Local government applications for FEMA’s Public Assistance Grant Program for COVID-19 expenses currently accepted

On March 13, 2020, a national emergency declaration was made for the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Ohio local governments, including K-12 school districts, may be eligible for federal assistance with the pandemic from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through its Public Assistance Grant Program administered by Ohio’s Emergency Management Agency. 

The type of work that qualifies for this type of disaster assistance is referred to as “Category B – Emergency Protective Measures.” FEMA defines those as actions taken by a community before, during and following a disaster to save lives, protect public health and safety, or eliminate immediate threat of significant damage to improved public and private property through cost-effective measures. Examples include:

• disinfection of eligible public facilities
• temporary medical facilities
• medical sheltering
• security and law enforcement
• purchase and distribution of food, water, ice, medicine and other consumable supplies
• reimbursement for local government force account overtime costs

The work must be disaster-related, be the applicant’s legal responsibility for emergency protective measures and not be fundable by another federal agency. 

In order to be considered, applicants must submit a Request for Public Assistance. Ordinarily, this is required within 30 days of the designation of the declared disaster, but this deadline has been extended indefinitely for COVID-19.  Nevertheless, applicants are encouraged to submit their applications sooner rather than later to the Ohio Emergency Management Agency at emarecovery@dps.ohio.gov.