Public Assistance (PA) Program

The objective of the Public Assistance (PA) Grant Program is to provide assistance to State, Tribal and local governments, and certain types of private nonprofit organizations so that communities can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies declared by the President.

Through the PA Program, FEMA provides supplemental Federal disaster grant assistance for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned facilities and the facilities of certain Private Non-Profit (PNP) organizations. The PA Program also encourages protection of these damaged facilities from future events by providing assistance for hazard mitigation measures during the recovery process.

Additional Information

9500 Series Policy Publications
Public Assistance Policy Archive
FEMA Publications:
- FEMA 321 Public Assistance Policy Digest - October 2001 - Very easy-to-read, brief summary of Public Assistance program policies. (PDF with links 1.4MB, PDF for Printing 2MB, TXT 207KB)
- FEMA 322 Public Assistance Guide - June 2007 - Describes provisions and application procedures for Public Assistance program grants. (PDF 1.62 MB)
- FEMA 323 Applicant Handbook - September 1999 - Questions and answers on how to apply for Public Assistance program grants. Cover (PDF 133KB), Body (PDF 1.91MB)
- FEMA 325 Debris Management Guide - July 2007 - Comprehensive guidance for community leaders in planning, mobilizing, organizing, and controlling large-scale debris clearance and disposal operations. (PDF 15MB)
- FEMA 329 Debris Management Brochure - May 2003 - Concise brochure on basic debris removal procedures.
Standard Operating Procedures
Expert Panel On Cost Estimating