FEMA Disaster Financial Management Guide

FEMA’s just released Disaster Financial Management Guide identifies the capabilities and activities necessary to prepare and successfully implement disaster financial management while maintaining fiscal responsibility throughout response and recovery operations. The principles, concepts, and resources discussed in the guide are intended to support organizations in identifying the resources they need, increase the efficiency of recovery efforts, and reduce the likelihood of audits and financial penalties. One of the guide’s appendices identifies specific federal disaster assistance resources and programs,  a section of which speak specifically to funds and grants available to the water and wastewater sector. Another appendix provides a timeline of the programs that become activated during the recovery process, beginning one week after the disaster and extending out to six months.

Additionally, along with the guide FEMA has published a Disaster Financial Management and COVID-19 Response fact sheet. Whereas the Disaster Financial Management Guide takes an all-hazard approach and addresses a broad range of issues, the fact sheet summarizes the concepts and principles that are relevant to the COVID-19 situation. The fact sheet has been posted below, as well as to WaterISAC’s general COVID-19 webpage.