Disaster Recovery
Resources for Those Affected by Storm Helene or Milton: Recovery after a storm is difficult, here are some resources to assist with that process.
(SBA) Hurricane Helene | U.S. Small Business Administration (sba.gov)
Hurricane Milton | U.S. Small Business Administration (sba.gov)
(Census) 2024 Hurricane Helene (census.gov)
2024 Hurricane Milton (census.gov)
EDA’s grant investment in North Carolina in 2020 is helping the state respond to Hurricane Helene and become more resilient.
EDA has a long history of successfully supporting disaster recovery and resiliency efforts. EDA's role in disaster recovery is to facilitate the timely and effective delivery of Federal economic development assistance to support long-term community economic recovery planning and project implementation, redevelopment and resilience. EDA is uniquely positioned to coordinate federal support for regional disaster recovery efforts in partnership with its extensive network of Economic Development Districts (EDDs), University Centers, and other stakeholders in designated impact areas. For more information on EDA’s work, please view our Disaster Recovery brochure (PDF).
Economic Recovery Support Function (ERSF)
Executed in March 2011, Presidential Policy Directive (PPD)-8: National Preparedness directs all federal government departments and agencies to collaboratively design and implement “a systematic effort to keep the nation safe from harm and resilient when struck by hazards, such as natural disasters, acts of terrorism and pandemics.”
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) established the National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) to facilitate coordinated interagency capacities across all disaster-related mission areas: Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery. The NDRF established a total of six Recovery Support Functions (RSF) to facilitate interagency and inter-governmental “problem solving, improve access to resources, and foster coordination among State and Federal agencies, nongovernmental partners and stakeholders.
EDA serves as the Coordinating Agency for the Economic Recovery Support Function (ERSF) (PDF) on behalf of the Department of Commerce (DOC). In this capacity, EDA provides leadership, coordination and oversight for primary and support agencies, all of which share a role in the provision of grants, loans, training and other forms of assistance to support economic recovery efforts in disaster-impacted communities and regions. To assist interagency coordination, EDA established an Economic Recovery Working Group (PDF) of federal partners.