Guide to Navigating Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
and Small Business Administration (SBA)
Disaster Aid for Cultural Institutions

The information on these pages is meant as a general guide to seeking federal funding to aid in disaster response and recovery. The steps outlined here are based on current Federal policies, some of which are under review. Heritage Preservation has tried to ensure the accuracy of the information provided. However, Heritage Preservation assumes no liability for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in this publication. Please read carefully the policies and regulations cited.

Application Process

1. Has a Presidential declaration been issued?

Federal disaster assistance is available only if the President declares a federal emergency or major disaster. To find out if a declaration has been issued, check www.fema.gov/news/disasters.fema or call your state or local emergency management agency (see the blue pages in your phone book or www.fema.gov/about/contact/statedr.shtm).

In some circumstances, SBA loans may be available without a presidential declaration; click here to check for SBA disaster declarations.

2. Who is eligible to apply for assistance?

Libraries, museums, archives, and all other collecting institutions open to the general public can apply for FEMA assistance if they are:

a private nonprofit*
part of a state, local, or tribal government
open to the public.

* Carefully review the appropriate FEMA policies: (1) 9521.3 Private Nonprofit Facility Eligibility, which states that "museums, zoos, and libraries," may be eligible and (2) 9521.2 Private Nonprofit Museum Eligibility, which states: “private nonprofit museums are confined facilities which are constructed or manufactured whose primary purposes are to: preserve a documented collection of artistic, historic, scientific or other objects, and exhibit the documented collection to the general public.”

3. Where should we apply for assistance?

Libraries, museums, archives, and all other collecting institutions open to the general public:

For emergency protective measures and debris removal, apply directly to FEMA Public Assistance.
For permanent repairs and/or collections stabilization, apply for a loan from the Small Business Administration (SBA). If the SBA declines the loan application or the damages exceed the amount of the loan, the organization may then apply to FEMA for further assistance.

State, local, or tribal government libraries, museums, and all other collecting institutions open to the general public may apply to FEMA as part of their state, local, or tribal government’s application to FEMA for debris removal, permanent repairs and/or collections stabilization. (In some cases, a state may designate more than one of its agencies as being appropriate to make application to FEMA.)

4. What financial support is available?

SBA Support: The SBA can provide low-interest Physical Disaster Loans of up to $1.5 million to repair or replace damaged real estate, equipment, inventory, and fixtures. The loan may be increased by as much as 20% to protect the property against future disasters of the same type. These loans cover uninsured or under-insured losses.

FEMA Support: All FEMA assistance is on a reimbursement basis for documented expenses—in other words, you have to pay for services and supplies and then submit receipts to be reimbursed by an agency of your state.

The minimum federal cost share is 75 percent of the eligible costs; however, the percentage may be changed for a particular disaster. If your facility meets the eligibility criteria and deadlines for applying for assistance, FEMA may offer reimbursement for:

costs incurred for debris removal (FEMA Category A)
costs incurred for emergency protective measures, collections stabilization and treatment (FEMA Category B)
costs incurred for permanent work (repair, restore or replace damaged facility) (FEMA Category E).

Collections: The FEMA Collections and Individual Objects Policy DAP 9524.6 states that funding may be available for damaged collections and objects of eligible public or private nonprofit facilities when the collections are:

of exceptionally significant cultural value,
accessible to the general public for educational purposes, and
accessioned and catalogued and/or inventoried.

This includes collections in state, local, or tribal government libraries, archives, museums, and all other collecting institutions open to the general public.

Replaceable Library Books and Publications: Replacement is based on an inventory of the quantities of various categories of books or publications damaged or destroyed. Cataloging and other work incidental to replacement are eligible. See FEMA's Collections and Individual Objects Policy for more information.

IMPORTANT: If you qualify for FEMA support, funds will be disbursed by the state emergency management agency. You will not receive a check directly from FEMA.

Updated 6/1/07