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GovStar guidesFEMA Public Assistance, by what you’re doing

Disaster Recovery Guides

Start from the job in front of you: responding to the disaster, paying for the work, rebuilding, meeting federal requirements, or getting funded, keeping it and protecting your budget.

Sources: FEMA’s Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide (PAPPG v5.0) and 44 CFR Part 206. Every rule and tool result cites the PAPPG page it comes from.

Respond to the DisasterDebris removal, protective measures, sheltering Manage Costs & ResourcesLabor, equipment, contracts and what FEMA will pay Rebuild & MitigateRestoring facilities, codes and hazard mitigation Meet Federal RequirementsEnvironmental and historic review, insurance and floodplains Disaster Fiscal ResiliencyGet funded, avoid claw-backs and protect your budget

GETTING STARTEDBefore any project

Start Here

New declaration, or not sure where your question fits? Begin with these.

Find your pathAnswer two questions and get pointed to the right guidance.New disaster declarationsDeclarations with Public Assistance, by state and county, with estimated application deadlines.Apply for Public AssistanceThe Request for Public Assistance and its 30-day deadline.Who can applyGovernments, tribes and private nonprofits.Report your damageThe impact list and its 60-day deadline.Emergency or permanent work?The split that drives which rules apply to your costs.

EMERGENCY RESPONSEDebris removal, protective measures, sheltering

Respond to the Disaster

Debris removal, protective measures, sheltering.

GovStar guide · interactive toolsEmergency Work GuideDebris, hazardous trees, protective measures, sheltering and special operations on one page.Scenario checker · tree root-ball tool · debris truck calculator · shelter equipment · beach berm testOpen the guide →

Deep dives: common questions

What makes response work eligible as emergency work?Emergency work eligibility and the immediate threat test When is debris removal eligible for FEMA funding?Debris removal (Category A)Can we remove damaged trees, hanging limbs and stumps?Hazardous trees, limbs and stumps Can we remove debris from private property, private roads or commercial properties?Private property debris removal (PPDR)Do we have to monitor our debris contractors, and will FEMA pay for it?Debris monitoring What response activities count as emergency protective measures?Emergency protective measures (Category B)What shelter costs will FEMA reimburse?Congregate sheltering Can we shelter people in hotels, dorms or trailers?Non-congregate sheltering Will FEMA pay for emergency medical care when local systems are overwhelmed?Emergency medical care When will FEMA pay for snow removal?Snow-related activities

Full reference & tools:Emergency Work reference Emergency Work navigator

COSTS & PROCUREMENTLabor, equipment, contracts and what FEMA will pay

Manage Costs & Resources

Labor, equipment, contracts and what FEMA will pay.

GovStar guide · interactive toolsForce Account Labor GuideWhat FEMA pays for your own employees’ time, and how emergency work differs from permanent work.Labor cost calculator · standby time checker · FEMA Tables 10 and 11Open the guide →

Deep dives: common questions

Will FEMA pay our employees’ regular hours, or only overtime?Regular time vs. overtime Which hourly rate will FEMA use for our equipment?Equipment rates What procurement rules do local governments and nonprofits have to follow?Procurement rules for local governments and nonprofits Can we hire a contractor without competitive bidding in an emergency?Sole-source contracts and emergencies Which contract types will FEMA pay for?Contract types and time-and-materials limits Will FEMA pay for help we got from other agencies or jurisdictions?Mutual aid Can volunteers and donated supplies count toward our cost share?Donated resources How does FEMA decide whether our costs were reasonable?Reasonable costs Will FEMA cover lost revenue or higher operating costs?Ineligible costs: lost revenue, service life, tax assessments and operating costs Will FEMA pay for the cost of managing our FEMA grant?Management costs (grant administration)

Full reference & tools:Procurement and contracting Cost Eligibility reference Cost Eligibility Gateway Force Account labor and equipment

PERMANENT RESTORATIONRestoring facilities, codes and hazard mitigation

Rebuild & Mitigate

Restoring facilities, codes and hazard mitigation.

