Federal grant programs / Department of Homeland Security

Disaster Grants - Public Assistance (Presidentially Declared Disasters) (97.036)

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$152 billion
• Grant awards676
• Typical award$5.8 million
• Awarded in FY 2025$28 billion
• Size rank4 of 1824
• Type of assistanceProject grants

Key findings

• Annual funding fell from $39 billion in fiscal 2021 to $28 billion in fiscal 2025.
• It is the 4th largest of 1,824 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• The 20 largest recipients received 87% of the money.
• Awards went to recipients in 56 states and territories.

What the program funds

To assist state, local, territorial , and tribal (SLTT) governments and eligible private non-profits in responding to and recovering from the devastating effects of disasters by providing assistance for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the repair, restoration, reconstruction or replacement of public and eligible private non-profit facilities or infrastructure damaged or destroyed as the result of Presidentially-declared major disasters or emergencies.Performance Measures: Debris Grants: • Number awarded for debris removal • Number of debris subawards obligated • 80% of debris subawards developed without rework, as a result of effective training and processes • 75% of debris subawards obligation within PA PDG guidelines • 90% of debris projects completed within the POP Emergency Protective Measure Grants • Dollar amount awarded for Emergency Protective Measures • Number of EPM subawards obligated • 80% of EPM subawards developed without rework, as a result of • effective training and processes • 75% of EPM subawards obligated within PDG guidelines • 90% of EPM projects completed within the POP Resilience Infrastructure Grants • Dollar amount awarded for infrastructure projects • Number of infrastructure subawards obligated • 25% of total infrastructure dollars are obligated for mitigation to improve resiliency of FEMA funded projects • Percent of infrastructure projects that include mitigation to improve resiliency of FEMA funded projects • 80% of infrastructure subawards developed without rework, as a result of effective training and processes • 75% of infrastructure subawards obligated within PA PDG guidelines • 90% of infrastructure projects completed within the POP Grant Management Funds • Dollar amount awarded for management cost • Number of management cost subawards obligated • 90% of management cost projects completed within the POP • 90% of closeouts submitted by recipients within PA PDG timelines • Percent of Applicants with SVI scores above .7 assigned appropriate PDMGs Training, Development, and Guidance • 75% of Applicant Coordination & Evaluation activities completed within 30 days of incident • Applicants reporting satisfaction with FEMA policies, processes, and engagement: o PA overall – 90%; Understanding PA – 80%; Grants Portal – 90% • 20% of declared events are recipient led • 80% of FEMA PA staff assigned roles aligned w/ training and quals

From the federal Assistance Listing. Read the full listing on SAM.gov.

Open opportunities

No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.

Rules from the program listing

Who can apply

State and Territorial Governments State and territorial governments, including the District of Columbia, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, are eligible applicants. This includes any agency or instrumentality thereof, exclusive of local governments. Tribal Governments Federally recognized Indian Tribal governments, including Alaska Native villages and organizations, are eligible Applicants. A searchable list of federally recognized tribal nations is available through the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). Alaska Native Corporations are ineligible as they are privately owned.State recognized tribes and heritage groups are eligible applicants. Although they cannot request a Presidential declaration, they can receive funding through the PA Program through the state.

Continue reading on SAM.gov

What the money can and cannot pay for

Restricted to Presidentially-declared emergencies (instances for which the President determines supplemental emergency assistance to save lives and protect property and public health and safety or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe is warranted) or major disasters (including any hurricane, tornado, storm, flood, high water, wind-driven water, tidal wave, tsunami, earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, mudslide, snowstorm, drought, fire). The declaration designates the types of federal assistance authorized. FEMA provides PA in the form of cost-shared grants to state, tribe, territory, and local governments and certain types of private nonprofit organizations. Costs that are eligible under FEMA’s PA program must be: Directly tied to the performance of eligible work; Adequately documented; Reduced by all applicable credits, such as insurance proceeds, cash awards and salvage values; Authorized and not prohibited under federal or state, tribal, territory and local government laws or regulations; Consistent with the applicant’s internal policies, regulations, and procedures that apply uniformly to both federal awards and other activities of the applicant; and Necessary and reasonable to accomplish the work properly and efficiently.

Matching requirements

Statutory Formula: Title Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Part 5121-5206,Public Law 93-288.FEMA Public Assistance is subject to a non-federal cost share (44 C.F.R. § 206.203(b).). The cost share ensures SLTT interest and involvement through financial participation. The federal share for PA is not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs. (Stafford Act §§ 403(b), 406(b), 407(d), and 503(a), 42 U.S.C. §§ 5170b, 5172, 5173, 5193; 44 C.F.R. § 206.47(a) and 206.65.)Statutory Formula: Title Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act Chapter 42 Part 5121-5206 Subpart Public Law 93-288 FEMA Public Assistance is subject to a non-federal cost share (44 C.F.R. § 206.203(b).). The cost share ensures SLTT interest and involvement through financial participation. The federal share for PA is not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs. (Stafford Act §§ 403(b), 406(b), 407(d), and 503(a), 42 U.S.C. §§ 5170b, 5172, 5173, 5193; 44 C.F.R. § 206.47(a) and 206.65.) Matching Requirements: Percent: 25 Statutory Formula: Title Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act Chapter 42 Part 5121-5206 Subpart Public Law 93-288 Matching Requirements : Percent: 25 The Federal share of the grant is not less than 75 percent with the State and local governments, or eligible private non-profits, responsible for the remainder. Individuals and organizations often donate resources to assist with response activities.

Continue reading on SAM.gov

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines Applicants should contact their local or state emergency manager, as appropriate for application deadlines.

Award range and average, in the agency's words

The minimum project threshold for a Public Assistance (PA) grant as of FY 2023 is $3,800; and the average amount obligated per project in FY 2022 declarations is $346,014. FEMA provides funding based on eligibility costs without a set limit.

Examples of funded projects

Fiscal Year2019: Example 1: In 2017, New York was affected by a flood which caused high floodwaters and heavy wave action resulting in erosion to Port Authority of Oswego’s East and West Terminal Piers; totaling $6,159,258.60 (Federal Cost Share: $4,619,443.95; Non-Federal Cost Share: $1,539,814.65). This Project was Obligated on September 18th, 2019. FEMA’s repair calculations to restore the facilities to pre-disaster design and function include: West Terminal Pier: Asphalt parking lot, concrete gravity wall, and steel sheet piling and sheeting cells in lieu of the timber cribbing system (determined to be a least cost alternative); totaling $4,871,243.00. East Terminal Pier: Asphalt parking lot, base courses, and permanent sheet pile wall; totaling $1,126,502.00. Requested Mitigation Costs: totaling $161,513.60. Example 2: In 2018, West Virginia was affected by flooding which caused embankment failure for multiple roads for the WV Division of Highways District 6 Applicant. Due to the extent of damage the site could not be restored to pre-disaster conditions with in-kind construction thus resulting in the repairs being captured through Good Construction Practices. FEMA’s repair calculations to restore the roadways / embankment failure totaled $3,292,577.00 (Federal Cost Share: $2,469,432.75; Non-Federal Cost Share: $823,144.25).

Continue reading on SAM.gov

Quoted from the program's federal Assistance Listing. The notice of funding opportunity is the official source for each competition's rules.

Who usually wins

Almost all of the money went to state and local governments.

By state

Each state below has its own page for this program, with its recipients and yearly totals.

Award amounts are federal obligations reported to USAspending.gov for fiscal 2021 to 2025; see how our data works.