TL;DR: A Congressional Research Service report published June 24, 2026, finds that FEMA still coordinates federal help even when there is no Stafford Act declaration, but staffing strain and funding-oversight concerns could affect that capacity.

What the June 24 report concluded

According to EveryCRSReport.com, which carries Congressional Research Service Report R49008, the Federal Emergency Management Agency was established in 1979 to serve as the federal government's central coordinator for disaster response.

The summary describes FEMA as a sort of "concierge" to the federal government's resources. It repeats a common emergency-management saying that disaster responses are "locally executed, state managed, and federally supported."

The report states that FEMA coordinates that federal support with the intent that federal agencies work together effectively when large incidents overwhelm state and local capabilities. For households, the message is that local action comes first and federal coordination arrives when local capability is exceeded.

The publication identifies the authors as Shawn Reese and Elizabeth M. Webster and the product number as R49008. Its publication date is June 24, 2026.

The report states that FEMA has worked with state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, as well as nongovernmental organizations and other federal agencies, to support response and recovery operations and coordinate national disaster response efforts.

Much of that work occurs under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. According to the summary, the Stafford Act governs presidentially declared disasters and emergencies.

The same summary states that FEMA is also frequently called upon to assist in incidents that fall outside the Stafford Act. It defines non-Stafford Act incidents as incidents deemed to warrant federal assistance and a coordinated national response, but that did not result in a Stafford Act declaration.

The reason often given is that such incidents did not meet the Stafford Act definition of emergency or major disaster. The report states that it examines case studies taken from non-Stafford Act incidents to better understand FEMA's role in supporting the federal response to such incidents.

Why some federal responses do not use a Stafford declaration

The Stafford Act boundary

According to EveryCRSReport.com, the President has sole discretion to authorize a Stafford Act declaration. That authorization enables FEMA to provide various forms of assistance as authorized by the President.

The report states that Congress has added to FEMA's responsibilities since its establishment. That includes legislation amending the Stafford Act programs that FEMA implements.

Examples cited include establishing new forms of disaster assistance and mitigation grant programs, which FEMA must implement. The report states that such changes respond to lessons learned following disaster response and recovery efforts.

It also states that the changes often reflect the experiences of emergency management stakeholders and disaster survivors. Those experiences include expectations for the types of assistance the federal government should provide and how such assistance should be delivered.

Presidential tasking outside the Stafford Act

The report describes FEMA as an executive branch agency subject to the authorities of the President. The President may assign FEMA responsibilities and task FEMA with coordinating and providing federal assistance.

Further, the report states, the President can call upon FEMA to support non-Stafford Act incidents using its incident management capabilities. That distinction matters for family planning because a visible federal presence does not always mean Stafford Act aid programs have been activated.

The report's contents list shows sections on FEMA's establishment and initial authorities, FEMA's early federal response role, FEMA's role as emergencies and major disasters are redefined, and FEMA leadership's expanded role supporting the President.

The contents also list FEMA's evolution within the Department of Homeland Security, where FEMA is housed. According to the summary, the President and the Department of Homeland Security have assigned the agency additional responsibilities within the same overall mission.

Other listed sections address September 11, 2001, and the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5. Additional sections address Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 and Presidential Policy Directive 8.

The contents also include the National Response Framework and incident response to Stafford and non-Stafford Act incidents. Additional listed material covers presidential actions to further enhance domestic incident response, case-study takeaways about FEMA's role, and congressional considerations.

The report includes Figure 1 on the National Preparedness Cycle and Table 1 on the evolution of the definitions of emergency and major disaster. It also includes appendixes on acronyms, key concepts and resources, and selected FEMA authorities.

What has stayed the same and what has grown

According to EveryCRSReport.com, the Congressional Research Service findings suggest that FEMA's core mission has remained largely the same over time. That mission is described as preparedness, coordination, response, recovery, and mitigation.

What has changed, the findings state, is the scale, complexity, frequency, and number of incidents requiring federal involvement. The degree to which FEMA has been involved has also changed.

Generally, the report states, Congress has expanded FEMA's role and authorities. The agency has expertise in implementing grant programs and providing incident management coordination and collaboration across all levels of government.

Congress has continued to authorize additional responsibilities for FEMA across the emergency management lifecycle, according to the summary. For residents, that history means the same local-first structure now connects to a larger set of federal programs and coordination tasks.

The report states that, historically, FEMA has been able to coordinate and support the federal response to both Stafford and non-Stafford incidents. It adds that challenges could affect the agency's capacity.

