Disaster Supplemental Funding for 2017 Disasters

EDA has made available $587 million for disaster recovery grants in communities experiencing economic distress or other economic harm resulting from Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria and wildfires and other federally declared natural disasters occurring in calendar year 2017.

2018 Disasters

EDA is already working with regional economic development districts to assist communities and businesses impacted by Hurricanes Michael and Florence. In early October, EDA announced a $100,000 grant award to the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) to provide North Carolina communities technical assistance to assist in their recovery from Hurricane Florence. For information about Major Disaster Declarations for affected counties, please visit: www.fema.gov/disasters. For up-to-date information on Hurricane Florence visit: www.fema.gov/hurricane-florence and for FEMA updates on Hurricane Michael response activities view their latest press release and visit: www.fema.gov/hurricane-michael. For information about EDA disaster recovery activities, please contact: Nfriedman@eda.gov.

Disaster Assistance Resources and Other Information

EDA’s Regional Offices in Austin, Philadelphia, and Atlanta are working closely with Economic Development Districts (EDDs), Federal, state and local officials and other partners in areas impacted by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma to accelerate economic recovery from the disaster. Contact the EDA Regional Office serving your state.

• Read EDA's Disaster Recovery Press Releases

Contact the FEMA Helpline if you have questions about:

• The help offered by FEMA.
• How to apply for assistance.
• Information in your account.

Call 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern Time, 7 days a week:

• 1-800-621-FEMA (1-800-621-3362)
• TTY 1-800-462-7585
• 711 or VRS 1-800-621-3362

How to Register with FEMA:

• English (PDF)
• Spanish (PDF)

Additional disaster recovery information is available online: https://www.disasterassistance.gov/

Hurricane Harvey:

• FEMA Clean-Up Status Reports: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4332
• Recovery Information: https://www.usa.gov/hurricane-harvey

Hurricane Irma

• FEMA Updates and Rumor Control: https://www.fema.gov/hurricane-irma
• Recovery Information: https://www.usa.gov/hurricane-irma

Hurricane Maria

• FEMA Information: https://www.fema.gov/hurricane-maria
• Recovery Information: https://www.usa.gov/hurricane-maria

Other Information

• State Emergency Management Agencies Directory:
• https://www.fema.gov/emergency-management-agencies
• National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (NVOAD)
• NVOAD Telephone: (703) 778-5088
• Hurricane Harvey: https://www.nvoad.org/hurricane-harvey/volunteer/
• Hurricane Irma: https://www.nvoad.org/current-disasters/hurricane-irma-information/

Overview

EDA has a long history of successfully supporting disaster recovery and resiliency efforts. EDA's role in disaster recovery is to facilitate the timely and effective delivery of Federal economic development assistance to support long-term community economic recovery planning and project implementation, redevelopment and resiliency. EDA is uniquely positioned to coordinate regional disaster recovery efforts in partnership with its extensive network of Economic Development Districts (EDDs), University Centers, institutions of higher education and other partners in designated impact areas. EDA has published the FY18 Disaster Supplemental Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) making $587 million available to eligible grantees in communities where a Presidential declaration of a major disaster was issued under the Stafford Act as a result of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, wildfires and other natural disasters in 2017.

Economic Recovery Support Function

Executed in March 2011, Presidential Policy Directive (PPD)-8: National Preparedness directs all federal government departments and agencies to collaboratively design and implement “a systematic effort to keep the nation safe from harm and resilient when struck by hazards, such as natural disasters, acts of terrorism and pandemics.”

Under the direction of PPD-8, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) established the National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) to facilitate coordinated interagency capacities across all disaster-related mission areas: Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery.

The NDRF established six Recovery Support Functions (RSF) to facilitate interagency and intergovernmental “problem solving, improve access to resources, and foster coordination among State and Federal agencies, nongovernmental partners and stakeholders.” Each RSF is led by a Coordinating Agency, with direct assistance from primary and support agencies to execute the RSF mission. The 6 RSFs include:

• Community Planning and Capacity Building (PDF)
• Economic (PDF)
• Health and Social Services (PDF)
• Housing (PDF)
• Infrastructure Systems (PDF)
• Natural and Cultural Resources (PDF)

Each RSF is led by a Coordinating Agency, with direct assistance from primary and support agencies to execute the RSF mission. EDA serves as the Coordinating Agency for the Economic Recovery Support Function (RSF) on behalf of the Department of Commerce (DOC). In this capacity, EDA provides leadership, coordination and oversight for primary and support agencies, all of which share a role in the provision of grants, loans, training and other forms of assistance to support economic recovery efforts in disaster-impacted communities and regions.

Post-Disaster Economic Recovery Resources

The post-disaster economic recovery environment can be exceptionally challenging. EDA has captured the following resources that may be useful for disaster recovery managers both in preparation for and in response to catastrophic disaster scenarios.

EDA-Supported Disaster Recovery Tools

EDA partnered with the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) to produce a suite of economic recovery informational tools, which can be found at RestoreYourEconomy.org. Examples include:

• Leadership in Times of Crisis toolkit for resources and information, as well as links to recovery information.
• A webinar recording on prioritizing economic recovery after a major disaster features efforts after the Joplin tornado and Jefferson Parish’s recovery from Katrina.
• A webinar recording on securing capital for recovery and redevelopment is available for listening on RestoreYourEconomy.org.
• A webinar recording on building organizational capacity in rural areas features economic recovery efforts in communities impacted by Hurricane Katrina, the BP oil spill, and an EF-3 tornado.

EDA Disaster Resilience Reports

• The Hurricane Harvey Long-Term Economic Recovery Workshops Report, April-June, 2018 (PDF)
• Economic Resiliency Review for Colorado Following the Sept. 2013 Floods (PDF)
• Economic Resilience Strategy Report for Oklahoma Following the May 2013 Tornadoes (PDF)

Industry Sector-Specific Considerations

• Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, and Life Sciences (PDF)
• Advanced Manufacturing (PDF)
• Health Care (PDF)
• Financial Services (PDF)
• Leisure, Hospitality, and Retail Services (PDF)
• Information Technology (PDF)
• Transportation, Logistics, and Distribution (PDF)

Economic Data Tools and Resources

• U.S. Cluster Mapping Data Tools (PDF)
• EDA Stats America: Data and analysis tools to support regional competitiveness in a knowledge-based economy (PDF)
• Recovery Lessons Learned and Information Sharing: FEMA’s national online network for the exchange of ideas surrounding the Disaster Recovery Community (PDF)
• Regional Resilience Report: National Association of Development Organizations (NADO), April 2012 (PDF)