Public Assistance (PA) Grant Program

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. 

What Projects/Activities are Funded Through PA Grants?

There are two (2)/three (3) broad categories of eligible work. The two main broad categories of eligible work are Emergency Work and Permanent Work. The third broad category of eligible work is Management Costs. Emergency Work and Permanent Work. Each category is further subdivided as shown in the graphic below.

• 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.
• Management Cost is that which must be performed to manage the Public Assistance projects, including both indirect and direct administrative costs associated with the PA portion of a major disaster or emergency.

PA projects must meet environmental and historic regulations. To learn more visit Environmental and Historic Preservation Guidance for FEMA Grant Applicants.

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), the Facility, the Work, and the Cost. 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.

Funds provided within the Public Assistance (PA) Grant Program for eligible Applicants, facilities, work, and cost is typically a shared cost. The Federal share of assistance provided by the Federal government for Public Assistance grants is generally not less than 75 percent of the eligible cost. The grant recipient is usually the State, and the Recipient determines how the non-Federal share (up to 25 percent) is split with eligible Subrecipients (Applicants). Oftentimes, the non-Federal share must be covered by the Applicants, however there are exceptions.

Under certain circumstances, the Federal share may be 90 percent or even 100 percent. 

Any questions about Public Assistance eligibility can be directed to [email protected].

Applying for the Public Assistance Grant Program:

The Request for Public Assistance (RPA) is FEMA’s official application form (FEMA Form 90-49) that public organizations and PNPs use to apply for disaster assistance. The RPA must be submitted to FEMA within 30 days after Presidential declaration designation of the area where the damage occurred. It is a simple, short form with self-contained instructions. The RPA identifies the Applicant and their physical and mailing addresses, and provides contact information for the Applicant. In addition to the RPA form, Private Non-Profit organizations applying for Public Assistance Grant Program funds must also complete the PNP Facility Questionnaire and provide documentation demonstrating the organization’s primary function, and use, ownership, and responsibility of facility. The RPA and PNP Facility Questionnaire forms should be filed online through LouisianaPA.com. Any questions about the RPA, PNP Facility Questionnaire, or the RPA process in general can be directed to [email protected].

Receiving funding under the Public Assistance Grant Program:

Certain projects are awarded by FEMA as Small Projects while others are Large Projects. The determination of project size is based on the Large Project Threshold established by FEMA as of the date of the Presidential Disaster declaration. After a project has been awarded, funds may begin being dispersed. Small Project funding is often issued by GOHSEP to Applicants quickly and in some cases without any request or supporting documentation provided by the Applicant. In other cases, Small Project funding is not issued until the Applicant submits an Advance Request and provides documentation showing that work has either started or is expected to begin shortly, and additional Small Project funds are issued once the Applicant later notifies GOHSEP that the work has been significantly completed and GOHSEP has verified the completed work. For Large Projects, funding is only issued after the Applicant submits a request to GOHSEP for payment of the awarded funds. Requests for funds on awarded Large Projects may be done through the Applicant’s submission of an Advance Request or through the submission of expenses which demonstrate completed work. Completed work is typically recorded on the Force Account Labor, Force Account Equipment, Materials, Rented Equipment, and Contract Work Summary Records. A Reimbursement Request Form (RRF) must be provided as well as all supporting documentation demonstrating the costs incurred. These Summary Forms, as well as the “Reimbursement Documentation Requirements Checklist” and the “RRF Training Packet for Applicants” documents are very helpful documents to assist with the RRF process and are included in the links below. To receive funds from GOHSEP on Large Projects in the most expedited manner, it is recommended that an Applicant enroll in the Express Pay System (EPS). Through EPS, Applicants may receive a pre-determined percentage of the requested costs as long as the expenses included within the RRF request are within the FEMA approved Scope of Work and work deadline and proper supporting documentation has been provided. EPS payments are typically received within 10-14 business days of the submission of a good request. A Detailed Expense Review is performed after the EPS payment has been issued; during the Detailed Expense Review the documentation is more thoroughly reviewed to determine if the payment that has already been made was supported, if any additional funds may be due to the Applicant, or if a repayment may be needed. Any questions about the Small Project payment processing, Large Project payment processing, RRF, EPS, or other reimbursement questions can be directed to [email protected].

Any general questions about the Public Assistance Grant Program, or if you are unsure whom to contact for assistance with a particular question, can be directed to [email protected].