Disasters can strike at any moment, and when they do individuals, families and communities may find themselves in financial crisis for long after the emergency has ended. There are options for those suffering such loss and damage from natural disasters, and one of the best could be disaster and emergency relief grant programs. These grants can provide victims of disasters the financial resources they desperately need to put their life back together after a devastating situation and are provided by the federal and state government as well as private organizations. There are even disaster preparedness grants that one could apply for to prepare for such disasters before the fact.
Disaster preparedness grants come before the emergency situation is upon a community and can allow people to prepare and plan for such a disaster, thus limiting the amount of destruction actually done to a community. These grant awards go towards a community’s emergency response systems, personnel and equipment and are offered through the federal government and FEMA as well as by private foundations.
After a natural disaster, many organizations will offer emergency grants that can assist a struggling community with providing their citizens the basic necessities. Things like water, food and shelter can be funded by such programs and when a place is declared a disaster area FEMA will get involved along with all the government grant programs that can provide a community with temporary housing, home repairs, uninsured losses, medical and mental counseling amongst other things.
Community recovery grants are also provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, that can help states, cities and towns recover from presidentially declared disasters. These grants will assist disaster areas by providing communities with financial support for the rebuilding and recovery process. Individuals, businesses and entire communities can find support in difficult times after a disaster through these disaster relief grant programs and one just has to take the time to reach out and apply.