Fact Sheet: Transparency and Accountability in Gulf Coast Rebuilding

To better distinguish between the responsibilities at all levels, we have instituted a Transparency Initiative that will identify the location of federal infrastructure funds and make this information available in a clear and understandable way to the general public. This is a great tool that will further accelerate rebuilding. The first phase of this initiative will focus on mapping public schools in New Orleans so parents, teachers and local leaders will know the status of individual schools in their community.

- Donald E. Powell, Federal Coordinator for the Office of Gulf Coast Rebuilding

Federal Investment

Federal investment in areas damaged by Hurricane Katrina and Rita is unprecedented, with $120 billion provided for disaster response, relief and rebuilding. These investments are critical—and the goal of the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding is to ensure the taxpayer’s investment is spent wisely and has the greatest impact.

Since the beginning of his tenure, the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding Donald E. Powell has worked in partnership with the people of the Gulf Coast to build a better, stronger region. As a part of this effort, Powell has driven the effort to create an accessible and easy-to-use tool for the general public to learn about the status and location of infrastructure projects at the neighborhood level.

Transparency in Government

In August 2007, FEMA developed a publicly accessible web-based mapping tool to identify the geographic location of all public assistance grants for permanent infrastructure projects throughout the entire Gulf Coast.

By December 2007, the operational and public assistance funding status of individual facilities could be identified for all public schools in New Orleans and the Transparency Initiative became a reality. 

In this initial phase of the Transparency Initiative, information is available for all schools under the management of the Recovery School District and the New Orleans Public School Board (this includes district-operated schools and well as public charter schools.).

User-Friendly, Web-Based Tool

This user-friendly web-based tool has been designed for the general public—including taxpayers, residents, neighborhood leaders, local officials, state and federal officials, and those invested in the community. It is intended to make funding information through FEMA’s Public Assistance Program available in a clear and understandable way.

The Office of the Federal Coordinator sought feedback and assistance from a number of Federal agencies in the development of the site including the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), as well as education and research institutions such as The Mercatus Center at George Mason University and the Brookings Institution. Feedback was also sought from local stakeholders including organizations such as The Cowan Institute for Public Education Initiatives at Tulane University and New Schools for New Orleans. Information and website functionality will be updated to reflect feedback as the site develops.

Based on this initial data-sharing framework established for public schools in New Orleans, FEMA and the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding plan to replicate the site-based identification of public assistance funding into other recovery sectors including health care and criminal justice.

State and Local Partnerships

This initiative is built upon an on-going partnership between local, state and federal entities. The Office of the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding serves to help facilitate this partnership.

The success of the Transparency Initiative is dependent upon a local/state/federal partnership. It includes identifying the location and amount of FEMA infrastructure investments at the neighborhood level, identifying the operational status and future plans of key facilities, and mapping the financial status and location of specific federal rebuilding grants.

Primary partners in this initial phase include FEMA, the State of Louisiana, the Louisiana Department of Education and the Recovery School District. 

For more information about the Transparency Initiative and the Office of Gulf Coast Rebuilding, please visit our website at: www.dhs.gov/gulfcoastrebuild