Loan program for nonprofits impacted by #Sandy
MAYOR BLOOMBERG ANNOUNCES NYC NONPROFIT RECOVERY LOAN PROGRAM FOR NONPROFITS IMPACTED BY HURRICANE SANDY
Loan Program will provide at least $26 Million of Interest-Free Loans to Help Nonprofits Rebuild
Pro-Bono Lawyers Will Provide Legal Service to Impacted Nonprofits
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today announced several efforts to support New York City’s nonprofit organizations in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Building on a strong commitment to support and strengthen the nonprofit sector, the initiatives include the NYC Nonprofit Recovery Loan Program, a $26 million bridge loan program, pro-bono legal assistance dedicated to nonprofits, briefings regarding federal reimbursements and filing procedures, updated nonprofit assistance information on NYC.gov and support for nonprofits at the NYC Restoration Centers. The NYC Nonprofit Recovery Loan Program is supported by funders including the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, the Ford Foundation, Capital One Bank, the Robin Hood Foundation and The New York Community Trust. It will be administered by the Fund for the City of New York. The program will provide interest-free loans ranging from $5,000 to $100,000 to New York City nonprofits impacted by Hurricane Sandy and will cover losses associated with the disruption of operations and property damage. Priority will be given to organizations that have suffered the most severe losses and/or are operating in the worst affected areas, and will be made against expected claims to be filed with the nonprofit’s own insurance company and with FEMA, as well as against committed government, foundation and corporate contracts and grants. Continue Reading
Guidance for Synagogues Impacted By #Sandy for Preserving Possibility for Financial Aid from FEMA
Thanks to Nathan Diament of the OU IPA and Jarrod Bernstein of the White House for their work with the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA on the following (adapted from the OU IPA):
In the context of Sandy related damage, FEMA provides supplemental funding (after insurance payments are exhausted) for the repair and restoration of infrastructure and facilities to pre-disaster condition.
Nonprofit entities that can qualify for such financial aid include hospitals, nursing homes, community centers, day care centers, libraries, museums and senior centers located in Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester Counties.
(Several years ago, in the wake of a natural disaster that damaged the Jewish day school in Seattle, the Orthodox Union worked successfully with the Bush Administration and allies in Congress to amend the laws and regulations which govern FEMA to clearly include non-public — including parochial — schools in the class of entities eligible for FEMA reconstruction funds.)
Immediately in the wake of the storm, the OU’s Washington Office initiated discussions with senior officials at the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security (under which FEMA operates) to establish the eligibility of houses of worship — including synagogues — damaged by Sandy for FEMA reconstruction funds. We are making progress, but the discussions are ongoing.
In order for synagogues to preserve their ability to potentially receive reconstruction aid, applicants must complete a Request for Public Assistance within 30 days of the declared event (it has been amended to December 13, 2012).
Therefore, if your shul has sustained damage due to Hurricane Sandy, we urge you to file the forms included in the Request for Public Assistance package.
The disaster number is: FEMA-4085-DR-NY.
In the lower section of the Request for Public Assistance form: you should:
- Check the box “Yes” that your synagogue is a private non-profit organization, and
- Describe your organization on the next line as “community center and library” as well as any other descriptors listed in the lower section of the form if you provide such services in your synagogue (i.e., day care center, homeless shelter, senior citizens center).
- Only describe your synagogue as a “school” if your school is an accredited elementary or secondary school (K-12).
The forms and the supporting documents listed at the bottom of the form should be sent to:
New York State Office of Emergency Management
1220 Washington Avenue
Building 22, Suite 101
Albany, NY 12226-2251
(Fax: 518-322-4984)
FEMA meetings on assistance for nonprofits
Please note the meetings below. We don’t yet know which nonprofits will be eligible for FEMA assistance, so it’s best to get the information and to fill out the Request for Public Assistance.
Public assistance (Infrastructure Support Program) for Hurricane Sandy-related activities is available from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for qualifying nonprofit entities, including hospitals, nursing homes, community centers, day care centers, and senior centers located in the following counties: Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester. Information related to applying for FEMA assistance, including an Applicant Handbook and Request for Public Assistance (RPA) forms, is available on the New York State Office of Emergency Management (NYS OEM) Web site at http://www.dhses.ny.gov/oem/recovery/. The FEMA Public Assistance program provides supplemental reimbursement (after insurance is deducted) for the repair and restoration of infrastructure and facilities to pre-disaster condition. The program is focused on organizations that have sustained extensive disaster losses.
