FEMA Financial Support
Policies & Guidance
White House Strategy
Professional Association Resources
National Guard Activation
Since the start of the COVID-19 national emergency declaration on March 13, 2020, FEMA provided more than $61 billion in Public Assistance funding for COVID-19 response activities. Those activities include emergency medical care, personal protective equipment, testing, vaccinations, and emergency sheltering and feeding. This funding provided critical assistance to help communities across the country save lives and protect public health and safety. We rose to the unprecedented challenge by coordinating with state, local, tribal and territorial governments, federal agencies, voluntary organizations and private sector partners.
Read the updated policy and Public Assistance programmatic deadlines related to the COVID-19 incident period.
Financial Support
On Feb. 9, 2023, FEMA announced the closing of all COVID-19 disaster declaration incident periods would occur on May 11, 2023.
FEMA’s updated “Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic: Public Assistance Programmatic Deadlines Policy Version 2” provides guidance regarding Public Assistance eligibility and program deadlines to ensure consistent and appropriate implementation across all COVID-19 emergency and major declarations.
- Review policies and guidance on relief funding available through Public Assistance.
- Find information about programs from other federal departments and agencies that support COVID-19 pandemic recovery in our COVID-19 Resource Summary report.
- Get help navigating some of the challenges and resources available to address the COVID-19 pandemic with our resource roadmaps.
Cost Share Guidelines and Public Assistance Deadlines
The following tables describe the application of the different federal cost share periods and the programmatic deadlines.
Cost Share Application
| Cost Share | Work Completed |
|---|---|
| 100% Federal Funding | Costs for work performed and items used or distributed for use through 11:59 p.m. on July 1, 2022 |
| 90% Federal Funding | Costs for work performed and items used or distributed for use on or after July 2, 2022 |
Deadlines for COVID-19 Public Assistance
| Action | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Request for Public Assistance | July 1, 2022 |
| Work Completion Deadline for work performed through July 1, 2022 | July 1, 2022 |
| Work Completion Deadline for work performed from July 2, 2022, through May 11, 2023. | May 11, 2023 |
| Demobilization, disposition, and disposal of equipment and supplies after the completion of eligible emergency work. | FEMA has approved an extension to the emergency work period of performance for a period not to exceed 90 days (August 9, 2023) from the end of the emergency work completion deadline on May 11, 2023. |
| Project Application Submission / Damage Identification Deadline for work performed through 11:59 p.m. on July 1, 2022 | December 31, 2022 |
| Project Application Submission / Damage Identification Deadline for all work performed from July 2, 2022, through May 11, 2023 | November 7, 2023. This includes for costs incurred for demobilization, disposition, and disposal of equipment and supplies. |
| Project Application Submission / Damage Identification Deadline for all work performed from July 2, 2022, through May 11, 2023 | November 7, 2023. This includes for costs incurred for demobilization, disposition, and disposal of equipment and supplies. |
| Project Completion Certification and Project Closeout for work performed through July 1, 2022. | May 6, 2024 |
| Project Completion Certification and Project Closeout for work performed from July 2, 2022, through May 11, 2023. | May 6, 2024 |
| Project Completion Certification and Project Closeout for projects requiring demobilization, disposition, or disposal | May 6, 2024 |
| Management Costs | May 6, 2024 |
In the Process of Applying for a FEMA Grant?
Review COVID-19 supplemental funding opportunities for Fiscal Year 2020:
Get the latest information on funding opportunities and answers to frequently asked questions.
Already Have a FEMA Grant?
Learn about additional flexibilities (exceptions) to provide administrative relief to financial assistance recipients affected by the loss of operational capacity and increased costs due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Get help implementing good financial management for COVID-19 and other incident response and recovery with our new Disaster Financial Management Guide and accompanying Fact Sheet.
White House National Strategy and Priorities
FEMA, HHS and federal partners supported the White House Priorities with resources and programs to combat COVID-19.
The White House National Strategy outlined a COVID-19 Response Office responsible for coordinating the pandemic response across all federal departments and agencies.
Policies and Guidance
Review a list of COVID-19 Public Assistance guidance documents that were released.
- Learn more on how FEMA is funded Community Engagement for COVID-19 Vaccinations.
- Read the statement on how FEMA retroactively funded 100% of eligible costs until Sept. 30, 2021. On Mar. 1, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell announced that FEMA would continue the 100% cost share through Jul. 1, 2022.
- Learn how the federal government coordinated support for COVID-19 vaccination.
- Read the guidance on eligible emergency protective measures.
- Review the types of emergency medical care that were eligible for public assistance reimbursements.
- Understand the rules for using FEMA funds to contract emergency response services and exceptions that apply under exigent or emergency circumstances.
- Learn about the temporary extension to non-congregate sheltering and assistance for evacuation & sheltering that was available during COVID-19.
- Read the policy on purchasing and distributing food as an emergency protective measure during COVID-19 and review new guidance from FEMA and HHS on meeting nutritional needs for at-risk individuals.
Professional Association Resources
The following associations offered various types of assistance throughout the COVID-19 pandemic:
- Council of State Governments
- Government Finance Officers Association
- International City County Management Association
- International Public Management Association for Human Resources
- National Association of Counties
- National Conference of State Legislatures
- National Emergency Management Association
- National Governors Association
- National League of Cities
- Native American Finance Officers Association
- Pacific Disaster Center
- US Conference of Mayors
National Guard Activation Under Title 32
Throughout the pandemic, FEMA provided federal funding for the National Guard under Title 32, to support the response to COVID-19 through April 1, 2022.
Under Title 32 status, the National Guard remained under the command and control of their respective governors but was funded by the Department of Defense (DoD). FEMA mission assigned DoD to support state and territorial efforts in response to the pandemic.
National Guard troops helped distribute food and PPE, supported contact tracing and testing, and their medical teams have supported direct patient care and are assisting with vaccine administration. That assistance kept states from incurring substantial state active-duty personnel costs.