DENVER – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved $19.4 million in additional funding for COVID-19 response efforts in North Dakota. To date, FEMA has paid more than $77.1 million in Public Assistance funding for COVID-19 response in North Dakota. The assistance was made available under a major disaster declaration issued April 1, 2020.
- $18.3 million was provided to the North Dakota Department of Health to add temporary nursing staff and couriers to administer and distribute COVID-19 tests and materials to testing sites throughout North Dakota.
- $1.1 million was provided to the McKenzie Healthcare System Inc. to convert an abandoned medical clinic into a fully functioning Alternate Care Site, temporarily expanding hospital capacity and providing the needed care to patients living in the City of Watford and surrounding areas.
Funding is authorized under Section 403 of the Robert T. Stafford Act.
FEMA’s Public Assistance Program provides funding for emergency actions undertaken by communities to protect public safety, providing no less than a 75 percent federal share for eligible costs. President Biden has approved a 100 percent cost share for projects related to the pandemic response that include work completed between October 1 and December 31, 2020.
For the COVID-19 response, FEMA has simplified the Public Assistance application and funding process to address the magnitude of this event and to allow local officials to receive eligible funding more quickly. These reimbursements play a critical role as state, local and tribal officials work tirelessly to assist their communities during this response.
Additional information about FEMA’s Public Assistance program can be found at www.fema.gov/assistance/public.