Declaration Information
On June 25, 2018, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts received a Major Disaster Declaration (FEMA-4372-DR-MA) for the counties of Barnstable, Bristol, Essex, Nantucket, Norfolk, and Plymouth for the March 2-3, 2018 Nor’easter. This Declaration has activated the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s Public Assistance (PA) Program for these counties, making federal funding available to local governments, state agencies, and eligible private non-profit organizations for eligible disaster-related costs such as emergency work and permanent repair and replacement of facilities damaged as a direct result of the storm.
For information on the Major Disaster Declaration (FEMA-4379-DR-MA) for the March 13-14, 2018 storm, see: /info-details/fema-dr-4379-ma-march-13-14-2018-severe-winter-storm.
Documents
Applicant Briefings
The initial step in seeking funding associated with this Declaration is to participate in an Applicant Briefing, which provides details on eligible expenses and costs incurred as a result of the storm, as well as the reimbursement process for applying for and receiving federal funds under the PA Program.
The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) will conduct five (5) in-person Applicant Briefings. In addition, MEMA will host an online Applicant Briefing webinar. Follow-up information regarding registration will be sent from MEMA before the first in-person applicant briefing. The schedule for the briefings is detailed below. It is imperative that appropriate representatives from your community, including a representative for your fiscal department, attend an applicant briefing even if your community has been previously engaged in the PA Program for other disaster declaration as there have been several process, policy, and fiscal compliance changes to the FEMA PA Program that may directly affect your reimbursement.
In addition, each Applicant Briefing will include an overview and training session on the new FEMA Grants Portal online system. Each community seeking reimbursement under the PA Program will be required to have a log in and use the new FEMA Grants Portal throughout the reimbursement process. The FEMA Grants Portal is the tool Applicants will use to upload its Request for Public Assistance (RPA) Application as well as all necessary project information and documentation for FEMA review. All applicants who wish to receive PA funding must register for a Grants Portal account. To register for a FEMA Grants Portal account, please contact disaster.recovery@mass.gov prior to your Applicant Briefing.
If you have previously attended a Grants Portal training and are a registered user in the system, you may log into your account now and submit an RPA for your organization. If you forget your password to the Grants Portal, please e-mail disaster.recovery@mass.gov or contact any member of the Disaster Recovery Unit for
assistance.
If you are aware of a private non-profit, regional school district, or public light/electric department in your community that suffered damage or incurred costs, please advise them of these briefings, as they too, may be eligible to receive reimbursement for their eligible expenses.
Should you have any questions regarding these briefings, please contact a member of the Disaster Recovery Unit:
- Lorraine Eddy – 508-820-2055 or lorraine.eddy@mass.gov
- Andrew Poliferno – 508-820-2003 or andrew.poliferno@mass.gov
| Date | County | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday July 13, 2018 | Bristol | 8:30AM - 12:30PM | IBEW Local 223, 475 Myles Standish Blvd, Taunton, MA |
| Monday July 16, 2018 | Plymouth | 8:30AM - 12:30PM | Bridgewater State University, Moakley Building, Bridgewater, MA |
| Tuesday July 17, 2018 | Barnstable | 8:30AM - 12:30PM | Barnstable County Complex, Harborview Room, 3195 Main Street, Barnstable, MA |
| Wednesday July 18, 2018 | Norfolk | 8:30AM - 12:30PM | Four Points Sheraton, 1125 Boston Providence Highway, Norwood, MA |
| Friday July 20, 2018 | Essex | 8:30AM - 12:30PM | Mass Task Force 1 Complex, 43 Airport Road, Beverly, MA |
| Monday July 23, 2018 | All declared counties | 1:00PM - 5:00 PM | Webinar |
Applicant Briefing Presentation
DR 4372 March 2-3 2018 Winter Storm Applicant Briefing Presentation
Public Assistance Delivery Model Process
FEMA has developed a new Public Assistance grant administration process in order to encourage transparency, consistency, and accountability. FEMA’s New Public Assistance Delivery Model became mandatory for all disasters declared on or after September 13, 2017. To learn more, see: FEMA Public Assistance: Local, State, Tribal and Non-Profit.
Private Non-Profit Information
Private non-profit organizations in the declared counties are encouraged to attend the applicant briefings. Depending on the types of services provided and costs incurred, private non-profits may be eligible for assistance under this PA program or under the Small Business Administration’s Disaster Loan Program.
For more information about PNP eligibility, see FEMA's Public Assistance: Policy and Guidance
PNP applicants must submit their RPA using the Grants Portal and are also required to upload the below PNP documents in the portal as part of their application.