Variety of Government Assistance is Available to Churches 

Release Date: August 8, 2008
Release Number: 1763-141

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DES MOINES, Iowa -- Churches may be eligible for disaster assistance from a variety of sources including state and federal grants and low-interest loans as well as private donations.

Any church set up as a non-profit that provides community services may be eligible for federal loans and/or grants to restore their facilities and equipment. To be eligible, churches must be open to the public and provide services such as: education; custodial and day care (including before/after-school and special-needs centers); residential facilities for the battered and disabled; assisted living and defined low-income housing; alcohol and drug treatment and rehabilitation; performing and community arts centers; food programs; homeless shelters; senior citizen and community centers or other community services.

Applicants can begin the application process by completing a one-page Request for Public Assistance (RPA) form, available on the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division (HSEMD) website at www.iowahomelandsecurity.org/Disasters/DisasterForms/tabid/133/Default.aspx .

Once complete, applicants should submit their request then send their RPA form to: Public Assistance Officer, 7105 NW 70th Ave., Camp Dodge - Bldg W-4, Johnston, Iowa 50131. After the form is reviewed, applicants will be contacted regarding eligibility for the grant program. The grants are funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and HSEMD.

Low-Interest Loans

Loans of up to $2 million are available to churches through the Small Business Administration (SBA). The loans can cover church food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools and colleges, as well as items that federal grants cannot cover, such as worship sanctuaries.

To get these low-interest loans, Private Non-Profits can either go to SBA or register with FEMA just as individual applicants do, by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or TTY 800-462-7585 for the speech- and hearing-impaired, between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. Applicants can register online any time at www.fema.gov. The number for SBA is 1-800-659-2955.  

After applying, they will receive an SBA loan application, which needs to be filled out and returned by September 29.

This information will be used to submit a Request for Public Assistance, which FEMA uses to determine if a Private Non-Profit provides an essential governmental service and meets the definition of a "critical facility."

Based upon that determination, FEMA will either refer a Private Non-Profit group to SBA for disaster-loan assistance or possibly provide a PA reimbursement grant for eligible costs. Likewise, SBA will refer an applicant to FEMA if the project appears appropriate for a federal grant.

Private Sources of Assistance

Churches may also be able to access private donations, including specific needs such as building supplies, cash and volunteer resources. To find out more, go online to the state's site at www.flood2008.iowa.gov and the aidmatrix.org support portal. Information about donations from individuals and businesses is collected from these sites and managed online by the state for use by members of the Iowa Disaster Human Resource Council.

Local and national non-profits that are members of the Iowa Disaster Human Resource Council have user IDs and passwords to access the donation Web sites. Non-profits that are not members can e-mail a request to iowadonations@iowa.gov in order to access these resources.

FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

Last Modified: Friday, 08-Aug-2008 11:33:33