Alternate project - A project where an applicant determines that the public welfare is not best served by restoring the function of the damaged facility and request FEMA’s approval to apply PA funding toward a different facility (or facilities).
Animal - Any living or dead member of the animal kingdom, including any mammal, fish, bird, amphibian, reptile, mollusk, crustacean, arthropod, or other invertebrate or any part thereof.
Applicant - A non-federal entity submitting an application for assistance under a recipient’s federal award.
Assistance animal - An animal that works, provides assistance, or performs tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability, or provides emotional support that alleviates identified symptoms or effects of a person’s disability. Although dogs are the most common type of assistance animal, other animals can also be assistance animals.
Award (federal) - The financial assistance that a non-federal entity receives either directly from a federal awarding agency or indirectly from a pass-through entity; or the cost-reimbursement contract under the Federal Acquisition Regulation that a non-federal entity receives directly from a federal awarding agency or indirectly from a pass-through entity.
Budgeted (labor) - Employee labor costs an applicant budgets for and incurs regardless of a disaster occurring.
Coastal zone - The coastal waters (including the lands therein and thereunder) and the adjacent shorelands (including the waters therein and thereunder), strongly influenced by each other and in proximity to the shorelines of coastal states, including islands, transitional and intertidal areas, salt marshes, wetlands, and beaches. This includes areas in Great Lakes waters per 16 U.S.C. § 1453.
Commercial property - Any property, structure, or portion of a structure, used for the purpose of conducting commerce or as a rental unit (e.g., industrial parks, golf courses, cemeteries, apartments, condominiums, or trailer parks).
Consensus-based codes, specifications, and standards – National or international voluntary codes, specifications and standards that incorporate the latest hazard-resistant designs.
Conservation - The preservation of a collection or object for the future. Conservation activities include examination, documentation, treatment, and preventive care, supported by research (e.g., scholarly and technological, x-rays, paint sampling) and education.
Critical action - An action for which even a slight chance of flooding is too great. The minimum floodplain of concern for critical actions is the 0.2 percent annual chance floodplain (also referred to as the critical action floodplain).
Current fair market value - The value of equipment and supplies determined by selling them in a competitive market or by researching advertised prices for similar items on the used market.
Duplication of benefits - Funding received from two sources for the same item of work.
Durable medical equipment - Reusable medical equipment including, but not limited to: oxygen equipment, wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds, and crutches.
Educational institution - Any elementary school as defined by section 801(c) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965; any secondary school as defined by section 801(h) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965; or any institution of higher education as defined by section 1201 of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
Emergency - Any occasion or instance for which the president determines federal assistance is needed to supplement SLTT efforts and capabilities to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in any part of the United States.
Emergency protective measure - An action taken by a community before, during, and after an incident to save lives, protect public health and safety, and prevent damage to improved public and private property.
Emergency work - Work that must be done immediately to save lives, protect improved property, protect public health and safety, or avert or lessen the threat of a major disaster.
Equipment - Tangible personal property, including information technology systems, having a useful life of more than 1 year and a per-unit acquisition cost that equals or exceeds the lesser of the capitalization level established by the non-federal entity for financial statement purposes, or $10,000.
Exigency - The existence of a need to avoid, prevent or alleviate serious harm or injury, financial or otherwise, to an applicant.
Facility - Any publicly or privately-owned building, works, system or equipment—built or manufactured—or an improved and maintained natural feature. Land used for agricultural purposes is not a facility.
Federal agency - Any department, independent establishment, government corporation, or other agency of the executive branch of the federal government, including the United States Postal Service, but not including the American National Red Cross.
Federal share - The portion of the total project costs that are paid by federal funds.
Flood control work - A structure such as a levee, flood wall, flood control channel, or water control structure that was designed and constructed to have appreciable effects in preventing damage by irregular and unusual rises in water level.
Flood fighting - An activity or measure (e.g., sandbagging, buttressing) intended to prevent or stop flooding, at levels above flood stage, or to prevent structural failure.
Force account - An applicant’s own labor forces and equipment.
Hazard - An emergency or disaster resulting from a natural disaster or an accidental or man-caused event.
Hazard mitigation - Any cost-effective measure that will reduce the potential for damage to a facility from a disaster event.
Hazard-resistant – Designs which take into account the probability of occurrence of hazards, within a reasonable recurrence interval, to decrease vulnerabilities.
Immediate threat - The threat of additional damage or destruction from an event that can reasonably be expected to occur within 5 years.
Improved project - A project that restores the pre-disaster function of a facility and incorporates improvements or changes to the pre-disaster design.
Improved property - A structure, facility, or item of equipment that was built, constructed, or manufactured. Land used for agricultural purposes is not improved property.
Incident - Any condition which meets the definition of major disaster or emergency which causes damage or hardship that may result in a presidential declaration of a major disaster or an emergency.
Incident period - The time span during which the disaster-causing incident occurs.
Integral ground - The ground necessary to physically support a facility. Integral ground may be natural or improved ground upon which an eligible facility is located and that is essential to support the structural integrity and utility of the facility.
