Public Assistance (PA) can be challenging for any applicant, but small-staff organizations face added barriers such as limited capacity, competing priorities, and evolving FEMA requirements. This session explores how smaller agencies—including rural counties and healthcare organizations—can successfully navigate complex PA projects despite these constraints. Panelists will share real-world experiences advancing projects through multiple FEMA policy reviews, staffing limitations, and shifting documentation requirements. Attendees will gain practical strategies for streamlining communication with state and FEMA partners, managing timelines and documentation with limited staff, anticipating common policy challenges, and leveraging partnerships and technical assistance. Participants—especially those newer to FEMA PA—will leave with actionable insights to strengthen recovery efforts and ensure communities receive critical resources, including perspectives from a hospital system navigating the PA process.

Organized by Deanna Roush