Disaster recovery & resilience specialist Laura Clemons rejoins the program to talk about taking advantage of federal disaster relief funds to build more resilient cities and towns in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Laura previously joined us to talk about how smaller cities should be preparing for natural disasters—not just how to mitigate them but also how to effectively take advantage of (and not miss out on) federal funding. In this episode, Laura talks about the same process, but tailored to pandemic response. As before, this episode is absolutely full of practical tips for leaders of municipalities of all sizes.

As we mention in the discussion, we're here to talk if you have questions on how to respond to this new reality. Email Kevin at kevin@verdunity.com or Laura at lclemons@collaborative-communities.com. 

FEMA Fact Sheets

FEMA has produced several fact sheets to help understand how to apply for COVID-19 funding and what qualifies.

• Fact sheet on simplifying the public assistance application process for COVID-19 funding.

• Reimbursable costs for emergency protective measures and sheltering costs.

• Information about eligible emergency protective measures can be found in FEMA’s Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide.

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic: Public Assistance Simplified Application

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic: Private Nonprofit Organizations

Resources for Schools and Child Care Programs

• The CDC has issued Interim Guidance for Administrators of US K-12 Schools and Child Care Programs to help with decisions related to COVID-19 

• The Readiness Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance (TA) Center has useful information, resources, trainings and tools for addressing infectious diseases and protecting the school community.

• The USDA has information on flexibilities to allow students to access meal service during school closures.

• Texas school districts should work closely with their local health entities as they weigh operational decisions. The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is the lead agency in preparedness efforts for Texas. The DSHS website is also providing updated counts of confirmed cases of coronavirus by region.

Learn more about Laura's work: Collaborative Communities

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