Applicant Briefings are hosted by Vermont Emergency Management (VEM). Applicants should attend at least one (1) applicant briefing to learn how to apply for the FEMA Public Assistance program. In additional to providing a refresher on Public Assistance, briefings highlight changes to FEMA policy that may have occurred since the previous disaster declaration.
These briefings are for Public Assistance only. They will not provide information for Individual Assistance to homeowners or businesses.
For the maximum benefit, applicants should have members of its management, emergency response, public works, and finance departments all watch the webinar so they can understand their respective roles relative to this federal grant program.
Those seeking to become an applicant in a federal disaster event will need to submit their request for public assistance (RPA) in the FEMA Grants Portal: https://grantee.fema.gov/. Select the appropriate disaster number in the portal. For more information visit VLCT's "FEMA PA - How To Apply" page.
Getting Ready for the Next Step - Before a Site Visit
Before a site visit is scheduled for your municipality with FEMA and Vermont Emergency Management (VEM), your legislative body should formally designate a single person to serve as your municipality's primary point of contact (POC). Your POC should be an excellent communicator, meaning:
- be clear, concise, correct, coherent, complete, and courteous, both when speaking and in writing;
- have good attention to detail;
- be able to understand and follow processes; and
- work cooperatively with many varying parties (federal, state, local, residents, etc.).