FEMA provides two kinds of disaster assistance following a presidential major disaster declaration: Individual Assistance, which provides funds directly to eligible individuals and families; and Public Assistance, which provides supplemental grants to government entities, as well as to certain types of private nonprofit organizations. The two programs are funded independently from each other and are intended to benefit individuals and communities in different ways.
FEMA Individual Assistance
- Individual Assistance provides financial and direct assistance to eligible individuals and families affected by a disaster who have uninsured or underinsured necessary expenses and serious needs. It is not a substitute for insurance and cannot compensate for all losses caused by the disaster. The assistance is intended to meet survivors’ basic needs and supplement disaster recovery efforts.
- Individual Assistance may include:
- Renting temporary housing
- Repairing uninsured or underinsured homes
- Other disaster-caused expenses and serious needs, such as:
- Repair or replacement of personal property and vehicles
- Funds for moving and storage
- Funds for medical, dental, childcare, and funeral expenses
- Other miscellaneous items
Additional programs such as Crisis Counseling, Disaster Legal Services, and Disaster Unemployment Assistance may also be available.
Learn more about FEMA’s Individual Assistance program at fema.gov/assistance/individual.
Individuals who wish to apply for FEMA Individual Assistance may visit DisasterAssistance.gov,use the FEMA App or call 800-621-3362.
Public Assistance
- Provides supplemental grants to state, territorial and local governments and Tribal Nations as well as certain types of private nonprofit organizations so that communities can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies.
- After an event such as Tropical Storm Debby, Aug.-20, 2024, or Hurricane Helene, communities need help to cover their costs for debris removal, life-saving emergency protective services and restoring public infrastructure.
- Public Assistance project examples include:
- Restoration of buildings and equipment such as schools, hospitals and facilities providing community services
- Restoration of damaged roads and bridges
- Debris removal from obstructed public roads and infrastructure
- Repair of public utilities and water systems
Learn more about FEMA’s Public Assistance program at www.fema.gov/assistance/public.
For the latest information about Florida’s recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4821. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.