New Resource: Federal Response Overview Post-Climate Disaster
Federal Response and Monetary Assistance Post-Hurricane Helene and Milton
President Joe Biden declared Hurricane Milton a major disaster in Florida and Hurricane Helene a major disaster in Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina, Florida. While this designation opens up federal assistance to survivors of these disasters, understanding the types of assistance available can be challenging, especially at a time of acute need and misinformation. River Network is working to compile resources to dispel misinformation and help communities impacted by federally declared disasters navigate opportunities for assistance. It’s our hope that this can be a living resource that is continually added to and refined for any future federally declared disasters.
🏛️ Assistance from FEMA
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds several types of assistance programs to support disaster survivors following a declaration of emergency or major disaster.
To apply for Disaster Assistance, you can call the FEMA Help Line: 800-621-3362, download the FEMA App, or go to disasterassistance.gov. You can also seek your local Disaster Recovery Center and/or your Disaster Survivor Assistance Team to apply in person, understand what support you’re eligible to receive, or appeal an initial determination on a claim. At Disaster Recovery Centers, community members can receive additional support provided by FEMA in coordination with state, county and local government, and nonprofit organizations.
All Individual Assistance directly from FEMA is administered through the same application process. Even if you are eligible for more than one type of assistance, you only need to fill out one application. The following are several examples of Individual Assistance that you may qualify for:
Serious Needs Assistance helps you pay for emergency supplies like water, food, first aid, breast-feeding supplies, infant formula, diapers, personal hygiene items, or fuel for transportation. It is available in all disasters declared for Individual Assistance. FEMA gives Serious Needs Assistance as a one-time payment of $750 per household.
Individuals and Households Program (IHP)
IHP provides financial and direct services to eligible individuals and households who have uninsured or under-insured necessary expenses and serious needs. IHP assistance is not a substitute for insurance and cannot compensate for all losses caused by a disaster. The assistance is intended to meet your basic needs and supplement disaster recovery efforts. IHP can include the following:
- Funds for temporary housing while you are unable to live in your home, such as rental assistance or reimbursement for hotel costs
- Funds to support the repair or replacement of owner-occupied homes that serve as the household’s primary residence, including privately-owned access routes, such as driveways, roads, or bridges
- A temporary housing unit, if approved for the disaster, when you are not able to use rental assistance due to a lack of available housing resources
- Funds for hazard mitigation assistance to help eligible homeowners repair or rebuild stronger, more durable homes
- Funds for other uninsured or under-insured disaster-caused expenses and serious needs
For more information on IHP assistance, visit fema.gov/assistance/individual/program.
Public Assistance (PA) can fund the repair, restoration, reconstruction or replacement of eligible public or nonprofit facilities or infrastructure damaged by a disaster. FEMA will provide a reimbursement grant of at least 75% of eligible costs, with your state and local governments sharing the remaining 25%. Eligible public entities include state governments, local governments and any other political subdivision of the state, recognized tribes, and U.S. territories. Certain private nonprofits such as schools; utility companies; irrigation systems; emergency, medical, and rehabilitation operations; houses of worship; and temporary or permanent custodial-care facilities are potentially eligible to receive assistance. Although funds are awarded to government entities and private nonprofits, the PA program is intended to benefit everyone in the affected community by helping to restore the community after a disaster.
For information on applying for Public Assistance after Helene, visit ncdps.gov/public-assistance.
Once you apply for FEMA assistance, you can sign up for email or text updates to your application status.
💼 Small Business Administration (SBA) Loans
Following federally declared disasters, SBA loans can immediately provide financial relief to business owners, nonprofits, homeowners, and renters with long-term, low-interest loans. SBA loans allow borrowers to avoid predatory bridge loans or using a credit card with high interest rates.
When Congress makes funds available, SBA can grant disaster loans up to $500,000 for homeowners to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters may be eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed personal property. Businesses may be eligible for loans up to $2 million for both physical damage and economic injury from business disruption.
Types of Disaster Loans
- Physical Damage Loans: Loans to cover repairs and replacement of physical assets damaged in a declared disaster
- Mitigation Assistance: Expanded funding to make improvements to eliminate future damage
- Economic Injury Disaster Loans: Funding to cover small business operating expenses after a declared disaster
- Military Reservist Loan: Loans to help eligible small businesses with operating expenses to make up for employees on active duty leave
Apply for an SBA Loan at sba.gov/disaster.
👩🏽🔧 Dept. of Labor Disaster Unemployment Assistance
Disaster Unemployment Assistance, administered through state agencies, provides temporary unemployment benefits and re-employment assistance. This funding supports individuals who were employed or self-employed and were rendered jobless – or whose employment was interrupted as a direct result of a major disaster – and are ineligible for regular unemployment compensation. Individuals must apply via their state’s department of labor. After a disaster, the affected state will publish information about DUA availability. As soon as possible, contact your state’s unemployment agency to file a claim for benefits.
🍎 Dept. of Agriculture Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP)
The Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP), administered through state agencies, gives food assistance to low-income households with food loss or damage caused by a natural disaster. Because of the unique needs of disaster survivors, D-SNAP uses different standards than normal SNAP. Even if you would not normally qualify for SNAP, you may qualify for D-SNAP if you had eligible disaster-related expenses. If you’re a current SNAP client, you can request a supplement when your state operates a D-SNAP if you currently get benefits that are less than the monthly maximum, and you have losses from the disaster. Current SNAP clients may also request replacement benefits for food lost in the disaster and bought with SNAP benefits. If you are a disaster survivor, you may apply for D-SNAP benefits. Before the program begins, state agencies release information through local media and press. Contact your local office for more information.
A Note About Insurance
Do not wait to submit insurance claims. While you can still apply for FEMA assistance before submitting insurance claims, if you get FEMA assistance and your insurance or other sources cover the same loss, you may be required to return some or all of the FEMA assistance you received.
Additional Resources
- Hurricane Rumor Response – FEMA
- I Applied for Assistance. What’s Next? – FEMA
- A Brief Overview of FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program – FEMA
- Hurricane Helene: Resources for Response & Recovery – American Flood Coalition
- In the Eye of the Storm – NAACP
- How to Prepare for Natural Disasters – Urban Waters Learning Network
