PHILADELPHIA — FEMA recently approved $1,541,450,296 in funding to support recovery in Washington D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. This includes $1.53 billion to reimburse for costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and $3 million for recovery work related to past natural disasters. This regional funding is part of FEMA’s announcement of $5.6 billion in federal assistance to states, Tribal Nations and territories for COVID-19 and disaster recovery.

FEMA conducts a review process for all recovery grants that includes verifying compliance with program eligibility rules, ensuring proper documentation of expenses and confirming that claimed activities are consistent with program eligibility criteria to ensure taxpayer dollars are used appropriately.

In alignment with President Trump’s executive order establishing the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, FEMA conducted thorough reviews of claimed costs to identify duplication of benefits, specifically with patient care revenue. These actions help ensure that the COVID-19 Public Assistance funds being obligated are consistent with the executive order’s focus on preventing fraud, waste and abuse. Based on these reviews, FEMA is confident that the costs being reimbursed are eligible and not fraudulent.

Some FEMA Public Assistance grants recently approved to DC, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia communities include:

• $262 million to the Maryland Department of Health for Alternate Care Site contracts to help reduce or eliminate the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
• $14.2 million to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Allegheny County for temporary staff contracts to help reduce or eliminate the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
• $1.1 million to the Abraham and Laura Lisner Home for Aged Women in Washington, D.C. for labor costs to help reduce or eliminate the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
• $1 million to the Virginia Department of Transportation to repair sections of ten state routes in Wise County, Va. as a result of damage caused by severe winter storms in February 2025.

FEMA will continue to review additional projects and obligate funds on a rolling basis as eligibility is confirmed and scopes of work are finalized.