No one wants to think about a disaster striking them and their loved ones, but the truth is, the number and severity of weather-related and other natural disasters in the U.S. is increasing. In 2024, there were 27 individual weather and climate disasters that cost approximately $182.7 billion. It is better to be mentally and logistically prepared in case you end up in the middle of an emergency situation, and part of that is knowing what programs are available to support you and get you back on your feet.
A lot of the primary disaster relief programs are funded through and overseen by the government at the federal and state level via a few different departments.
Officially created back in 1979, FEMA is the biggest agency in the federal government dedicated to helping people before, during, and after disasters. They have programs for individuals and families, in addition to others geared toward state, tribal, territorial, and local governments and certain types of private non-profits.
Individuals and Households Program (IHP) provides financial and direct services to eligible applicants affected by a disaster who have uninsured or under-insured necessary expenses and serious needs. It can include:
IHP applicants have to meet FEMA’s eligibility criteria and be able to verify their identity and home ownership.
Public Assistance Program provides supplemental grants to certain non-profits and state, tribal, territorial, and local governments to help communities quickly respond to and recover from disasters. This covers things like debris removal, emergency protective measures, and public infrastructure restoration.
FEMA has additional programs to support ongoing recovery, including:
The Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) is available for those living in a disaster area who are facing a loss of income because of the disaster, costly expenses because of the disaster, evacuation or relocation expenses, and/or a personal injury related to the disaster.
Depending on the criteria in your state, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) can help you after a disaster with paying your heating and cooling bills, and federal student loan borrowers can often provide you with help paying student loans, transferring to a different school, or other issues that arise in the wake of an emergency.
The SBA offers low-interest disaster loans to help homeowners, renters, and businesses recover from declared disasters. These are aimed at assisting with losses not covered by FEMA or insurance and business operating expenses that could have been met had the disaster not occurred. This includes physical damage loans to repair and replace physical assets; mitigation assistance to cover improvements against future damage; economic injury disaster loans to cover small business operating expenses; and military reservist loans to make up for employees on active-duty leave.
If you have a mortgage backed by the Federal Housing Administration, you have access to potential disaster relief options. If you are at risk of losing your home because of the disaster, your lender must stop or delay initiation of foreclosure for 90 days. Your lender should be able to help evaluate your situation and make a plan to help you retain your home. You should reach out to a HUD-approved housing counselor for further advice.
The Food and Nutrition Service coordinates to provide nutrition assistance to families and individuals affected by a disaster or emergency. USDA Foods are currently stored in every state and U.S. territory and may be used by state agencies or local disaster relief organizations to provide food to shelters or families/individuals who are sheltering in place.
The USDA Rural Development has loans, grants, and technical assistance programs aimed at rural communities, many of which are related to disaster preparedness and recovery.
The Farm Service Agency offers several different loans and programs to assist agricultural producers in need of disaster recovery:
Your state government also has its own emergency management program or agency that offers programs and resources in the event of a disaster. You can find the department for your state here.
There are a number of non-profits and other organizations that mobilize to support communities affected by emergencies and natural disasters.
Obviously, we all hope we will never need to access any of these resources, that we will be able to avoid the chaos of a natural disaster or emergency. But it’s important to know what’s out there and available in case the worst happens, both from government agencies and private organizations. There are also partners like WithU Loans who can work with you to get you money in the short term and make it possible for you to get back on your feet.