Deadline Extended for Private Nonprofits, including Houses of Worship, to apply for Disaster Assistance

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Private nonprofit organizations, including houses of worship and other faith-based organizations, now have until June 16 to apply for FEMA assistance to help recover from damage in the California counties affected by the severe winter storms. flooding, landslides and mudslides that began on Feb. 21.

These affected areas include the following 23 counties: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Del Norte, Fresno, Glenn, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Modoc, Monterey, San Benito. San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Sierra, Trinity, Tulare and Tuolumne.

Funding from FEMA’s Public Assistance program can be used to reimburse state and local governments and certain nonprofits for the cost of emergency protective measures, debris removal and restoring disaster-damaged roads, bridges and public facilities. For more information on disaster assistance available to nonprofits, potential applicants can join a live FEMA webinar on Monday, May 15 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. PDT. FEMA subject matter experts and representatives from other agencies will be providing an overview of assistance programs and be available to answer any questions. To join: https://fema.zoomgov.com/j/1602012511 (Meeting ID: 160 201 2511/Passcode: 4699).

Private nonprofits that provide critical services, such as hospitals and other medical treatment facilities and utilities can apply directly to FEMA. Other examples of critical services include water, sewer and electrical systems; private schools that provide elementary or secondary education or institutions of higher education.

Private nonprofits that provide non-critical, essential social services, such as houses of worship, senior citizen and community centers must wait to see if they are eligible for a low-interest disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration before receiving FEMA grants. FEMA cannot duplicate benefits from other agencies or organizations. If applicants are denied a loan or it does not cover the cost of all repairs, FEMA may provide funding to cover what SBA does not.

Other examples of non-critical, essential services include educational enrichment activities, custodial and day care services, disability residential services, assisted living and low-income housing, homeless shelters and rehabilitation services and performing and community arts centers.

SBA can provide as much as $2 million in loans for damaged real estate and the replacement of property. The interest rate is 2.375 percent with terms up to 30 years.

The deadline to apply to SBA for property damage is June 5, 2023. The deadline to apply for economic injury is Jan. 3, 2024.

All applicants are encouraged to make a Request for Public Assistance (RPA) as soon as possible by contacting their local emergency management office. If applicants need to apply to SBA, they should do so at the same time that they make a Request for Public Assistance from FEMA. To file a Request for Public Assistance or for more information, email: DisasterRecovery@CalOES.CA.gov

More information on assistance for Houses of Worship is also available at What Houses of Worship Need to Know About the FEMA Disaster Aid Process Flyer | FEMA.gov.

For the latest information on California’s recovery from the severe winter storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides, visit FEMA.gov/disaster/4699.  You may also follow twitter.com/Cal_OES, facebook.com/CaliforniaOES, @FEMARegion9/Twitter and Facebook.com/FEMA.