Any organization that receives federal financial assistance from FEMA cannot discriminate or prevent participation in a program or activity on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, English proficiency, or economic status.
The Office of Civil Rights is responsible for making sure all grant recipients and subrecipients (i.e., recipients who receive funding as part of a Federal award) comply with all applicable civil rights laws and regulations.
Assurance of Compliance
All recipients (or grantees) are required to sign and submit an assurance of compliance document, which affirms that the grantees’ projects, programs or services have complied and will comply with all applicable civil rights laws and regulations.
These documents must be signed by a proper authorized official on behalf of the recipient’s/grantee’s organization.
Review the Prevent and Address Discrimination fact sheet for more information.
Civil Rights Evaluation Tool
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) has a comprehensive compliance program to make sure recipients are carrying out their programs and activities in a nondiscriminatory manner.
FEMA’s Office of Civil Rights and DHS CRCL work together to make sure that grant recipients understand and meet their civil rights requirements.
Learn more about the Civil Rights Evaluation Tool and access DHS resources and training opportunities at DHS.gov.
Authorities
The Office of Civil Rights has the authority to:
- Conduct compliance reviews and investigate and resolve complaints of discrimination by FEMA or its grant recipients.
- Offer recommendations, technical assistance, training, research, and data analysis regarding equal rights, civil rights, and responsibilities to FEMA, its grant recipients, and the public for FEMA programs and activities.
- Make sure FEMA programs and activities follow all applicable civil rights laws, regulations, and Executive Orders.
DHS and FEMA Directives
Contact Us
External Civil Rights Division
Office of Civil Rights
500 C Street, SW
4th Floor – 4SW-0915
Washington, D.C. 20472-3535
833-285-7448
FEMA TTY: 800-462-7585
FEMA-CivilRightsOffice@fema.dhs.gov