Public Assistance Grant Program Briefing

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Federal Emergency Management AgencyPublic
Assistance Grant Program
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Public Assistance Grant Program

• Mission To provide assistance to State, Tribal
  and local governments, and certain types of
  Private Nonprofit organizations so that
  communities can quickly respond to and recover
  from major disasters or emergencies declared by
  the President.
• Funding is cost shared at a federal share of no
  less than 75 of eligible costs.

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The Public Assistance Process
Disaster Event
PDA
Governors Request
Declaration
Applicants Briefing
Submission of Request
Kick-off Meeting
Formulation of Projects
Project Review
Approval
Subgrantee
Grantee
Funding
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Eligible Applicants

• Native American Tribal Governments and Tribal
  Organizations
• State
• County
• City / Town / Village
• Other political subdivision of the State
• Certain Private Non-Profit Organizations
• A grantee is a State or tribal government that is
  responsible for administering Public Assistance
  grants.
• A subgrantee is an eligible applicant that
  receives a Public Assistance grant as
  reimbursement for performing eligible disaster
  work.

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Private Non-Profit Entities
Critical Services

• Private Non-Profit (PNP) facilities that provide
  the following critical services are eligible for
  Public Assistance
• Fire / Emergency Rescue
• Medical Treatment
• Power, Water, Sewer Utilities
• Communications Systems

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Private Non-Profit Entities
Essential Services

• The following essential service facilities are
  eligible for Public Assistance for emergency
  work. However, the PNP must first apply to the
  Small Business Administration (SBA) for a
  disaster loan for permanent repair work before
  applying to FEMA.
• ? Museums ? Community centers ? Educational
  institutions
• ? Libraries ? Homeless Shelters ? Rehabilitation
  facilities
• ? Zoos ? Shelter workshops ? Senior
  citizen/Day-care centers
• ? Other facilities that provide health and safety
  service of a
• governmental nature

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Facility Eligibility

• To be eligible, the facility must
• Be the legal responsibility of an eligible
  applicant
• Have been in active use at the time of the
  disaster
• Be damaged as a result of the declared disaster
• Be located in the designated disaster area

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Work Eligibility

• To be eligible, the work must
• Be disaster related
• Be located in the designated disaster area
• Be the applicants responsibility
• Not be fundable by another federal agency

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Types of Work

• Emergency Work
• Debris Removal
• Emergency Protective Measures
• Permanent Work
• Roads and Bridge Systems
• Water Control Facilities
• Public Buildings / Equipment
• Public Utilities
• Other (Parks, Recreation, etc.)

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Emergency Work
Category A Debris Removal

• Debris removal is eligible when
• It eliminates an immediate threat to life,
  health, and safety
• It eliminates an immediate threat of significant
  damage to improved property
• It ensures economic recovery of the community and
  provides a benefit for the community-at-large

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Debris Removal
Private Property
Debris removal is generally the responsibility of
the property owner. However, if debris is so
widespread that public health, safety, or
economic recovery of the community is threatened,
the actual removal of debris from private
property may be eligible.
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Emergency Work
Category B Emergency Protective Measures
Emergency Protective Measures are actions taken
by a community before, during, and following a
disaster to save lives, protect public health and
safety, or eliminate immediate threat of
significant damage to improved public and private
property through cost effective measures.
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Permanent Work
Work Categories C - G

• Eligible permanent work
• Must repair, restore or replace disaster-damaged
  facilities in accordance with regulations
• Must restore to pre-disaster design, capacity and
  function in accordance with applicable codes and
  standards
• Must be required as a result of the disaster
• May include cost effective hazard mitigation
  measures

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Cost Eligibility

• To be eligible for reimbursement, costs must
• Be reasonable and necessary to accomplish
  eligible work
• Comply with federal, state, and local laws and
  regulations
• Include deductions of insurance proceeds, salvage
  value, and purchase discounts.

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Projects
Small Projects versus Large Projects
Public Assistance projects are processed as
either small or large projects. If the project
cost is less than the annually updated cost
threshold amount (63,900 for FY 2011) the
project is processed as a small project. If the
project cost equals or exceeds the threshold the
project is processed as a large project.
Small Projects Federal cost share is paid upon
project approval. Funding is based on an initial
cost estimate.
Large Projects Federal cost share is paid as work
is accomplished. Final assistance is based upon
actual costs or an estimate using the Cost
Estimating Format.
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Projects
Project Completion Deadlines

• Time limits for project completion begin on the
  disaster declaration date.
• Emergency work must be completed within 6
  months
• Permanent work must be completed within 18
  months
• For extenuating circumstances or project
  requirements beyond the applicants control, the
  Grantee may extend the emergency work deadline an
  additional 6 months and the permanent work
  deadline an additional 30 months on a project by
  project basis.
• FEMA may also extend the time limits when
  sufficient justification is submitted.

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Projects
Improved Projects

• Applicants performing restoration work on a
  damaged facility may make improvements to the
  facility while restoring the facility to its
  pre-disaster condition.
• The improvements must be approved by the grantee
  prior to construction.
• The applicant is responsible for the cost of the
  improvements. Federal funding is limited to the
  cost of restoration.

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Projects
Alternate Projects

• When restoration of a damaged facility or
  function does not serve the public welfare, an
  applicant may use a Public Assistance grant for
  another public facility.
• The alternate project must be approved by FEMA
  prior to construction.
• The alternate project may require an
  environmental assessment.
• Federal funding is limited to 75 of the federal
  share of the original project estimate or actual
  alternate project cost (whichever is less).

