TL;DR: FEMA's Public Assistance program reimburses state and local recovery work at no less than 75% federal cost share, and new June 24, 2026 awards in Tennessee and Kentucky show exactly what household systems depend on it: debris removal, utilities, roads, and water lines.
What the Public Assistance Funded Projects tracker records
According to Public Assistance Funded Projects Details - v1, the dataset contains obligated Public Assistance projects, lists recipients designated as applicants, and lists every funded, individual project, called project worksheets.
The same FEMA source states that open projects still under pre-obligation processing are not represented in this version.
The Public Assistance Funded Projects Details - v1 page reports 831,385 records available in csv, json, jsona, jsonl and parquet formats.
According to that FEMA source, the data come from FEMA's Emergency Management Mission Integrated Environment, described as raw, unedited data subject to a small percentage of human error.
The same source states that financial information is derived from EMMIE and not FEMA's official financial systems, and may differ slightly from official publication on sites such as www.usaspending.gov.
According to Public Assistance Funded Projects Details - v1, FEMA provides supplemental federal disaster grant assistance for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned facilities and the facilities of certain Private Non-Profit organizations through the PA Program.
That FEMA source identifies the program as CDFA Number 97.036.
The same source states that recovery grant assistance also provides 406 hazard mitigation dollars for damaged facilities to encourage protection from future events.
According to that FEMA source, applicant details can be obtained by relating this dataset with the OpenFEMA Public Assistance Applicants dataset using the Applicant ID field.
The same FEMA source states that the data has been incorporated into a graphic visualization at Public Assistance Program Summary of Obligations.
According to that FEMA source, questions pertaining to the data visualizations should be addressed to [email protected].
The same FEMA source lists the API endpoint as https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsDetails and the update frequency as R/P1D.
According to that FEMA source, a newer version has been released at Public Assistance Funded Projects Details - v2, and the v1 version carried a deprecation message stating it would continue to be updated during the deprecation period.
Tennessee: $34 million for 18 projects
According to FEMA approves $34M for Tennessee Recovery projects related to recent disasters - Main Street Media of Tennessee, FEMA recently announced approval of more than $34 million in funding to support 18 recovery projects in Tennessee communities affected by Tropical Storm Helene and other disasters.
The report was published by Nancy Stephens on June 24, 2026.
According to that Main Street Media of Tennessee source, the awards include $22.4 million to Nashville-Davidson County for debris removal operations following the January 2026 severe winter storm.
The same source lists $4.3 million to the Tennessee Department of Transportation for debris operations for communities affected by Tropical Storm Helene.
According to that source, the city of Forest Hills received $1.7 million for debris removal operations following the January 2026 severe winter storm.
The same source lists $1.2 million to Washington County Government for management costs related to Helene.
According to that source, Mountain Electric Cooperative received $920,634 for permanent repairs to utilities damaged by Helene.
The same source lists $649,550 to the city of Belle Meade for debris removal related to the January 2026 severe winter storm.
According to that source, Nashville Electric Service received $463,015 for repairs to utilities damaged by the severe winter storm.
The same source lists $410,288 to the Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation for the restoration of critical infrastructure after the severe winter storm.
According to that source, Columbia Power & Water Systems received $329,079 for repairs to utilities damaged by the severe winter storm.
The same Main Street Media of Tennessee source states that FEMA is reimbursing these recovery costs at no less than a 75% federal cost share through its Public Assistance program, which provides funds for state and local governments' response and recovery work.
For households, the Tennessee list shows three preparedness lessons stated in the awards themselves: winter-storm debris removal drives the largest obligations, state transportation agencies handle community-scale debris operations, and electric cooperatives and municipal power and water systems require permanent utility repairs and restoration of critical infrastructure.
Kentucky: $10.6 million for 38 projects
According to FEMA announces additional $10.6 million for Kentucky recovery, FEMA approved more than $10.6 million in funding to support 38 recovery projects in Kentucky communities affected by disasters.
That report was published June 24, 2026.
According to that messenger-inquirer.com source, the awards include $1.7 million to the Baptist Healthcare System for emergency protective measures related to COVID-19.
The same source lists $1.4 million to the Laurel County fiscal court for repairs to multiple damaged roads due to May 2025 severe storms, flooding and tornadoes.
According to that source, the Kentucky Department of Transportation received $1.3 million for the cost of debris removal, emergency protective measures and road damages following February 2025 severe storms and flooding.
The same source lists $721,000 to Paintsville Utilities to fund restoring and repairing water and sewage line damage and pump station damage due to storms and flooding in March 2021.
According to that source, the University of Kentucky received $239,000 for the cost of debris removal following December 2021 severe storms and flooding.
The same source lists $228,000 to Pike County for road and bridge repair following February 2025 and April 2025 severe storms and flooding.
According to that source, London Corbin Airport received $503,000 to fund building and equipment repair following May 2025 severe storms and tornadoes.
The same messenger-inquirer.com source states that FEMA is reimbursing these recovery costs at no less than a 75% federal cost share through its Public Assistance program, which provides funds for state and local governments' response and recovery work.
