Episcopal Relief & Development’s Post

U.S. communities recovering from major natural #disasters now have more time to apply for a #resilience-focused grant program that FEMA offers in the wake of such events. The change to the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program may seem small, but officials hope it will make more federal dollars accessible to communities looking to rebuild stronger -- and reduce the administrative burden on FEMA and grant applicants alike. I break the final rule down for Smart Cities Dive:

Build Change is pleased to be a signatory on an open letter advanced by our partners at the National Low Income Housing Coalition calling for strengthened disaster and housing resources in the U.S. We strongly support permanently authorizing the CDBG-DR program, which provides much-needed help to bridge gaps for post-disaster assistance for American families to have access to permanent #resilienthousing. You can help too by asking Congress to enact the Reforming Disaster Recovery Act to protect and strengthen the regulatory framework that makes programs like these possible: https://ow.ly/RteO50SP28F

Thoroughly enjoyed reading FEMA's "Fact Sheet on Art and Culture: Helping People Before, During, and After Disasters". It's refreshing to see how FEMA is positioning itself at the intersection of art, emergency management, and community resilience. As someone who typically focuses on disaster impacts upon housing, infrastructure, and businesses, this is an interesting avenue of exploration. #FEMA #ArtandCulture #CommunityResilience #EmergencyManagement https://lnkd.in/ehaEUQs5

Prepare for the unexpected with CEPE's Emergency Management and Community Resilience program! Explore the essential principles, methods, and tools for preparing, mitigating, responding, and recovering from disasters, as well as factors that influence community preparedness, response, and resilience. The program begins October 4, register today! https://hubs.ly/Q02G6nsS0 #EmergencyManagement #CommunityResilience #CrisisCommunication #DisasterPlanning

🌲 Alberta Requests Federal Support for Jasper Wildfire Recovery 🌲 The Alberta government is seeking financial compensation from Ottawa for the significant costs incurred in rebuilding Jasper following the devastating wildfire this summer, which destroyed one-third of the town's buildings. Alberta's Minister of Public Safety, Mike Ellis, emphasized the province's limited decision-making power during the immediate aftermath, despite being responsible for most recovery expenses. He noted that a unified command center was established by Parks Canada to manage the response, placing Alberta in a challenging position. While Alberta has launched a disaster recovery program with a budget of approximately $149 million, only a portion of these costs are eligible for reimbursement under the federal Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA). Ellis has requested that the DFAA cost-share formula be waived, given the fire's origin within a national park. This situation highlights the complexities of jurisdiction and collaboration during emergency responses. As the community rebuilds, it is crucial for all levels of government to work effectively together to ensure public safety and support recovery efforts. #WildfireRecovery #Alberta #Jasper #GovernmentCollaboration #EmergencyManagement

Preparing ahead of a natural disaster can help you in the aftermath. #IRS offers preparation assistance and relief for affected individuals and businesses. Learn about available resources. We are here to help! irs.gov/disasters #HHM24

Natural Disaster Relief Payments Alert! Did you know that some natural disaster relief payments may not be taxable? Businesses affected by major weather events should check if their support payments are ‘non-assessable, non-exempt income’ before lodging their tax return. Learn more about this from our blog post: https://bit.ly/4alHoS4

Has your community group applied for our $25,000 BUSHFIRE RECOVERY GRANTS yet? Do you have a community-led project or activity that meets our criteria of bushfire recovery, localised capacity building or disaster preparedness outcomes? Eligible individuals and organisations can apply for up to $25,000 in funding for projects that directly benefit Identified Fire Impacted Communities of 2019-2020 Black Summer Bushfires. To find out if your project could be eligible, visit https://lnkd.in/g3XCzKkd What difference could your community make with $25,000?

Fortunately, there is enough FEMA relief funding for immediate relief, but what about the future and will it be sustainable? Despite changing weather patterns, population migration to climate-risk regions is still trending. Yet local governments often do not adequately restrict development in vulnerable areas. Congress is under constant pressure to increase FEMA’s funding, but the cost of reactive emergency relief is burgeoning. This cycle is unsustainable unless Congress and FEMA expand programs that shift funding to pre-disaster programs for communities that enact protective land-use plans, such as, zoning that restricts development in vulnerable areas. The below article link discusses existing legislation and programs that could be expanded. #FEMA #disasterpreparedness #BRIC

Discover how to enhance disaster recovery for equitable aid distribution to all communities, particularly underserved ones. Dive into strategies for swift and fair #emergencymanagement in our new blog and webinar.