Grants, Public Assistance, and Individual Assistance

REGIONAL CATASTROPHIC PLANNING GRANT (RCPG) 2022-2025

RCPG Dashboard Coming Soon!

Gap Analysis

The Regional Catastrophic Planning Grant Project (RCPGP) for Resilience Hubs focuses on what Puget Sound communities can do to be safe and resilient to the impacts of a variety of hazards.

Community Resilience Hubs serve four primary purposes:

1. Community organization and independence;
2. Resource and information sharing;
3. Family reunification; and
4. Safety and shelter when local emergency responders are the busiest.

This project will work with communities to focus on current community efforts and available resources to find resources gaps. Learning from regularly recurring hazards like extreme weather, or a potential catastrophic earthquake, we design safe and familiar community-operated spaces that people will use every day and are more likely to return to after an extreme event.

If your community would like to learn more about a Resilience Hub in your area, please contact RCPG.HUBS@seattle.gov.

Public Assistance 

When an area has received a Presidential disaster declaration after an event like a severe winter storm, earthquake, or wildfire, communities can get help to cover their costs for debris removal, life-saving emergency protective measures, and restoring public infrastructure. FEMA’s Public Assistance Program provides supplemental grants to state, tribal, territorial, and local governments, and certain types of private non-profits so communities can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies.

Through the Public Assistance Program, FEMA typically reimburses 75% of eligible costs and the State may share the remaining 25% local share.

[OEM plays the role of Applicant Agent on behalf of all City of Seattle Departments, and advocates with the State and FEMA for all eligible funding available through Public Assistance.]

Individual Assistance

After a Presidentially declared disaster, assistance from FEMA may help you and members of your household affected by a disaster take care of necessary expenses and serious needs that cannot be met through insurance or other forms of assistance.

FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program may help with housing, such as by providing financial assistance with rent, short-term lodging, and home repair. Other assistance may be available for such things as damaged personal property, cleaning/disinfecting, and medical or dental costs.

FEMA also works with the U.S. Small Business Administration to offer low-interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters and businesses in a declared disaster area.

FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grants

"Hazard mitigation" is any sustainable action that reduces or eliminates long-term risk to people and property from future disasters. An example of hazard mitigation is strengthening a building or bridge against earthquake damage.

FEMA's hazard mitigation assistance program provides funding for mitigation measures that reduce disaster losses. Through the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), local governments like Seattle can apply for grant funding to protect our communities in advance of a disaster.Seattle has successfully applied for many FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grants.