$587M in natural disaster grants

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced Aug. 13 that the department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) has published the FY 2019 Disaster Supplemental Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), and making $587M available to eligible grantees in communities impacted by presidentially-declared natural disasters in 2018, and floods and tornadoes of 2019. The administration and DoC “understand the challenges faced by American cities and towns devastated by recent natural disasters and are committed to helping them recover,” said Ross. “The funding … will help ensure that communities impacted by disaster can rebuild and fuel growth for the future.” EDA disaster grants are made by its Regional Offices under the agency’s Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) program, which enables EDA to make awards that support a wide range of construction and non-construction activities sudden and prolonged severe economic dislocation. The submission of applications should be based on long-term, regionally-oriented, and collaborative development strategies that foster economic growth and resilience. (Source: Economic Development Administration 08/13/19). The four Gulf Coast states fall under two separate regions. Louisiana falls under the auspices of the Austin (Texas) Region. Alabama, Florida and Mississippi are part of the Atlanta Region.