DENVER - The Federal Emergency Management Agency has provided more than $250 million in additional Public Assistance funding for the COVID-19 response in Colorado. The assistance was made available under a major disaster declaration issued March 28, 2020. FEMA has provided a total of $829 million for the Colorado COVID-19 response to date.
President Biden approved a cost share increase from 75 percent to 100 percent for projects related to the pandemic response, which includes work completed between Jan. 20, 2020, and Sept. 30, 2021. This approval allowed FEMA to reimburse states, tribes, cities, and other partners for 100 percent of eligible costs.
“This FEMA assistance is making a difference across Colorado," said Acting FEMA Region 8 Administrator Nancy Dragani. “These testing sites, along with expanded equitable vaccine access, helps local Coloradans fight back in the battle against COVID."
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment received this additional $250 million to create and operate seven Community-Based Testing Sites (CBTS) from August 7, 2020, to March 31, 2021. This funding covered CBTS lab services to include supplies and equipment transportation and processing of tests.
This funding is authorized under the Jan. 21, 2021, Presidential Memorandum for the Secretary of Defense & the Secretary of Homeland Security and Section 403 of the Robert T. Stafford Act.
For the COVID-19 response, FEMA has simplified the Public Assistance application and funding process to address the magnitude of this event and to allow local officials to receive eligible funding more quickly. These reimbursements play a critical role as state, tribal and local officials work tirelessly to assist their communities during this response.
Additional information about FEMA’s Public Assistance program can be found at www.fema.gov/assistance/public.
Source: Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency
