DENVER – FEMA provided more than $48.7 million to the state of Montana to supplement unemployment benefits for those who lost employment because of the coronavirus pandemic. On August 8, 2020, President Trump made available up to $44 billion from FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund to provide financial assistance to Americans who have lost wages due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
FEMA’s grant funding allowed Montana to provide those unemployed due to COVID-19 $300 per week on top of their regular unemployment benefit. The assistance was provided for the period from July 26 to September 6. The grant also included funds for state management of the program.
To learn more about FEMA’s lost wages supplemental payment assistance, visit: https://www.fema.gov/fact-sheet/fema-lost-wages-supplemental-payment-assistance.
In addition to this program, Montana received a major disaster declaration for the COVID-19 response. Under that declaration, the state was approved for a crisis counseling program to help individuals deal with the mental health impacts of the pandemic, and FEMA is providing funding to Montana jurisdictions for eligible costs related to the pandemic response.