As you may have heard, President Obama signed a Major Disaster Declaration authorizing FEMA to provide Public Assistance to government and eligible Private Not for Profit (PNP) groups.

To apply for FEMA Public Assistance (PA), the first step is to attend an Applicant Briefing being held by FEMA.  There are four upcoming briefings scheduled, as follows: 

Friday, November 16

Session I: 10am - 12pm

Session II: 2pm - 4pm

Monday, November 19

Session I: 10am - 12pm

Session II: 2pm - 4pm

49 - 51 Chambers Street

New York, NY 

Directions to 49-51 Chambers Street

By Subway:

1, 2, 3 trains to Chambers Street

A, C to Chambers Street

J, Z, 4, 5, 6 trains to Chambers Street/City Hall/Brooklyn Bridge

By Bus:

M15 to City Hall/Park Row

At the Applicant Briefing, a FEMA representative will provide an overview of its Public Assistance program and eligibility criteria. If you have not already done so, you will also have an opportunity to complete a one-page Request for Public Assistance (RPA) form that will register your organization as a FEMA applicant.

After the Applicant Briefing, and once you are registered, a FEMA representative will contact you directly to schedule a Kick-Off meeting. This is when you will discuss damages and costs specific to your organization. FEMA determines whether a Private Non-Profit (PNP) is eligible. This is an evolving process, and categories of eligibility may change as the specifics of Hurricane Sandy's impact become clearer.

To RSVP for a FEMA Applicant Briefing, please complete the RSVP form here: http://goo.gl/ooifS. Limit two attendees per organization.

Whether or not you can attend a FEMA Applicant Briefing, you are encouraged to register with FEMA as soon as possible by completing and submitting the RPA form. The one-page form can be found here: http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=2690. Email the completed form to John Grubsick at jgrubsick3@dhses.ny.gov and a FEMA representative will contact you directly. The deadline for submitting an RPA is currently December 2, 2012.

In the interim, you should continue to document all costs and damages associated with the storm. During your subsequent Kick-Off meeting with FEMA, you will be required to provide:

• Proof of your non-profit status (i.e., 501(c)3 determination letter)
• Photographic proof of damages, including both before and after photos if available
• Description of expenses incurred, including what the expenses are, who did the work, when and where it was completed, why it was necessary, and how it was related to the storm
• Receipts and invoices for expenses incurred
• Insurance information and receipts of any claims filed after the storm

NOTE: It is our understanding that Applicants Briefings in New York City will be open to nonprofit organizations outside of New York City, but as of the date of this publication, we have not been able to confirm that this is the case.

There will also be a

Rockland County Applicant Briefing

Friday, November 20, 2012, 10AM

Rockland County Fire Training Center

35 Fireman's Memorial Dr

Pomona, NY

The Partnership will post additional Disaster Related information as we receive it on our website at Hurricane Sandy: Resources for Nonprofits. 

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