Public Assistance is FEMA's largest grant program, at $4.7 billion per year, comprising 51% of all grant dollars. (Photo by FEMA
Graphics)
damage, scope of work and other
we’re responsible for the entire
transparency and accountability.
factors. In August of 2016, GEMA/ process,” said Valarie Grooms,
Hurricane Matthew was the first
HS closed out the Hurricane
GEMA/HS Grant Specialist
disaster to occur under the new
Floyd project 17 years after the
Supervisor. “We’re responsible for
model and Georgia was the first
declaration date in 1999.
ensuring that all the funding has
and only state to handle a disaster
Currently, the oldest disaster
occurred and that we’ve closed out under the new model.
GEMA/HS has was declared 11
all of the applicants who applied
“During four of the six disasters,
years ago and the staff is in the
for funding in the disaster. Once
GEMA/HS maximized its use of
final stages of closing out that
finalized, we send a request for
FEMA’s public assistance delivery
project.
closure to FEMA and they perform
process, distinguishing Georgia as
The main bottleneck in the
a final review.”
one of the most experienced users
closeout process often comes
In 2017, FEMA introduced a new of a system designed to streamline
down to insurance claims. Funds
and categorize projects as
from FEMA’s public assistance
applicants work to rebuild public
grants do not cover damages on
infrastructure and move their
We've
been
very
successful
insured property or loss revenue
states toward full recovery,” said
due to closed business. In these
in closing old disasters, only McCool.
cases, applicants could have
Dawson attributes the success
through
the
incredibly
hard
damages on both insured and
of the closeout process to the
uninsured property; therefore,
work of the grant specialists grants team; they credit him as
FEMA cannot cover all of their
a supportive supervisor that
and grant specialists
damages.
ensures the team’s goals are met.
FEMA classifies any project
“I don’t produce the work,
supervisors”
that was declared at least eight
they’ve got their nose to the
years ago as an old project.
grinds tone and they’re pushing
Currently, GEMA/HS has four
out quality work every day,”
old projects based on these criteria. Public Assistance Delivery Model
Dawson said. “So if I could go
Every day, grant specialists chip
that GEMA/HS staff believe will
out and do a speech or even
away at these massive projects and streamline the closeout process.
empty trashcans so they can keep
are on track to closeout three of the One of the significant aspects of
working, I’ve done my job.”
four projects this year. Goals are set the new model is an online public
For more information on FEMA’s
for each project to also assist the
assistance grants manager and
Public Assistance program visit:
staff with staying on track.
grants portal technology platform
www.fema.gov/public-assistance-
“FEMA is like our parent
that standardized the old work flow local-state-tribal-and-non-profit.
organization, so as the grantee,
process and promotes consistency,
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