Deep dives: common questions

What does FEMA pay to rebuild or repair a damaged facility?Permanent work: restoring pre-disaster design and function Our code requires upgrades as part of the repair. Will FEMA pay for them?When code-required upgrades are eligible How does FEMA decide whether to repair or replace a damaged facility?Repair vs. replacement: the 50 percent rule Can FEMA pay to make our facility stronger than before?Section 406 hazard mitigation Which mitigation measures does FEMA treat as cost-effective without a separate analysis?Pre-approved mitigation measures and the 100 percent rule Can we use FEMA funds to rebuild bigger or better than before?Improved projects Can we use the funds for a different facility instead of rebuilding the damaged one?Alternate projects Which road and bridge damage will FEMA repair?Roads and bridges (Category C)How does FEMA decide what building damage it will repair?Buildings (Category E)How does FEMA handle damaged utilities and power restoration?Utilities, power restoration and right-of-way clearance

Full reference & tools:Permanent Work reference Work Eligibility by Facility Cost-Effective Mitigation Damaged Assets navigator

COMPLIANCE & REVIEWSEnvironmental and historic review, insurance and floodplains

Meet Federal Requirements

Environmental and historic review, insurance and floodplains.

Deep dives: common questions

What is an EHP review, and does every project need one?How EHP review works How can we get through the EHP review faster?Getting through EHP review faster Does emergency work and debris removal need an environmental review?EHP rules for emergency work and debris What extra rules apply when we rebuild in a floodplain or wetland?Floodplains, wetlands and the 8-step process Do we have to insure facilities FEMA helps repair?Obtain-and-maintain insurance requirement Why would FEMA cut funding for an uninsured building in a flood zone?Flood insurance reductions in flood hazard areas How does insurance affect our FEMA funding?Insurance proceeds and reductions Do other grants, donations or lawsuit recoveries reduce our FEMA funding?Grants, donations, third-party recoveries and other federal funds How does FEMA decide the work is our legal responsibility?Legal responsibility for the work Which nonprofit facilities are eligible, and what does “open to the general public” mean?Private nonprofit facilities and the services they provide

Full reference & tools:Environmental and Historic Preservation reference Environmental laws Nonprofit eligibility examples Insurance policy Policy Library

GET FUNDED & AVOID CLAW-BACKSScoping, closeout, audits, appeals and readiness

Disaster Fiscal Resiliency

Get funded, avoid claw-backs and protect your budget: scoping, closeout, audits, appeals and readiness.

GovStar guide · interactive toolsScoping and Costing GuideScope of work, project thresholds, expedited funding, cost estimates and obligation.Project sizing calculator · damage inventory toolOpen the guide →

Deep dives: common questions

What does a scope of work need to say?Developing the scope of work What makes a project small or large, and is there a minimum?Project thresholds: minimum, small and large Will FEMA accept our own cost estimate, and how does FEMA build its own?Cost estimates: yours and FEMA’s Can we get emergency work funding before the project is finished?Expedited funding for emergency work What contract records do we need to give FEMA?Contract cost documentation What does FEMA need to close out a large project?Large project closeout How do small projects close out, and can we recover costs that ran over?Small project closeout and net small project overruns Can FEMA take money back years after a project closes?Section 705: limits on FEMA recovering funds How long do we have to keep our FEMA project records?How long to keep disaster records Can we appeal a FEMA decision, and what does the appeal need to include?Appeal rights and what an appeal must contain

Full reference & tools:Scoping, Costing and Final Reviews reference Closeout reference Appeal Rights reference Fixed-cost projects How FEMA checks your estimate Second Appeals Tracker Appeal Decisions Search OIG audits Readiness assessment Insurance strategy FEMA Reform Watch

Can’t find it? Search every topic in the PAPPG Explorer or browse the FAQ Library.