Plain-language explainers on FEMA Public Assistance policy — the PAPPG, eligibility rules, work categories, deadlines, and cost requirements — each grounded in the published policy documents with citations you can verify. Independent reference material; not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency.
What FEMA Public Assistance is, who qualifies, what it funds, the 75% minimum federal cost share, and how a PA grant runs from declaration to closeout.
PAPPG Version 5, effective for incidents declared on or after Jan 6, 2025, supersedes Version 4. A practical rundown of the structural and policy changes.
Your disaster's declaration date sets the PAPPG version: v5 applies to incidents declared on or after January 6, 2025, v4 from June 1, 2020.
Plain-English definitions of 30+ FEMA Public Assistance terms — Applicant, obligation, PW, CEF, Section 428, VAYGo — cited to PAPPG v5 and 44 CFR.
FEMA evaluates Public Assistance eligibility in four building blocks — Applicant, Facility, Work, and Cost. The key tests under each, per PAPPG v5 and 44 CFR.
FEMA Public Assistance splits work into Categories A–G: A and B are emergency work, C–G permanent work. See what each covers and the deadlines that apply.
Category A debris removal must meet the public interest test in 44 CFR 206.224. Covers PPDR conditions, monitoring, and force account rules.
What qualifies as FEMA Category B emergency work: the immediate-threat test, EOC and sheltering costs, evacuations, and common eligibility pitfalls.
How private nonprofits qualify for FEMA Public Assistance: eligible facilities, critical vs. non-critical services, SBA loan rules, and documentation.
How FEMA PA reduces funding for actual and anticipated insurance proceeds, plus obtain-and-maintain rules, SFHA flood reductions, and Section 312.
How FEMA PA treats Direct Administrative Costs (DAC): the 7%/5% management cost caps, Category Z claims, documentation rules, and common disputes.
FEMA management costs under Stafford Act Section 324 and FP 104-11-2: the 7% and 5% caps, eligible activities, and how DAC now fits in.
Section 428 alternative procedures explained: fixed capped FEMA PA grants based on estimates, excess-fund rules, key deadlines, and trade-offs.
How FEMA's Cost Estimating Format (CEF) builds large-project estimates: when it applies, its factors and contingencies, and how applicants engage.
The FEMA PA project threshold ($1M base, adjusted annually) divides small projects paid on estimates from large projects reconciled to actual costs.
How FEMA PA pays force account labor and equipment: straight-time vs. overtime rules by category, equipment rate options, and the documentation required.
How FEMA Section 406 hazard mitigation funds resilience on damaged facilities during PA repairs: eligibility, three cost-effectiveness paths, 406 vs 404.
FEMA PA appeals under 44 CFR 206.206: 60-day first and second appeal deadlines, what to include, and the CBCA arbitration alternative under Section 423.
How 2 CFR 200 procurement standards apply to FEMA PA grants: full and open competition, prohibited contract types, and the limits of the emergency exception.
The records FEMA Public Assistance requires — damage, labor, equipment, procurement, and insurance documentation organized by project phase, per PAPPG v5.