WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS) is hosting a series of Applicant Briefings beginning Monday, Jan. 29 for eligible private nonprofit houses of worship. The briefings are a result of a new FEMA policy making private nonprofit houses of worship eligible to apply for reimbursement funding to cover eligible disaster-related costs under FEMA’s Public Assistance grant program.
Applicant Briefings are a critical first step for eligible houses of worship interested in applying. The webinars, hosted by GEMA/HS and scheduled for Jan. 29-31, will explain basic eligibility requirements, how SBA disaster loans are a critical part of the application process, the process and timeline for submitting the Request for Public Assistance form and other required documentation, how federal laws and regulations must be followed when receiving federal funding, and more.
To access specific information on attending either a webinar or conference call for the Applicant Briefings, go to www.fema.gov/disaster/4338 and click on “Public Assistance Applicant Briefings for Houses of Worship.”
Following the briefings, potential applicants may begin submitting Request for Public Assistance forms Feb. 1. The deadline to complete and return the Request for Public Assistance form is March 2, 2018.
Public Assistance is a grant reimbursement program funded by FEMA on a cost-share basis and administered by the state – GEMA/HS.
###
Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion4 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.