management Toolkit. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/grants-managementtoolkit

FEMA PA Program and Policy Guide. Available at: https://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/assets/documents/111781

HUD CDBG Disaster Recovery Program. Available at: 

https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/cdbg-dr/

USDA RD Programs. Available at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/all-programs

Federal Grant Policies. Available at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grantpolicies.html
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Annex E: Recovery Timeline 
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Annex F: Typical FEMA Recovery Programs 

FEMA’s New Recipients of Disaster Grants Guide is a consolidated resource guide that outlines all 

the regulatory and policy deadlines and requirements of the disaster grants process. The FEMA 

New Recipients Guide is a useful reference tool for recipients with limited to no experience 

navigating the IA, PA, and HMGP. To access the guide, visit https://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/assets/documents/179496.

Individual-Oriented Resources 

FEMA provides assistance to individuals and households through the IA program, which includes 

the following components:

Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program (CCP)

CCP is a supplemental assistance program that provides community-based outreach and psychoeducational services. Supplemental funding for crisis counseling is available through two grant 

mechanisms: (1) the Immediate Services Program, which provides funds for up to 60 days of 

services immediately following a disaster declaration; and (2) the Regular Services Program, which 

provides funds for up to nine months following a disaster declaration.

More information about this program can be found here: https://www.fema.gov/recoverydirectorate/crisis-counseling-assistance-training-program

Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA)

DUA is available for tribal governments to provide unemployment benefits and reemployment 

services to individuals who are unemployed as a result of a Presidential Disaster Declaration, and 

who are not eligible for regular State Unemployment Insurance. The U.S. Department of Labor 

(DOL) oversees this program. 

More information about this program can be found here: 

https://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/unemploy/disaster.asp

Disaster Legal Services (DLS)

DLS provides assistance to low-income individuals who, prior to or because of the disaster, are 

unable to secure legal services adequate to meet their disaster-related needs. DLS staff are not 

FEMA employees, but volunteer attorneys who can help with insurance claims, legal papers lost 

during the disaster, home repair contacts/contractors, landlord problems, proof of ownership, and 

FEMA appeals. 

More information about the program can be found here: https://www.disasterassistance.gov/getassistance/forms-of-assistance/4464

Disaster Case Management (DCM)

DCM is a time-limited program between a case manager and a disaster survivor to develop and 

carry out a Disaster Recovery Plan. The plan includes resources, services, decision-making 

priorities, progress reports, and the goals needed to achieve case closure. This program is 

administered by FEMA in partnership with the HHS Administration for Children and Families

(ACF). When implementing DCM, the state has three options: Direct Federal DCM Services Only 
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(lasts up to 180 days from the date of declaration), State DCM Grant Only (lasts up to 24 months 

from the date of declaration), or Direct Federal and State DCM Grant (Direct Federal lasts 180 days

while State can last 18 months, not to exceed 24 months from the disaster declaration). 

More information about this program can be found here: 

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ohsepr/resource/dcm-fact-sheet

Individuals and Households Program (IHP)

IHP provides financial assistance and direct services to eligible individuals and households who 

have uninsured or underinsured necessary expenses and serious needs. It is not a substitute for 

insurance and won’t compensate for all losses caused by a disaster. IHP is limited to 18 months 

following the date of a disaster declaration. The period of assistance begins at the date of 

presidential declaration and not the date on which the disaster is designated for IA. The President 

may extend this. 

Housing Assistance (HA)

FEMA provides 100% of federal HA costs. Financial housing assistance comes in the forms of 

lodging expense reimbursement, rental assistance, repair, and replacement. Direct housing 

assistance comes in the form of multi-family lease and repair, manufactured housing units, and 

permanent or semi-permanent housing construction.

Other Needs Assistance (ONA)

ONA is subject to a cost share between FEMA and the tribal government. FEMA covers 75% of 

eligible ONA costs and the tribal government is responsible for the remaining 25%. ONA is 

divided into two categories that can be dependent or non-dependent on the individual’s ability to 

secure a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loan. Non-SBA-dependent types may include 

funeral, medical, dental, childcare, and assistance for miscellaneous items. People who do not 

qualify for an SBA loan (which provides a low-interest loan to cover personal property, 

transportation, and moving/storage during a disaster) may also be eligible for assistance that 

covers personal property, moving and storage, and transportation assistance. 

More information about ONA and how to apply can be found here: 

https://www.disasterassistance.gov/get-assistance/forms-of-assistance/4473

Community-Oriented Resources 

FEMA provides assistance to communities through PA and Hazard Mitigation Assistance. 

Public Assistance (PA)

PA provides grants to tribal governments and certain types of private non-profit organizations so 

that communities can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters and emergencies. 

Through the program, FEMA provides supplemental federal grant assistance for debris removal, 

life-saving emergency protective measures, and the repair, replacement, or restoration of disasterdamaged publicly owned facilities and the facilities of certain private non-profit organizations. The 

federal cost share is not less than 75% of the eligible cost. The recipient (in this case, the tribal 

government) determines how the non-federal share (up to 25%) is split with subrecipients 

(eligible applications). Applicants must file a request for PA within 30 days after the disaster 

declaration. More information on PA can be found here: https://www.fema.gov/publicassistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit
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• Emergency Work 

o Category A: Debris Removal and Category B: Emergency Protective Measures.

• Permanent Work 

o Category C: Roads and Bridges, Category D: Water Control Facilities, Category E: 

Public Buildings and Contents, Category F: Public Utilities, and Category G: Parks, 

Recreational, and Other Facilities. 

Public Assistance Alternative Procedures- Section 428

SRIA introduced Section 428 into the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et sq). Section 428 authorizes 

alternative procedures for the PA program under sections 403(a)(3)(A), 406, 407, and 502(a)(5). 

Section 428 allows greater flexibility in the administration of assistance. It also allows for an 

upfront cost calculation for multiple PA-eligible projects that facilitates more flexibility for the 

applicant. More information on this program can be found here: 

https://www.fema.gov/alternative-procedures

Hazard Mitigation Assistance

FEMA funds mitigation measures to prevent or lessen the effects of a future disaster through 

HMGP (described further below). Building in resilience enables tribes to build back better and be 

better protected from the impacts of future disasters.

Section 404 – HMGP

Section 404 Mitigation refers to funding available for damaged and non-damaged facilities based 

on a percentage of dollars obligated to the PA and IA programs. HMGP assists in implementing 

long-term hazard mitigation planning and projects following a Presidential Disaster Declaration. 

Applicants must file a request for HMGP funds within 30 days of a disaster. 

More information on this program can be found here: https://www.fema.gov/hazard-mitigationgrant-program-guide-federally-recognized-tribal-governments

Section 406 – Mitigation Programs: 

Section 406 Mitigation is available for disaster-damaged facilities only, but unlike Section 404, 

Section 406 does not have a funding cap. Mitigation measures under Section 406 are funded 

under the PA program. The Section 406 program provides discretionary authority to fund 

mitigation measures in conjunction with the repair of the disaster-damaged facilities. As a result, 

the program is limited to declared counties and eligible damaged facilities. Applicants who have 

questions about Section 406 mitigation should contact the Tribal PA Officer assigned to their 

project(s). 

More information on this program can be found here: https://www.fema.gov/95261-hazardmitigation-funding-under-section-406-stafford-act