FEMA Advisory: Guidance on COVID-19 Requests for Public Assistance and Project Applications (April 1, 2022)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sent this bulletin at 04/01/2022 05:21 PM EDT

FEMA Advisory

Guidance on COVID-19 Requests for Public Assistance and Project Applications

Since the start of the pandemic, FEMA has provided critical assistance that has helped communities across the country save lives and protect public health and safety. As of March 31, 2022, FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program has provided more than $43 billion to state, local, tribal nation, and territorial (SLTT) governments and eligible private nonprofit (PNP) organizations to reimburse a wide variety of projects.

Thanks in part to FEMA assistance, the nation has made significant progress in the fight against COVID-19. In light of this progress, FEMA is establishing several deadlines for the Public Assistance program to assist states, tribal nations, localities, territories, and eligible private nonprofits in making their requests for Public Assistance and submitting their applications for funding for COVID-19-related work conducted under the 100% federal cost share.

Deadlines for COVID-19 Public Assistance

  • On March 21, 2020, FEMA extended the Request for Public Assistance (RPA) deadline nationally for the COVID-19 pandemic emergency. At the time, FEMA stated that the RPA submission period would remain open for the duration of the Public Health Emergency, as declared by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, unless an earlier deadline is deemed appropriate by the Assistant Administrator, Recovery Directorate. As of March 31, 2022, over 65% of the U.S. population has been fully vaccinated. Caseloads are declining and, in turn, the necessity for heightened public health measures is decreasing. As such, FEMA is establishing July 1, 2022, as the deadline for Applicants to submit their Request for Public Assistance (RPA) for the COVID-19 pandemic incident. RPAs are how Applicants sign up with FEMA in order to submit projects to request funding for specific costs.
  • FEMA is also establishing December 31, 2022, as the interim deadline for eligible Applicants to submit project applications for COVID-19 work completed from the beginning of the incident period on January 20, 2020, through July 1, 2022, the end date for 100% Federal funding.

These deadlines will help Applicants in making funding decisions and completing their project submission to FEMA and will enable FEMA to process funding that is needed to reimburse Applicants for the costs they have incurred in responding to the pandemic over the last two years.

FEMA will develop and issue an interim policy that provides guidance to states, tribal nations, localities, territories, and eligible private nonprofits on the implementation of the established deadlines. This policy will be posted for public comment and stakeholder input prior to finalization and issuance.

Although FEMA has established deadlines for RPAs and project applications for work completed under the 100% cost share, FEMA funding will remain available for eligible work conducted after July 1, 2022, under the 90/10% cost share until the COVID-19 incident period is closed.

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