Nonprofit FEMA Resources

Note: FEMA uses the term “Private Nonprofit (PNP),” which includes all direct service and intermediary nonprofit organizations. This site uses the term “nonprofit,” which refers to the same organizations.

On March 20, 2020, the State of New York received a Major Disaster Declaration DR-4480-NY from the then President for the COVID-19 Incident. The incident period started on January 20, 2020, and is ongoing. The declaration authorizes public assistance for Category B Emergency Protective Measures related to the COVID-19 response.

To mitigate the pandemic’s impact on nonprofits, New York State is launching a targeted initiative to provide information and training to non-medical nonprofits and intermediary organizations applying for FEMA funding to reimburse costs incurred as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic from January 20, 2020 - present (FEMA will give at least 30 days' notice before establishing a new deadline).

Nonprofits and their umbrella organizations are invited to overview sessions provided by the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) and its partners, offering an overview of the FEMA public assistance program as well as a number of COVID-19 disaster specific topics and policies that FEMA has implemented, including new and updated policy and guidance recently released by FEMA.

Support includes:

• A series of online orientation sessions reserved for the NON-MEDICAL nonprofit community and delivered by DHSES offering an overview of the FEMA application process and eligible expenditures
• Customized overview sessions and Q&A support for intermediary organizations
• Dedicated website offering resources 

As a nonprofit, you not only must have incurred a minimum of $3,300 in expenses resulting directly from responding to the COVID-19 pandemic but also qualify as an eligible applicant before initiating an application in the FEMA Grants Portal. Both tax-exempt status and facility eligibility must be established first. FEMA “pre-qualifies” nonprofits. It is in your best interest to gauge your eligibility as a tax-exempt, qualifying facility before expending effort on an application.

FEMA describes an eligible nonprofit facility as “one that provides educational, utility, emergency, medical, or custodial care, including for the aged or disabled, and other essential social-type services to the general public.”* This means that FEMA first determines whether a nonprofit is eligible to apply based on the type of the facility, the type of ownership as a tax-exempt entity, and the type of services the nonprofit provides during non-disaster times.

The NY State Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) provides a self-assessment packet, Non-Profit Eligibility Guidelines, which steps you through the eligibility assessment along with providing information on required documentation and forms; it is, however, FEMA, which will ultimately determine your eligibility to apply based on the documentation you have submitted. Access the Guidelines/Request for Public Assistance (RPA) packet here.

If you, as a nonprofit, can provide the required documentation, submit the following included in the RPA packet to DHSES for review and for DHSES to help you access the FEMA Grants Portal:

• Request for Public Assistance (RPA) Form 90-49
• Federal Tax Identification Number
• Tax Exemption Certificate granted under sections 501(c) (d) or (e) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, or State certification that the organization is a nonprofit organization under State Law
• Evidence from NYS that your organization is a non-revenue producing business
• Organizational charter or by-law
• Other publications, brochures, pamphlets or literature that describe the organization and its services, purposes and functions
• Description of membership policies or fee structures
• D-U-N-S Number (Dun and Bradstreet)

* Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) (2018, April). Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide v3.1 (PAPPG V3.1). Last accessed on 2021, April 10 at https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_pappg-v3.1-archived_policy_5-4-2018.pdf

1. Supply required information to Patricia Debboli so DHSES can establish your Grants Portal Account if you don’t have one already.
2. Submit RPA Package using one of the options below
   • If you have a Grants Portal account you can submit at FEMA Grants Portal Website: https://grantee.fema.gov
   • Submit to Patricia Debboli @ NYS DHSES:
     • E-mail: [email protected]
     • Fax: 518-322-4984

DUNS #’s are required:
Website: https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform
Phone: 1-866-705-5711

Note: RPA cannot be approved until all RPA documentation is submitted.
 

NYS DHSES Contact Information:

Address:
Public Assistance/Recovery Section
1220 Washington Avenue
Building 7A, 4th Floor
Albany, New York 12242

Phone: 518-292-2293

Fax: 518-322-4984

Website: http://www.dhses.ny.gov/

DHSES Active Declarations: http://www.dhses.ny.gov/recovery/public/active-declarations.cfm

This closed captioned video presentation provides information and training to non-medical nonprofits and intermediary organizations applying for FEMA funding to reimburse costs incurred as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Once you begin the video, please click on the "cc" button to enable closed captioning.

This closed captioned video presentation is a recording of a Q&A session for non-medical nonprofits and intermediary organizations applying for FEMA funding to reimburse costs incurred as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Once you begin the video, please click on the "cc" button to enable closed captioning.