FEMA and SBA Disaster Assistance for Individuals and Households: Application Processes, Determinations, and Appeals (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Revised March 22, 2024 |
| Report Number |
R45238 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Bruce R. Lindsay; Shawn Reese |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
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Summary:
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) Individual Assistance (IA) program
and the Small Business Administration’s (SBA’s) Disaster Loan Program are the federal
government’s two primary sources of financial assistance to help individuals and households
recover and rebuild from a major disaster. In many cases, disaster survivors find that they need
assistance from both of these programs in addition to other sources of assistance including private
insurance, state and local government assistance, and assistance from private voluntary
organizations.
Though FEMA IA and the SBA Disaster Loan Program are separate programs administered by
different agencies, in many ways they are interconnected. SBA and FEMA share real-time data on
disaster grant and loan approvals to identify potential duplication of benefits while providing
individuals and households with federal assistance that can be used in conjunction with each other
to meet recovery needs. The two programs are also interconnected in the way they are
administered to determine loan and grant eligibility. Furthermore, eligibility and assistance from
one source can affect eligibility and assistance from the other source.
It could be argued the overlap between the two programs provides an effective means to identify
duplication and provide federal assistance; however, the overlap also causes some confusion.
Some in Congress are concerned that elements of the application process are not entirely known.
For instance, it is unclear to some what criteria are used to determine assistance eligibility as well
as how decisions are made with respect to whether an applicant should be provided a grant or a
loan (or both). It is also unclear whether FEMA and SBA determine eligibility on a case-by-case
basis, or if eligibility criteria are applied uniformly.
This report provides an overview of the two programs including discussions about
how declarations put the programs into effect;
the application process for both programs;
the criteria used by FEMA and the SBA to determine assistance; and
the FEMA and SBA appeal processes.
The report concludes with policy observations and considerations for Congress.