Large project - A project for which the final obligated (federal and non-federal) amount is equal to or greater
than the annually adjusted cost threshold for small project grants.
Local government - A county, municipality, city, town, township, local public authority, school district, special district, intrastate district, council of governments(regardless of whether the council of governments is incorporated as a nonprofit corporation under state law), regional or interstate government entity, or agency or instrumentality of a local government; an Indian tribe or authorized tribal organization, or Alaska Native village or organization that does not meet the definition of Indian Tribal Nation; or a rural community, unincorporated town or village, or other public entity, for which an application for assistance is made by a state or political subdivision of a state.
Major disaster - Any natural catastrophe (including any hurricane, tornado, storm, high water, wind-driven water, tidal wave, tsunami, earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, mudslide, snowstorm, or drought), or, regardless of cause, any fire, flood, or explosion, in any part of the United States, for which the president determines causes damage of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant major disaster assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, as Amended to supplement the efforts
and available resources of SLTT governments and disaster relief organizations in alleviating the damage, loss, hardship, or suffering caused thereby.
Management cost - Any indirect cost, any direct administrative cost, and any other administrative expense associated with a specific project under a major disaster or emergency.
Museum - A facility that preserves and exhibits a documented collection of artistic, historic, scientific, or other objects.
Mutual aid agreement - A written or oral agreement between and among agencies/organizations and/or jurisdictions that provides a mechanism to quickly obtain assistance in the form of personnel, equipment, materials, and other associated services. The primary objective is to facilitate the rapid, short-term deployment of support prior to, during, and/or after an incident.
Natural disaster - Any hurricane, tornado, storm, flood, high water, wind-driven water, tidal wave, tsunami, earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, mudslide, snowstorm, drought, fire, or other catastrophe in any part of the United States which causes, or which may cause, substantial damage or injury to civilian property or persons.
Natural features - Characteristics of a particular environment (e.g., barrier islands, sand dunes, wetlands) that are created by physical, geological, biological, and chemical processes and exist in dynamic equilibrium. Natural features are self-sustaining parts of the landscape that require little or no maintenance to continue providing their ecosystem services (functions) (44 CFR § 9.4). .
Non-commercial property - A property, structure, or portion of a structure, used by the property owner as their primary residence, such as a house or condominium unit in which the owner resides.
Non-federal entity - An institution of higher education, nonprofit organization, local government, Indian tribe, or state that carries out a federal award as a recipient or subrecipient.
Orphan road – A road that an applicant or public entity does not have the legal responsibility to maintain.
Overtime (labor) - Time worked beyond an employee’s scheduled working hours, as set by an applicant’s pre-disaster written labor or pay policy.
Period of performance - The time during which the non-federal entity may incur new obligations to carry out the work authorized under the federal award.
Permanent work - Restorative work that must be performed through repairs or replacement to restore an eligible facility on the basis of its pre-disaster design and current applicable codes and standards.
Pet (household) - A domesticated animal that is traditionally kept in the home for pleasure rather than for commercial purposes, can travel in a commercial carrier, and can be housed in a temporary facility.
Examples are dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, rodents, and turtles. Household pets do not include reptiles (except
turtles), amphibians, fish, insects, arachnids, farm animals (including horses), or animals kept for racing purposes.
Pre-disaster - In effect prior to the incident start date identified in the approved presidential disaster declaration.
Pre-disaster design - The size or capacity of a facility as originally designed and constructed or subsequently modified by changes or additions to the original design. It does not mean the capacity at which the facility was being used at the time the major disaster occurred if different from the most recent designed capacity.
Pre-disaster function - The function the facility was performing immediately prior to the disaster.
Private nonprofit organization (PNP) - Any nongovernmental agency or entity that currently has an effective ruling letter from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, granting tax exemption under Sections 501(c), (d), or (e) of the Internal Revenue Code, or satisfactory evidence from the State that the nonrevenue producing organization or entity is a nonprofit one organized or doing business under State law.
Private roads - Roads that are not owned or operated by or otherwise the legal responsibility of a federal or SLTT entity (including orphan roads, roads in gated communities, homeowners’ association roads, etc.).
PNP custodial care facility - A building, structure, or system, including those for essential administration and support, that is used to provide institutional care for persons who require close supervision and some physical constraints on their daily activities for their self-protection, but do not require day-to-day medical care.
PNP educational facility - Classrooms plus related supplies, equipment, machinery, and utilities of an educational institution necessary or appropriate for instructional, administrative, and support purposes.
PNP emergency facility - A building, structure, equipment, or system used to provide emergency services, such as fire protection, ambulance, or rescue, to the general public, including the administrative and support facilities essential to the operation of such emergency facilities, even if not contiguous.
PNP medical facility - A hospital, outpatient facility, rehabilitation facility, or facility for long-term care as such terms are defined in Section 645 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. § 291o) and any similar facility offering diagnosis or treatment of mental or physical injury or disease, including the administrative and support facilities essential to the operation of such medical facilities even if not contiguous.
Project - A logical grouping of work required as a result of the declared major disaster or emergency.
