More FEMA Funding to Come to State to Cover COVID Pandemic Costs

Hawai‘i is set to receive an additional $1,234,910.55 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance program to cover the costs of emergency activities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This federal funding will reimburse state and local governments for purchasing testing supplies and personal protective equipment, administering emergency feeding and non-congregate sheltering, emergency operation center costs, and other protective measures.

“State and local governments have been on the front lines of this pandemic — buying PPE, running testing and tracing programs, and providing emergency food and housing. This reimbursement from FEMA will cover some of the costs of this life-saving work and free up more resources to help us get back to normal life,” said Sen. Brian Schatz, member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Hawaiʻi applied for $4.9 million in FEMA funding to cover the state and county governments’ emergency activities. The state initially received 75% of its reimbursement request on March 18, 2021.

Afterward, President Biden increased the federal reimbursement rate from 75-100% — and this payment provides the outstanding 25%. These funds were authorized under the presidential disaster declaration on April 1, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.