Deadline now Oct. 25 for nonprofits, government to apply for Hawaiʻi fires’ disaster assistance

The Federal Emergency Management Administration has extended the deadline to Oct. 25 for private nonprofits and government organizations seeking public assistance funding for the Hawai‘i wildfire disaster.

“The extension gives applicants, including houses of worship, two more weeks to complete their requests,” James Barros, administrator of the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency, said in a press release.

“Many nonprofits have been deeply involved in the disaster response but they’ve been too busy helping the people of Maui to apply for these federal funds; the extension gives them a bit more time to seek these vital resources.”

The disaster declaration covering the August 2023 wildfires in Hawai‘i authorizes Public Assistance funding to reimburse and pay for protective measures and hazard mitigation, including fire mitigation and environmental and historic preservation projects.

Private nonprofit organizations – including houses of worship and community groups – may be eligible for financial reimbursement for emergency protective measures, debris removal or restoration of certain facilities.

Eligible organizations include those that:

• Have provided services during the wildfire disaster response
• Want to participate in recovery/mitigation efforts, including environmental and historic preservation.

The Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency is the liaison between FEMA and applicants for Public Assistance funds. The agency’s personnel can answer questions about the types of expenses and projects that may be eligible.

“But the clock is ticking for applications,” Barros said.

To learn more about FEMA Public Assistance grants, visit https://www.fema.gov/assistance/public.

To learn more about applying for Public Assistance for the Hawai‘i wildfires disaster, contact Brian Fisher with Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency’s Resilience team at brian.j.fisher@hawaii.gov.