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Hurricane Sandy FEMA Applicant Briefing for Private Not for Profit Organizations  

 

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

 

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

 

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Westchester FEMA Disaster Recovery Center is Open

Westchester County Center
 
198 Central AveWhite Plains, NY 10606

Hours of Operation: 8:00 am - 8:00 pm, 7 days a week

Parking: Parking is free to those visiting the FEMA DRC.

 

The center is staffed with representatives from: 
  • Con Edison to answer customer questions about outages and restorations
  • FEMA to help individuals, households apply for financial aid for losses and damages caused by the storm
  • The Small Business Administration, which will help businesses apply for low-interest loans for storm-related damages 
  • A variety of social services agencies to provide residents with recovery assistance
  • The Department of Health, which will be giving free tetanus shots to anyone involved with cleanup, at the County Center  Friday, Saturday and Sunday and at other locations.  

There will also be representatives from the Small Business Administration, who can explain low-interest loan packages available to individuals, nonprofits and businesses of any size.

 

FEMA strongly advises that people register in advance of visiting the disaster center.  

 

Residents can apply for FEMA aid without coming to the County Center. The first step is to register either by:

  • Calling FEMA's registration number 1-800-621-3362; or
  • Logging into  www.disasterassistance.gov.
  • For those with speech or hearing disabilities, use the TTY number at 800-462-7585.    
FEMA's Disaster Recovery Center Locator: http://asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm 

 

For any Con Ed emergencies or outages:

  • Call Con Ed directly at 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633.) 

 

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Help and Helping after Hurricane Sandy

 

NewYorkHelp2The following information is provided courtesy of the Nonprofit Finance Fund. Click here to see NFF's full advisory notice

 

New York Help

New York Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand has published an excellent guide to navigating the disaster assistance process. It includes Federal resources from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Small Business Administration (SBA) and others. The emergency grants and low-interest loans will be of particular interest to NewJerseyHelp2organizations in need of immediate repairs to damaged facilities or facing cash-flow concerns.

 

New Jersey Help

 www.nj.gov/njbusiness 

For Information on New Jersey's Business Assistance Services

Also, visit the 

New Jersey Economic Development Authority site.

 

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RebuildingWEbinar1Lawyers Alliance is offering two free webinars on disaster relief topics.  

 

REBUILDING AFTER HURRICANE SANDY: HUMAN RESOURCE CHALLENGES

 

Date: Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Time: 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Audience: Nonprofit managers and board members

Presenters:

Judith Moldover, Lawyers Alliance for New York

Allan Bloom, Paul Hastings LLP

Alexander Barnard, Credit Suisse

 

A nonprofit organization's staff is arguably its most important asset and Hurricane Sandy poses many challenges for nonprofit employers. Organizations were forced to close offices and suspend services and now, in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, staff may be asked to take on new responsibilities. This webinar will address the human resource challenges caused by the hurricane including: payment of wages during the storm, RebuildingWebinar2disaster relief for employees, changing job responsibilities, and furloughs.

Click here to register 

  

REBUILDING AFTER HURRICANE SANDY: GOVERNMENT GRANTS and LOAN PROGRAMS

 

Date: Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Time: 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Audience:   Nonprofit managers, board members, and program staff

Presenters:

Linda Manley, Lawyers Alliance for New York

Ximena Rua-Merkin, Community Resource Exchange

Mohan Sikka, Community Resource Exchange

 

As nonprofit organizations assess the damage Hurricane Sandy caused to their clients and communities they also must assess the damage Hurricane Sandy caused to their organization, including property damage and loss of revenue. This webinar will provide an overview of the government grant and loan programs including the Federal Emergency Management Agency and New York City Department of Small Business Services. This webinar is jointly presented by Lawyers Alliance for New York and Community Resource Exchange.
 

Mo Rick Nancy Priya
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Our Mission

The Pro Bono Partnership provides business and transactional legal services to nonprofit organizations serving the disadvantaged or enhancing the quality
of life in neighborhoods in New York, New Jersey
and Connecticut. Substantially leveraging the impact of our in-house legal staff, the Partnership annually recruits and mobilizes hundreds of attorneys from major corporations and law firms to donate their time and expertise on behalf of its nonprofit clients, enhancing their ability to improve conditions in their communities, particularly for the poor and vulnerable.



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