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Special Considerations

• Special considerations are issues other than
  program eligibility that could affect the scope
  of work and funding of a project. These issues
  include
• Insurance
• Hazard Mitigation
• Environmental Protection
• Floodplain Management
• Historic Preservation and Cultural Resources

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Special Considerations
Insurance

• Actual or anticipated insurance proceeds will be
  deducted from the eligible project costs for
  facilities that are insured.
• All applicants are required to obtain and
  maintain insurance coverage on all insurable
  facilities, as a condition of Public Assistance
  funding.
• For flood damaged facilities located within a
  Special Flood Hazard Area that are not covered by
  flood insurance, Federal assistance will be
  reduced by the maximum flood insurance proceeds
  that would have been payable had the facility
  been insured.

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Special Considerations
Hazard Mitigation
Cost effective measures that reduce or eliminate
the potential for damages to a facility from a
future event. For a hazard mitigation proposal
to be eligible for funding under Public
Assistance, the measure must apply only to the
damaged elements of the eligible facility.
steel angle
steel straps
steel angle wall anchor
Bracing Library Shelves
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Special Considerations
Environmental and Historic Preservation (EHP)
Compliance

• All FEMA funded projects must comply with a
  variety of EHP Laws, Regulations and Executive
  Orders
• EHP Review is done prior to funding to ensure
  compliance with applicable Federal laws.
• EHP Review is a collaboration between FEMA, the
  State, applicants, tribal entities, and local
  organizations
• Modification, expansion, or mitigation of
  existing facilities may require more extensive
  EHP Review.
• Construction of new facilities and alternate
  projects may require more extensive EHP Review.
• .

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Special Considerations
Environmental Protection

• To ensure that all practical means are used to
  protect, restore, and enhance the environment,
  FEMA projects must comply with all applicable
  laws and regulations, including
• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
• Endangered Species Act (ESA)
• Clean Water Act (CWA)
• Clean Air Act (CAA)
• 44CFR Parts 9 and 10

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Special Considerations
Floodplain and Wetland Management

• Any project within or affecting the floodplain or
  wetlands must be reviewed to ensure that it meets
  the requirements of several Federal laws and
  Executive Orders (EO).
• EO 11988 Floodplain Management
• EO 11990 Protection of Wetlands
• Clean Water Act (CWA)

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Special Considerations
Historic Preservation and Cultural Resources

• The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)
  requires FEMA, grantees, and applicants to assess
  potential effects to historic and cultural
  resources, such as
• Historical buildings, structures, and districts
• Archaeological and tribal sites
• Objects and artifacts

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Special Considerations
Historic Preservation and Cultural Resources

• FEMA, the state, and the applicant work together
  to identify and address historic preservation
  issues before approval of funding for a Public
  Assistance project.
• May require consultation with the State Historic
  Preservation Office (SHPO), Tribal Historic
  Preservation Officer (THPO), and Advisory Council
  on Historic Preservation (ACHP).
• Resources are available to applicants on the FEMA
  website and through FEMAs Office of
  Environmental and Historic Preservation (OEHP).

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Time Limits
Important Deadlines

• Applying for a Public Assistance Grant
• Applicant must submit a Request for Public
  Assistance within 30 days of the designation of
  the declared disaster area.
• Formulating small projects
• Applicant must submit applicant formulated small
  projects within 60 days of the Kick-off meeting
  for 20 validation.
• Appeals
• Any determination related to Federal assistance
  may be appealed. The appeal must be submitted to
  the grantee within 60 days of receipt of notice
  of the action which is being appealed.

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Administrative Allowances
Grantee and Applicant
Federal regulations allow grant recipients to
claim reasonable administrative costs, unless the
law authorizing a grant program includes specific
provisions for these costs. For FEMAs PA Program
the Stafford Act stipulates that each grant
recipient be provided an allowance to meet the
cost of administering the grant. The allowance is
calculated differently for grantees and
applicants and covers different costs for each.
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Administrative Allowances
Applicant
The Administrative Allowances for applicants
covers direct and indirect costs incurred in
requesting, obtaining, and administering public
assistance. No other administrative or indirect
costs incurred by the applicant are eligible.
Applicants can request reimbursement for Direct
Administrative Costs that are actual expenses
linked to a specific Project Worksheet. Applicants
may receive pass-through funds from grantees to
cover indirect costs. These costs cannot be
claimed as Direct Administrative Costs for
specific Project Worksheets.
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Administrative Allowances
Grantee
The Administrative Allowances is provided for the
extraordinary costs incurred by a Grantee for
overtime pay, per diem, and travel expenses for
State employees who participate in the
administration of Public Assistance grants. It
does not cover regular time labor costs and other
costs directly associated with grant
administration. The Grantee Administrative
Allowance is calculated as a percentage of the
Federal share of all Public Assistance funds
actually awarded to the Grantee for the disaster.
The percentage is calculated on eligible costs
for the entire disaster using the same sliding
scale that is used for applicants.
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Grant Management Costs
Grantee
In addition to the Administrative Allowance,
grantees may be reimbursed for the necessary
costs of requesting, obtaining, and administering
Federal assistance in accordance with 44 CFR
13.22. A category Z, Project Worksheet (PW) is
used to generate the reimbursement of the Grant
Management Costs.
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Public Assistance Grant Program
Program Review

• The Public Assistance Program assists in the
  restoration of community infrastructure.
• It is a supplemental cost reimbursement program
  with specific eligibility requirements.
• The FEMA share of eligible costs will be awarded
  to the grantee for disbursement to the applicants.

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