Important: FEMA determines whether a Private Non-Profit (PNP) is eligible. This is an evolving process, and categories of eligibility may change as the specifics of Hurricane Sandy’s impact become clearer. We strongly encourage you to attend an Applicant Briefing regardless of whether or not your organization type is listed as eligible in FEMA guidelines.
Applicants should attend a kickoff meeting in the county in which their facility is located. The kick-off meeting will provide an overview of the application process and review the necessary documentation needed to apply for FEMA assistance. The scheduled dates and times are provided below by county. Meetings are expected to last approximately two hours.
County |
Date |
Time |
Location |
|
New York City |
Wed, 11/14
|
10:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. |
NYC OMB 255 Greenwich Street, 8th Floor New York, NY |
|
|
Thur, 11/15 |
10:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m.
|
NYC OMB 255 Greenwich Street, 8th Floor New York, NY |
|
|
Fri, 11/16 |
10:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. |
49-51 Chambers Street RSVP: http://goo.gl/ooifS |
|
|
Mon,11/19 |
10:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. |
49-51 Chambers Street RSVP: http://goo.gl/ooifS |
|
Nassau |
Thur, 11/15 |
10:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. |
Nassau County Legislative Chamber 1550 North Franklin Mineola, NY |
|
Rockland |
Tues, 11/20 |
10:00 a.m. |
Rockland County Fire Training Center 35 Fireman’s Memorial Drive Pomona, NY |
|
Suffolk |
Wed, 11/14 |
9:30 a.m. |
Suffolk County CC West Campus Crooked Hill Road Brentwood, NY |
|
|
Wed, 11/14 |
1:30 p.m. |
Suffolk County CC East Campus 121 Speonk-Riverhead Road Riverhead, NY |
|
Westchester |
Tues, 11/13 |
9:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. |
Westchester County Center 198 Central Avenue White Plains, NY |
To RSVP for a FEMA Applicant Briefing at 49-51 Chambers Street, please complete the RSVP form here: http://goo.gl/ooifS. Limit two attendees per organization.
Application Eligibility, Requirements and Process
The following facilities are generally eligible for assistance: educational, utilities, irrigation, emergency, medical, and custodial care facilities and facilities that provide essential government services. Those that provide “other essential government services”, must be open to the general public include, irrigation facilities, museums, zoos, community centers, libraries, homeless shelters, senior citizens centers, shelter workshops, and health and safety services of a governmental nature.
Applicants must complete a Request for Assistance (RPA) within 30 days of the declared event. In this case, that is by November 29th, 2012. After an entity submits a completed set of documents, institutions will be contacted to schedule a kickoff meeting, which is the initial meeting between FEMA, the State, and the applicant to discuss eligible projects for public assistance. FEMA will be represented by a Public Assistance Coordinator (PAC) and NYS OEM will be represented by a Public Assistance Liaison. This team will assist the institution in completing any necessary Project Worksheets and facilitate the public assistance process. These worksheets will be due 60 days after submission of the RPA. Please note that FEMA does not cover expenses otherwise covered by insurance policies or payers.
Private Not for Profit (PNPs) Institutions must also include:
- State Tax Exempt Form
- PNP Questionnaire
- Official E-mail Address
- Back-up information (Organization Charter or By-Laws, Descriptive Publications, Description of membership policies or fee structures)
More information about the remainder of the process, descriptions of eligible work, and the required documents can be found on OEM’s website at http://www.dhses.ny.gov/oem/recovery/
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FEMA Updates | November 10
- Additional Disaster Recovery Centers Open 11/10/2012 04:14 PM EST
- Federal Family and Partners Continue to Support States Impacted by Sandy 11/09/2012 06:51 PM EST | More than $368 million in Individual Assistance Approved for Disaster Survivors
- Additional Disaster Recovery Centers Open (Suffolk) 11/09/2012 05:07 PM EST
After #Sandy: Preserving books, heirlooms and memories
Among the ruins left in #Sandy’s path are precious photographs and sacred books. The Library of Congress has a webpage here devoted to the immediate response actions that can be taken to save affected materials and prevent further damage, including:
- What to do if collections get wet
- A Primer on Disaster Preparedness, Management and Response: Paper-Based Materials, a collaboration of the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Archives and Records Administration, and the National Park Service
- The Disaster Response and Recovery Webpage of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works
- Mould Outbreak — An Immediate Response
by the Canadian Conservation Institute