Public Assistance Resource Library

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The COVID-19 incident period ended on May 11, 2023. FEMA will continue to provide funeral assistance until Sept. 30, 2025, to those who have lost loved ones due to this pandemic.

The Public Assistance Resource Library contains general program and disaster-specific guidance that focuses on restoring public infrastructure for communities affected by major disasters or emergencies.

You can search for a document by its title, or filter the collection to browse by:

  • Topic: Cost Evaluations, private nonprofits, emergency protective measures, etc.
  • Document Type: Fact sheet, policy, infographic, etc.
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Simplifying the Public Assistance Program - Management Costs

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

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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic: Public Assistance Programmatic Deadlines (Interim) Version 2

This interim policy supersedes Version 1 of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic: Public Assistance Programmatic Deadlines released on June 15, 2022 and is applicable to all COVID-19 declarations. Pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act), the President issued a nationwide emergency declaration March 13, 2020, and major disaster declarations for the COVID-19 pandemic. This policy applies to the emergency assistance authorized by these declarations.

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Policy Issuance Memo: COVID-19 Public Assistance Programmatic Deadlines

The purpose of this memorandum is to issue FEMA Policy # 104-22-0002: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic: Public Assistance Programmatic Deadlines (Interim) Version 2.

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FEMA Public Assistance: Category B – Snow Related Activities Fact Sheet

This fact sheet explains the limited financial assistance FEMA provides for snow-related activities for a continuous 48-hour period to address the most critical emergency needs. It provides an overview of eligibility criteria, the specific language which must be included in a related major disaster declaration for snow related activities to be eligible for a specific incident, and references where the reader may find more detailed info in the PA program and Policy Guide.

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Archived: Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) Management Costs Frequently Asked Questions

The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Frequently Asked Questions address questions received from stakeholder engagements regarding the implementation of Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Management Costs (Interim) Policy #104-11-1 (Interim Policy). This guidance was effective from February 28, 2020 through March 22, 2023.

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Public Assistance Wildfire Policy Guidance Memorandum

This memorandum is in response to recommendations from the National Emergency Managers Association (NEMA) and discussions held during the FEMA’s April 2022 Wildfire Summit.

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Mitigate Disaster Damage with FEMA Public Assistance

If you qualify for repairs through FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) Program under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Act Section 406, then you may also be eligible for additional funding to protect your facility through PA Mitigation (formerly referred to as 406 Mitigation).

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Public Assistance Simplified Procedures Policy Webinar - Frequently Asked Questions

Explains the updated Public Assistance (PA) Simplified Procedures policy. The policy simplifies implementation of the Public Assistance program to support rapid recovery for applicants.

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  • |   Frequently Asked Questions
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COVID-19 –Incident Period Closure, Public Assistance Emergency Work Deadline, and Resulting Program Guidance

On January 30, 2023, the President informed Congress that the national emergency and public health emergency declarations would conclude simultaneously on May 11, 2023.

In recognition of the progress made in responding to the pandemic, FEMA announced on February 10, 2023, the closure of the incident period for all COVID-19 emergency and major disaster declarations under the Stafford Act. This notification was made via the publication of a notice in the Federal Register pursuant to 44 C.F.R. 206.32(f) and closes the incident period effective May 11, 2023, coinciding with the end of the public health emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic. FEMA’s closure of the incident period for Public Assistance emergency work does not affect FEMA’s ongoing COVID-19 funeral assistance. FEMA will continue to provide this assistance until Sept. 30, 2025.

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PA Assessment Recommendations and Implementation Summary

The purpose of the assessment was to determine if the PA National Delivery Model and the establishment of the Consolidated Resource Centers were meeting the original design intent (2017) to standardize PA program delivery, and increase accuracy, efficiency, and simplicity, as well as improve timeliness and accessibility, for processing grants for States, Locals, Territories, and Tribal Nations. A contract to conduct the assessment was secured in early 2022. A PA Taskforce was established to support the assessment by ensuring data from 2018 to July 2022 was readily available to the contractor in addition to supporting the collection of extensive internal and external stakeholder feedback from April to July 2022 for analysis.

The foundation of recommended changes results from extensive stakeholder feedback including contacting all 50 states, five territories, and nine tribes, conducting 1,009 interviews, and surveying 1,272 respondents at all levels within the PA Program. The independent report will aid in the agency’s commitment to simplifying and streamlining program requirements, reducing the burden on stakeholders/applicants, and expanding access to Public Assistance grant funding.