DENVER– The Federal Emergency Management Agency has provided$10.6 Million in Public Assistance funding to the North Dakota Department of Health for COVID-19 response efforts. The assistance was made available under the major disaster declaration issued April 1 by President Trump.
The funds are being provided to the Department of Health for costs related to ramping up COVID-19 testing efforts as part of North Dakota’s pandemic response. The award covers the period from March 7 through June 30, during which 163,977 tests were completed.
“These funds are supporting North Dakota’s expanded testing efforts, an important component to minimizing the spread of COVID-19,” said FEMA Region 8 Administrator Lee dePalo.
FEMA’s Public Assistance Program provides funding for emergency actions undertaken by communities to protect public safety, providing at least a 75-percent funding share for eligible costs. Remaining costs are the responsibility of the state and local applicants for assistance.
For the COVID-19 response, FEMA has simplified the Public Assistance application and funding process to address the magnitude of this event and to allow local officials to receive eligible funding more quickly. These reimbursements can play a critical role as state, tribal, and local officials work tirelessly to assist their communities during this response.
To date, FEMA has provided more than $105.7 million in Public Assistance funding for the COVID-19 response in North Dakota. Additional support has come in the form of mission assignments, where FEMA directs another federal agency to perform work to address needs identified by the state.