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Emergency Support Team (VEST) Status Green, Steady State

VEOC Activation Status: Green, Steady State

FEMA-DR-VA-4512 COVID-19 Recovery Update

This update was published by Communications
Published: June 29, 2020

The Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) would like to announce updates and provide additional guidance regarding the FEMA Public Assistance (FEMA PA) grant program authorized under FEMA-DR-4512-VA (COVID-19).

Requests for Public Assistance
VDEM is requesting that all eligible applicants submit their Request for Public Assistance (RPA) in the FEMA Grants Portal as soon as possible. The project development and grant writing process cannot start until an RPA is received. The FEMA RPA deadline has not been determined, however submitting your RPA ensures that funding is not delayed. The RPA is a different process than submitting your damage assessments in VirginiaPA. Only 207 out of a potential 399 RPAs have been submitted to date. 
Eligible Applicants
Counties, cities, towns, districts, boards, authorities, tribal governments, state agencies, state colleges and universities, community colleges, and certain eligible non-profit organizations with a minimum of $3,300 in eligible costs. There is no funding limit on costs; however, costs will be reviewed for reasonableness.
Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) under the CARES Act Cost Share
On June 24th, the U.S. Treasury published an Updated FAQ (page 8, paragraph 4) that identifies the CRF funds as allowable for the 25% non-federal cost share requirement of the FEMA PA program, authorized under the Stafford Act.This cost share opportunity will allow applicants to leverage FEMA PA and CRF funds between March 1, 2020 and December 30, 2020FEMA PA and Treasury CRF funding have many common eligibility criteria, however CRF funds are less restrictive.If your emergency protective measures cost meet both the FEMA PA and CRF eligibility, VDEM encourages you to submit your streamline application for reimbursement in the FEMA Grants Portal. This will allow applicants to strategically apply CRF funding to address any unmet needs and implement recovery goals and objectives.
Streamline COVID-19 Public Assistance Application
VDEM is requesting that each applicant submit their Streamline COVID-19 FEMA Public Assistance Application in the FEMA Grants Portal, with supporting documentation, for costs incurred for eligible Emergency Protective Measures between January 20, 2020 – May 31, 2020 by July 17, 2020.  FEMA may also obligate funds based on eligible cost estimates through September 30 (90 days), with sufficient supporting documentation.
The first version of the grant project will be based on:costs incurred within the timeframe above (completed work);any estimated costs with sufficient supporting documentation for emergency work to-be completed within the next 30, 60 or 90 days.
Reimbursement for completed work will be accelerated to support strategic funds management. Costs incurred after May 31, 2020 may still be submitted at a later date, as the incident period is ongoing.
Contact Information
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Virginia Emergency Support Team Recovery Section at recovery@vdem.virginia.gov
For more information on the FEMA Public Assistance Program, please visit https://www.vaemergency.gov/coronavirus/disaster-grants-and-loans/gov-ngo/

Agency Contact

Lauren Opett

Director of Communications and Chief Agency Spokesperson

lauren.opett@vdem.virginia.gov

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