FEMA Assistance Reforms

FEMA Individual Assistance Reforms - Call to Action

The rollout of new FEMA rules, which expand assistance to artists and other self-employed people after a disaster, is progressing!

Now, we ask you to speak up for the artists and creatives you serve and ensure these rules will accomplish what they need for self-employed and gig workers. FEMA is currently asking for comments from the field. Here at NCAPER and in partnership with CERF+, we’ve reviewed the language thoroughly and identified a few key areas in which we feel the rules should be adjusted and clarified. If you attended our webinar on March 4, THANK YOU, and you can access the full transcript HERE.

 

Will you please help us communicate these comments, along with any of your own, to FEMA? The more FEMA hears from constituents, the more they will be able to take our comments and expertise about how artists work into account.

 

We’ve put together materials to make it simple for you to provide feedback to FEMA.

If you have five minutes:
Sign on to endorse the NCAPER/CERF+ Comments. You can read the letter HERE and add your
name/organization HERE. Please do this by Friday, March 22.

If you have 10 minutes:
We’ve drafted brief comments that you can use as is OR, even better, add to reflect your artist community. Access these comments and instructions for submitting them HERE.  Submitting these by Friday, March 22, is optimal, but they can be sent later.

If you have 30 minutes:
Submit your in-depth comments to FEMA. You can use the NCAPER/CERF+ letter as a
springboard, but you may find other things you want to suggest based on what you
know about your artist community. The more detail about your community and
constituents you submit to FEMA, the better they’ll understand what they need to adjust.
You can access the sample letter, the full Rule, and instructions for submitting comments HERE. Comments must be submitted by July 22, 2024, but the sooner, the better.

 

If you have questions, please contact Amy Schwartzman, NCAPER Steering Committee Member and Independent Consultant, at aschwartzman4ever@gmail.com. We thank Amy for writing this material. 

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These changes to FEMA’s rules have been almost 20 years in the making. Thank you for taking the time to help ensure they fulfill their potential.