FEMA Provides an Additional $181 Million to Colorado for COVID-19 Response

DENVER, Colorado, Jan. 18 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency issued the following news release:

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has provided $181 million in additional funding for COVID-19 response efforts in Colorado. To date, FEMA has provided more than $330 million in Public Assistance funding for COVID-19 response in Colorado. The assistance was made available under a major disaster declaration issued April 4, 2020, by President Trump.

The $181 million was provided to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to fund COVID-19 community testing sites and laboratory contracts in Colorado. Funding for this project is authorized under Section 403 of the Robert T. Stafford Act.

"This FEMA assistance is making a difference across Colorado," said FEMA Region 8 Administrator Lee dePalo. "Testing sites ensure that both individuals and health officials have critical information on the level of infections within the state. This helps state and local leaders make critical decisions in the battle against COVID."

FEMA's Public Assistance Program provides funding for emergency actions undertaken by communities to protect public safety, providing at least a 75-percent funding share for eligible costs. Remaining costs are the responsibility of the state and local applicants for assistance.

For the COVID-19 response, FEMA has simplified the Public Assistance application and funding process to address the magnitude of this event and to allow local officials to receive eligible funding more quickly. These reimbursements play a critical role as state, local and tribal officials work tirelessly to assist their communities during this response.