The
Public Assistance (PA) Grant Program provides
supplemental Federal assistance to States and local communities to
return an area impacted by disaster to its
pre-disaster conditions and function. PA supports initiatives that protect against
immediate
threats to
life, public safety and
improved property; the removal of
debris as a result of a disaster and the
restoration – through
repair or
replacement – of disaster-damaged
structures and
facilities. The program is
managed by FEMA,
administered by GOHSEP and is available
after a
Presidentially declared emergency or disaster.
Who can Participate in the PA Program?
There are
four (4) eligibility requirements that must be met to participate in the
PA Program.
The Subrecipient (Applicant) – is the basis for eligibility. The Subrecipient must be eligible for the facility to be eligible. The facility must be eligible for the work to be eligible. The work must be eligible for the cost to be eligible.
| Eligibility |
| APPLICANT | There are four (4) types of eligible Applicants for Public Assistance (PA). If an entity meets the requirements one (1) of the types, the Applicant may be eligible to receive Federal disaster assistance. State government agencies. Local governments and special districts – For example school districts, irrigation districts, fire districts and utility districts. Private nonprofit organizations (PNPs). PNPs must own or operate facilities that are open to the general public and that provide certain essential and critical services otherwise performed by a government agency. Federally recognized Native American Indian Tribes or authorized Tribal organizations, including Alaskan Native Tribal governments and village organizations – not including Alaska Native Corporations, which are owned by private individuals.
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| FACILITY | The facility must be: The legal responsibility of an eligible Applicant and not under the specific authority of another Federal agency. Located in the designated disaster area. Damaged by the declared disaster or emergency. In active use and open to the general public at the time of the disaster.
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| WORK | To be eligible for PA funding, disaster recovery work performed on an eligible facility must be: Required as a direct result of a major disaster event. Located within a designated disaster area. The legal responsibility of an eligible Applicant.
|
COST
| Generally, costs that can be directly tied to the performance of eligible work are eligible. Costs must be: - Reasonable and necessary to accomplish the work.
- Compliant with Federal, State and local requirements for procurement.
- Reduced by all applicable credits, such as insurance proceeds and salvage values.
Cost is reasonable if it is a cost that is both fair and equitable for the type of work being performed. |
The cost of eligible work is typically a shared cost. The Federal share of assistance is generally not less than 75 percent of the eligible cost for Emergency Measures and Permanent Work. The grant recipient is usually the State. The Recipient determines how the non-Federal share – up to 25 percent – is split with eligible Subrecipients (Applicants). There are exceptions.
Under certain circumstances the Federal share may be 90 percent or even 100 percent.
What Projects/Activities are Funded Through PA Grants?
There are
two (2) broad categories of eligible work
– Emergency Work and
Permanent Work. Each category is further subdivided as shown in the graphic to the right.
- Emergency Work is that which must be performed to reduce or eliminate an immediate threat to life, protect public health and safety, and to protect improved property that is threatened in a significant way as a result of a disaster
- Permanent Work is that which is required to restore a damaged facility to its pre-disaster design and function and capacity – in accordance with, applicable codes or standards.
- Temporary Facilities may also be eligible for PA when services provided at public, Tribal and PNP are disrupted due to a major emergency or disaster event.
See the chart to the right for examples of eligible activities.
PA projects must meet environmental and historic regulations. To learn more, download the EHP environmental + historic preservation brochure and visit Environmental and Historic Preservation Guidance for FEMA Grant Applicants.
When is the Application Period?
An RPA must be submitted to FEMA within 30 days after Presidential-declaration designation of the area where the damage occurred.