Private Non-Profits Encouraged to Apply for Miss. Assistance

Private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Mississippi may be eligible to receive federal assistance in recovering from losses connected with Hurricane Katrina, officials of the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) emphasized. The deadline for applying is Nov. 30, 2005.

“Public Assistance is an important program designed to help ensure critical services are available in communities and private non-profits are a key piece of that,” said Denis Coliten, Public Assistance Officer.

Private non-profits can request an application packet for disaster assistance by calling (601) 965-2596 between the hours of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or file online at www.mississippipa.org.

The Public Assistance program provides grant funds to eligible municipalities, government agencies and qualified private non-profit organizations for costs of debris removal, emergency protective measures, road repairs, repair of water control facilities, and restoration of buildings, utilities and recreational facilities. While public assistance is oriented to public entities and can fund the repair, restoration, reconstruction, or replacement of a public facility or infrastructure damaged or destroyed by a disaster, certain PNPs may qualify for help as well.

Eligible PNPs include educational, utility, irrigation, emergency, medical, rehabilitation, and temporary or permanent custodial care facilities (including those for the elderly and disabled), and other PNP facilities that provide essential services of a governmental nature to the general public.

PNPs that provide “critical services,” which include power, water (including water provided by an irrigation organization or facility), sewer, wastewater treatment, communications and emergency medical care, may apply directly to FEMA for a disaster grant. All other PNPs must first apply to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for a disaster loan. If the PNP is declined for an SBA loan, or the loan does not cover all eligible damages, the applicant may re-apply for FEMA assistance.

The eligible counties are Adams, Alcorn, Amite, Attala, Benton, Bolivar, Calhoun, Carroll, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Claiborne, Clarke, Clay, Coahoma, Copiah, Covington, DeSoto, Forrest, Franklin, George, Grenada, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Hinds, Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, Itawamba, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Kemper, Lafayette, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Leake, Leflore, Lee, Lincoln, Lowndes, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Monroe, Montgomery, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Panola, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Quitman, Rankin, Scott, Sharkey, Simpson, Smith, Stone, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Tunica, Union, Walthall, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Wilkinson, Winston, Yalobusha and Yazoo.