For family resilience, the Kentucky list documents that recovery spans multiple disaster years, from March 2021 and December 2021 storms and flooding through February 2025, April 2025 and May 2025 storms, flooding and tornadoes, plus COVID-19 emergency protective measures.
Asheville riverfront shows how PA funds resilient rebuilds
According to Asheville unveils 5-mile French Broad Riverfront Parks project, $60M rebuild planned, after six months of community collaboration following Helene, the City of Asheville unveiled a unified design concept for the French Broad Riverfront Parks project, shaped by feedback from thousands of residents.
That WLOS report by Taylor Thompson was published June 24, 2026 at 5:36 PM and updated June 24, 2026 at 6:09 PM.
According to that WLOS source, the project spans five miles along the French Broad River, from downstream of Hominy Creek to just below the I-240 bridge.
The same source lists the included sites as Carrier Park, Amboy Riverfront Park, French Broad River Park, the Wilma Dykeman Greenway, Craven Street Boat Launch Area and Jean Webb Park.
According to that source, the plans focus on nature-based design and multi-use spaces that balance recreation with the river's natural systems.
The same source lists proposed amenities including expanded greenways, a grove plaza, an exercise loop, a hockey rink, volleyball, basketball and pickleball courts, a nature playground, and an art meadow.
According to that source, the city is currently in the design development phase, which will continue through spring 2027 as planners refine concepts based on public feedback and coordinate with consulting teams.
The same source states that additional public input opportunities are planned for September, focusing on specific design elements rather than major changes to the overall layout.
According to that source, the project is primarily funded through FEMA public assistance and Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery funding.
The same source quotes Asheville division manager Dustin Clemens stating: Helene caused a lot of damage to the city, including our parks.
According to that source, Clemens said the focus has been on rebuilding with resilience in mind.
The same source quotes Clemens describing the effort as a unified design for all of the riverfront parks along the French Broad.
According to that source, Clemens said the goal is to bring multiple isolated parks together into one system and to have one cohesive park system that is going to be much more resilient than what was there before.
What PAPPG 5.0 says about roads, water systems and utilities
According to FEMA PAPPG 5.0 Categories C, D, F: Utility Damage Decoder, FEMA's Public Assistance Program reimburses state, local, tribal, and territorial governments and certain private non-profits for disaster recovery costs in presidentially declared major disasters.
That AcreSeal source, published June 25, 2026, states the legal authority is the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, codified at 42 U.S.C. Section 5121 et seq.
According to that source, the current rules are published in the FEMA Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide, Version 5.0, effective January 6, 2025.
The same source states the PA Program organizes recovery work into seven categories, with Categories A and B covering emergency work for debris removal and emergency protective measures, and Categories C through G covering permanent work to restore damaged infrastructure to pre-disaster design, function, and capacity.
According to that source, Category C covers roads and bridges, Category D covers water control facilities, and Category F covers utilities.
The same source states the baseline federal cost share is 75% of eligible costs, with 25% from non-federal sources, and that some disasters receive higher federal cost share through presidential declaration.
According to that source, the applicant carries the burden of proof, and the burden of proof is documentation.
The same source states Category C covers public roads including paved, gravel, or dirt surfaces, bases, shoulders, ditches, drainage structures, culverts, low water crossings, lighting, sidewalks, guardrails, and signs, plus bridge decking, girders, pavement, abutments, piers, slope protection, and approaches.
According to that source, eligibility hinges on legal responsibility, and private roads in gated communities, homeowners' association roads, and orphan roads do not qualify.
The same source states Category D covers facilities built for channel alignment, navigation, irrigation, drainage, erosion prevention, flood control, and storm water management, including dams and reservoirs, levees and floodwalls, engineered drainage channels, canals, aqueducts, acequias, sediment and debris basins, storm water retention and detention basins, coastal shoreline protective devices, irrigation facilities, pumping facilities, and navigational waterways.
According to that source, Category F defines utilities to include water storage and treatment, power generation, transmission, distribution, and storage including wind turbines, generators, substations, anaerobic digestors, solar installations and power lines, plus natural gas, sewage collection and treatment, and communication systems.
The same source states that for power restoration projects meeting both emergency and permanent criteria, applicants can claim under Category B or Category F, and that PA hazard mitigation funding is only available when power restoration is claimed as Category F permanent work.
How households can use these project records
Keep copies of pre-disaster and post-event photos or videos of the home exterior, driveway culvert, and nearby road and ditch conditions, because the AcreSeal source states PAPPG 5.0 specifies pre-disaster and post-event photos or videos among minimum documentation for inundated roads.
Keep maintenance records or evidence of a routine maintenance program such as inspection reports and contract work records, because the same AcreSeal source states those records support claims involving roads and water facilities.
Maintain a written maintenance plan or activity logs at regular intervals for wells, pumps, drainage channels, and flood-control features on private property, because the same source states regular maintenance means a written maintenance plan or activity logs at regular intervals and that logs documenting blockage clearance in response to complaints do not substantiate a regular schedule.
Track debris-removal, utility-repair, and emergency-protective-measure receipts by date, vendor, and location, because the Tennessee and Kentucky award lists document reimbursement for debris removal operations, permanent repairs to utilities, restoration of critical infrastructure, water and sewage line repair, pump station damage, and emergency protective measures.