Concerns cited include increased staffing demands. Examples given are an increased number of staff deployments and challenges with being understaffed.

Concerns also include the sufficiency of program management and funding oversight. The example given is waste, fraud, and abuse in the disbursement of federal assistance.

The report states that it also considers FEMA's future role and whether it will continue to have the capacity to coordinate the federal government's response to major incidents.

It notes that, at the time of publication, the Donald J. Trump Administration and some Members of the 119th Congress have been reviewing FEMA's role and considering potential options for reforming the agency. It states that the report examines FEMA's role supporting non-Stafford Act incidents prior to 2025.

Mitigation money announced the same week

$189 million Pre-Disaster Mitigation opportunity

According to the FEMA Bulletin Week of June 24, 2026, FEMA published the Fiscal Year 2026 Pre-Disaster Mitigation Notice of Funding Opportunity on June 22.

The bulletin states that the funding was directed by Congress in the Fiscal Year 2026 Homeland Security and Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act. FEMA will award $189 million to support 125 specific mitigation projects in 40 states and one Tribal Nation.

Only projects specified in the act are eligible for the funding. Communities with identified projects must submit an application by 5 p.m. ET, July 22, before funds are awarded.

All project activities must conform to applicable federal, state, tribal and local floodplain and land use laws. They must also adhere to FEMA's criteria.

FEMA will review all applications and disburse funding only after confirming that eligibility criteria have been met. Examples cited include cost-effectiveness and environment and historic preservation requirements.

For projects funded through the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program, the cost share is generally 75% federal and 25% non-federal. Small-impoverished communities are eligible for up to 90% federal cost share for mitigation planning and project subapplications, in accordance with the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.

Tribal Nations that apply to FEMA as an applicant and meet the definition of a small-impoverished community may also be eligible for a higher federal cost share. The bulletin directs readers to the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program webpage and the Notice of Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov.

$1 billion BRIC application window

The same FEMA Bulletin states that the Trump Administration is providing $1 billion in federal funding for the Fiscal Years 2024-25 Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grant program.

State, local, tribal and territorial governments have one month to submit applications to FEMA before the July 23 deadline at 3 p.m. ET. Subapplicant deadlines may vary, and subapplicants should confirm the information with their respective state, tribe or territory.

The bulletin states that the BRIC program helps communities take proactive steps to reduce risk from disasters such as fires, floods, earthquakes and hurricanes. Applicants and subapplicants may review the funding opportunity on Grants.gov.

FEMA held two webinar sessions for applicants and subapplicants applying for a BRIC grant. The sessions cover eligibility requirements and application guidance, including a funding-opportunity webinar for states and territories and a funding-opportunity webinar for Tribal Nations.

For hazard mitigation grants, an applicant is required to demonstrate cost-effectiveness. FEMA recently published application support material explaining what subapplications should include in a cost-effectiveness narrative for eligible projects with a total project cost of less than $1 million.

The bulletin describes a cost-effectiveness narrative as a written description of benefits and costs, including qualitative and quantitative data. Subapplicants should provide sufficient detail to describe qualitative and quantitative benefits such as preventing physical damage, avoiding loss of function and ensuring life safety.

That narrative information is submitted using FEMA Grant Outcomes, described as the system of record for BRIC applications. FEMA reviews the content along with publicly available information to determine whether the project is cost-effective.

Once FEMA validates the narrative, FEMA estimates and records a benefit-cost ratio for the proposed project as part of the application. The bulletin also lists a FEMA Blog entry with 12 FIFA World Cup 2026 safety tips for fans and attendees.

What families should do with this information

Keep household plans workable without assuming a presidential declaration. The report's central distinction is that federal coordination can occur without Stafford Act assistance programs.

Maintain local contacts and follow instructions from state, local, tribal or territorial officials. The report describes response as locally executed, state managed, and federally supported, with FEMA coordinating federal support.

Track community mitigation projects through local emergency management offices. The bulletin identifies specific application deadlines, cost-share rules, and review standards for the mitigation programs described.

Ask local officials whether a neighborhood project is among the congressionally specified projects. The bulletin states that only projects specified in the act are eligible for the $189 million opportunity and that applications are due by 5 p.m. ET, July 22.

For BRIC, confirm subapplicant deadlines with the state, tribe or territory. The bulletin states that those deadlines may vary even though FEMA's deadline is July 23 at 3 p.m. ET.

Sources referenced