FEMA assistance available for churches

FEMA may provide funds to houses of worship and other private nonprofit organizations to help pay for emergency protective measures, debris removal and restoration of facilities damaged by the storms and flooding April 26-June 5 in Texas.

FEMA’s Public Assistance program may cover costs to repair or replace damaged facilities or provide funding for hazard mitigation measures during the recovery process.

Eligibility requirements include:

• The house of worship must be owned or operated by a private nonprofit organization and have sustained damage caused by the storms.

• The facility must be open to the public.

•The application must include state and/or U.S. Internal Revenue S ervice documentation of tax-exempt status, pre-disaster charter and other documentation.

Organizations that provide non-critical services may be required to apply for a low-interest disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to be considered for Public Assistance grants. Grants may be available to these organizations for repair or replacement costs that SBA loans do not cover. These organizations can also apply to FEMA and the SBA at the same time.

For more information, see FEMA’s Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide Version 4. Private nonprofit organizations, including houses of worship, interested in applying for a grant should contact their local or state emergency manager.