Public Agencies Should Be Aware of Requirements

Today, the U.S. Treasury clarified that the Coronavirus Relief Fund dollars, provided under the CARES Act, may be used to pay for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Assistance cost-share requirements.

Under the Stafford Act, the assistance FEMA provides through its Public Assistance Program is subject to a cost share. The federal share covers 75 percent of eligible costs and the remaining 25 percent is the applicant’s responsibility (in limited circumstances, the federal cost share for Emergency Work may be increased).

Both the federal share and the non-federal cost share must be for eligible costs used in direct support of activities that FEMA approved in the grant award. For the Coronavirus Relief Funds to be used as the non-federal match, the eligible costs must be COVID-19 related. The public agencies should also be aware that donated resources can be used to offset the non-federal cost share for eligible Emergency Protective Measures (Category B). Donated resources include contributions of cash, third-party volunteer services, materials or any combination of these.

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