Public facility - Any of the following facilities owned by an SLTT government: any flood control, navigation, irrigation, reclamation, public power, sewage treatment and collection, water supply and distribution, watershed development, or airport facility; any non-federal aid, street, road, or highway; and any other public building, structure, or system, including those used for educational, recreational, or cultural purposes; or any park.
Real property - Land, including land improvements, structures, and appurtenances thereto, but excludes moveable machinery and equipment.
Recipient - A non-federal entity that receives a federal award directly from a federal awarding agency to carry out an activity under a federal program.
Reasonable cost - A cost is reasonable if, in its nature and amount, it does not exceed that which would be incurred by a prudent person under the circumstances prevailing at the time the decision was made to incur the cost. In other words, a reasonable cost is a cost that is both fair and equitable for the type of work being performed.
Rehabilitation facility - A facility that primarily provides diagnosis and treatment for rehabilitation of injuries, disabilities, or illness. (Consistent with the definition of “comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facility” in 42 U.S.C. § 1395x(cc)(2)).
Regulatory floodway - The area regulated by federal, state or local requirements to provide for the discharge of the base flood so the cumulative increase rise in water surface elevation is no more than a designated amount (not to exceed one foot as set by the National Flood Insurance Program) above the base flood elevation.
Request for public assistance - The form a public entity or PNP organization uses to apply for assistance under the Public Assistance Program.
Retreat - Establishments that promote health and wellbeing by providing services for the preservation and maintenance of physical, mental, and emotional health.
Resilience - The ability to prepare for threats and hazards, adapt to changing conditions and withstand and recover rapidly from disruptions.
Scope of work - A description of the eligible work necessary to be done immediately to address an immediate threat or to restore a facility to its pre-disaster design, function, and capacity and to current applicable standards, documented in the project and reflecting the damage description and dimensions. A scope of work may also be documented for an alternate or improved project or with a PA Hazard Mitigation Proposal.
Service animal - A dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities or access and functional needs. The task(s) performed by the dog must be directly related to the person’s disability.
Site - An individual building, structure, or system section. Examples include: an individual building or structure inclusive of its contents and supplies; a beach or park inclusive of equipment and other items within the area that are not structures or buildings, such as benches or playground equipment; a lift or pump station; a dam; and a section of roadway that has damage within a reasonable distance throughout that section.
Small project - A project for which the final obligated (federal and non-federal) amount is less than the annually adjusted cost threshold for small project grants.
Soft costs - Costs that are not considered as direct construction costs, including: architectural costs, engineering costs, project management costs, financing, and legal fees.
Special flood hazard area - The land area subject to inundation during a flood having a 1 percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in a given year (also referred to as the base flood or 100-year flood). Special flood hazard areas are shown on FIRMs published by FEMA.
State - Any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Straight-time (labor) - An employee’s regular pay rate when working normal hours.
Subaward - An award provided by a pass-through entity to a subrecipient for the subrecipient to carry out part of a federal award received by the pass-through entity. It does not include payments to a contractor or payments to an individual that is a beneficiary of a federal program.
Subrecipient - A non-federal entity that receives a subaward from a pass-through entity to carry out part of a federal program. It does not include an individual that is a beneficiary of such program. A subrecipient may also be a recipient of other federal awards directly from a federal awarding agency.
Substantial damage - Damage of any origin sustained by a structure whereby the cost of restoring the structure to its before damaged condition would equal or exceed 50 percent of the market value of the structure before the damage occurred.
Supply - Any tangible personal property other than that meeting the definition of equipment.
Temporary (labor) - A full-time or part-time employee working on a permanent and ongoing basis, as set by an applicant’s written labor or pay policy.
Tribal Nation - Any federally recognized governing body of an Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or community that the Secretary of the Interior acknowledges to exist as an Indian tribe under the Federally Recognized Tribe List Act of 1994, Title 25 of the U.S. Code (U.S.C.) 479a. This does not include Alaska Native corporations, the ownership of which is vested in private individuals.
Trust land - Land, the title to which is held by the United States in trust for an Indian tribe or individual, or which is held by an Indian tribe or individual subject to a restriction by the United States against alienation. “Trust or restricted interest in land” or “trust or restricted interest in a parcel of land” means an interest in trust land. Collectively referred to as “trust lands.”
Unbudgeted (labor) – The employee labor costs an applicant does not budget for and incurs only as the direct result of a disaster.
Wetland - An area that is saturated by water with a frequency sufficient to support or, under normal hydrologic conditions would support, a prevalence of vegetation or aquatic life typically adapted to saturated or seasonally saturated soil conditions (e.g., swamp, fresh and saltwater marsh, bog, fen).
Work completion date - The date the applicant completes all work associated with the approved SOW including meeting all compliance requirements. It does not include invoice payments, warranty periods, or grant management activities (e.g., compiling and submitting documentation, financial reconciliation, requesting payment).
Zoo - Any facility maintained under the care of a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, in which live animal(s) are kept for public exhibition or education. Aquariums and wildlife or zoological parks may meet this definition.