The recovery acronyms proposal writers look up constantly — Categories A–G, §406 vs §428, IA vs PA, HMGP — in plain English.
The distinction responders must never get wrong. Individual Assistance helps individuals and households (housing repair, temporary housing). Public Assistance helps state and local governments and certain private nonprofits rebuild public infrastructure and recover response costs. Consulting firms overwhelmingly sell into the PA and CDBG-DR worlds. The federal cost share for PA is generally at least 75%.
| Category | What it covers | Group |
|---|---|---|
| A | Debris removal | Emergency Work |
| B | Emergency protective measures | Emergency Work |
| C | Roads and bridges | Permanent Work |
| D | Water control facilities (dams, levees, floodwalls) | Permanent Work |
| E | Buildings and equipment | Permanent Work |
| F | Utilities (water, power, sewer, communications) | Permanent Work |
| G | Parks, recreational, and other facilities | Permanent Work |
| Z | Management and administrative costs | Management |
Emergency Work (A–B) generally carries a 6-month deadline; Permanent Work (C–G), 18 months.
Section 406 mitigation funds hazard-mitigation measures added on top of repairing a damaged facility — "we're already fixing this pump station; 406 lets us build it back stronger." Section 428 (Public Assistance Alternative Procedures) lets FEMA and the applicant agree on a fixed-cost estimate up front for Permanent Work: if the real job costs less, the subrecipient keeps the excess for other eligible resilience work; if more, they absorb the overrun. §428 rewards firms that can build defensible fixed-cost estimates.
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP, "Section 404") is activated by a major disaster declaration but spent statewide on reducing future risk — funded as a share (up to 15%, or 20% for states with an enhanced plan) of total federal disaster assistance. Contrast with §406, which is tied only to the damaged facility. FMA (Flood Mitigation Assistance) mitigates NFIP-insured and repetitive-loss properties. BRIC, FEMA's pre-disaster mitigation program, has a contested legal status as of 2025–2026 — treat any claim about its availability as time-sensitive.
RFP Pilot is built for the solicitations these programs generate — it extracts the program-specific requirements and pass/fail gates and drafts to them, grounded in your firm's real recovery record.
← Back to Resources CDBG-DR procurement guide →
Sources: FEMA Public Assistance Program & Policy Guide and Categories of Work; CRS overviews of PA, HMA, and §428; FEMA IS-1014. Program mechanics summarized for orientation — always confirm against the current program guide for a live pursuit.
The AI proposal tool built for state & local government and disaster-recovery responders. Grounded in your record — never fabricated.