Chapter 2 › I.A–B PA Eligibility; Simplified Procedures; Sampling Procedures

How does FEMA decide what is eligible, and how much paperwork do we need?

FEMA term

PA eligibility pyramid; simplified procedures; sampling

Short answer

FEMA checks four building blocks in order: applicant, facility, work and cost. If any one can’t be shown, FEMA can’t fund it. Simplified procedures let small projects use summaries and self-certification, and FEMA can review a sample of large document sets instead of every page.

What FEMA requires

For governments, facility eligibility usually isn’t evaluated for debris removal and most emergency protective measures.
For private nonprofits, FEMA first confirms the nonprofit owns or operates a facility providing an eligible service.
Simplified procedures (Stafford Act § 422): small projects can submit summary documentation and self-certify. You must still keep all source records for 3 years after the recipient certifies your last small project complete.
Sampling: with large volumes of documents or damaged sites, you may submit summaries and FEMA validates a representative sample.
Terms like “must” and “required” in the PAPPG reflect legal requirements; missing them can jeopardize funding.

Documentation

Summary documentation for each building block, with full source records kept on file.

Watch out · Govstar practitioner advice

Self-certifying doesn’t mean you can discard backup. A later audit or closeout review will ask for the source records behind every certification.

Govstar summarizes FEMA’s Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide in plain language and links to the official text. Govstar is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. This is general guidance, not legal advice.