Individual Assistance Grant Program (IA)
Individual Assistance Grant Program (IA) supports Maine residents with disaster-related home repairs, temporary housing, and essential personal expenses to make homes livable and meet recovery needs.
Funder: Maine Emergency Management Agency
Due Dates: Within 10 days of the disaster (Maine damage assessment)
Funding Amounts: 2023 limits: up to $41,000 for housing and up to $41,000 for Other Needs Assistance
Summary: Federal disaster assistance helps Maine residents make damaged primary homes livable and meet essential housing and personal recovery needs.
Key Information: FEMA assistance requires an Individual Assistance declaration covering your county and cannot duplicate insurance payments.
Description
Individual Assistance is a federal disaster recovery program provided through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), with Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) coordinating state damage assessment. It helps people whose homes were damaged in a disaster make those homes safe and livable. Assistance focuses on essential recovery, not restoring property to its pre-disaster condition or covering every loss. Housing support can include repairs, rent, temporary lodging, and temporary housing units when repairs will take a long time.
FEMA’s Other Needs Assistance can address disaster-related transportation, child care, critical needs, furniture and personal belongings, moving and storage, medical and dental care, and funeral expenses. It can also replace medical equipment such as wheelchairs and CPAP machines. Maine and its counties assess damage to determine whether to request federal assistance; FEMA determines individual eligibility and which forms of assistance are available.
