Pandemic Assistance Subvention Program CARES Act: How to Apply

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is providing financial assistance to eligible applicants for costs related to emergency protective measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding, stemming from the CARES Act, is designed to support activities addressing immediate threats to life, public health, and safety. This guide explains how to apply for the Pandemic Assistance Subvention Program under the CARES Act.

Eligible applicants include state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, as well as eligible private nonprofits. These entities can submit funding requests through a recipient, which are states, tribes, or territories administering Public Assistance awards.

Before applying for a grant, recipients should ensure the following forms are completed by working with their FEMA regional points of contact:

• FEMA-State/Tribal/Territorial Agreements
• Signed Federal Grant Applications (SF-424)
• Updated Recipient Public Assistance (PA) Administrative Plans

FEMA has streamlined the application process through the Public Assistance Grants Portal, allowing for online applications. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to apply for the Pandemic Assistance Subvention Program:

Step-by-Step Application Process:

1. Attend a Virtual Applicant Briefing: Interested applicants should contact their state, local, tribal, or territorial governments to learn about and attend a virtual applicant briefing.
2. Create a Grants Portal Account: Log on to the Public Assistance (PA) Grants Portal at grantee.fema.gov and create a new account. For detailed instructions, refer to the account creation guide.
3. Submit a Request for Public Assistance (RPA): Submit an RPA through the Grants Portal. For guidance, watch this video on how to submit an RPA.
4. Submit a Streamlined Project Application: After submitting the RPA, the next step is to submit a streamlined project application for COVID-19 related costs. Refer to this guide on completing streamlined project applications and this video for additional support on submitting a COVID-19 Streamlined Project Application.
5. FEMA and Recipient Review: FEMA and the recipient will review the submitted documents, including work activities, costs, and supporting documentation. FEMA may contact applicants if there are any questions or if additional information is needed.
6. Applicant Signs Project: Once the review is complete and the project is approved, the applicant will need to sign the project agreement within the Grants Portal.
7. Receive Funding: Upon project approval and applicant signature, funding will be disbursed through the recipient. Applicants can track the progress of their grant application at any time by logging into the Grants Portal.

For any questions regarding the application process for the Pandemic Assistance Subvention Program under the CARES Act, applicants should reach out to their state, local, tribal, and territorial governments for assistance.