Deadline Approaching to File Requests for FEMA/CNMI Public Assistance

SAIPAN – The Government of CNMI agencies and certain private nonprofit agencies, that may be eligible for federal and commonwealth disaster assistance, must submit Request for Public Assistance (RPA) forms to Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas (CNMI) Homeland Security by September 4, 2015.

The Public Assistance Program provides grants to commonwealth governments and certain private non-profit entities to assist them with the response to and recovery from disasters.

Public Assistance (PA) funds are available to eligible applicants as part of the federal disaster declaration of August 5, 2015, for the typhoon that occurred August 1-3, 2015 in CNMI.

The primary goal of the Public Assistance program, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and CNMI, is to provide reimbursement for eligible expenses for emergency response as well as the repair and replacement of damaged public facilities.

Under the PA program, FEMA reimburses successful applicants for 75 percent of their eligible expenses, while the other 25 percent is the non-federal share. The Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas pays 75 percent of the non-federal share of eligible costs incurred by the territorial agencies and special districts with local agencies picking up the remaining 25 percent.

Commonwealth agencies and certain private nonprofits are responsible for the entire non-federal share. The federal portion is paid directly to the territory, with CNMI being the grantee, which then makes disbursements to sub-grantees, the local jurisdictions and organizations.    

For forms and more information on the PA program, contact CNMI Public Affairs Officer, Ivan Blanco at 670-237-8040.

The RPA form also can be submitted via email to: Nerissa Benavente at Nerissa.cip@gmail.com

September 4, 2015 is the deadline to submit RPAs.          

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.