HONOLULU – Private nonprofit organizations, including houses of worship, may be eligible for FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program. This program is available for:

• Organizations in the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaiʻi County, and Maui County to help recover from damage caused by Hurricane Lala that occurred August 14–16, 2026.
• Organizations in Kaua‘i and Maui Counties to help recover from damage caused by Hurricane Lowell that occurred from September 6–9, 2026.

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FEMA’s PA program can be used to reimburse eligible state and local governments and certain nonprofits for the costs associated with emergency protective measures, debris removal and restoring disaster-damaged roads, bridges and public facilities. The deadline to file a Request for Public Assistance is November 6, 2026.

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Eligible private nonprofits include organizations that provide critical or essential social services, such as:

• Hospitals and other medical treatment facilities
• Utilities, including water, sewer and electric systems
• Senior citizen and community centers
• Houses of worship
• Private elementary and secondary schools, and institutions of higher education
• Custodial and day care facilities
• Residential services for people with disabilities
• Assisted living facilities and low-income housing
• Homeless shelters and rehabilitation services
• Performing arts and community arts centers

Organizations that sustained damage are encouraged to submit a Request for Public Assistance as soon as possible. To request assistance with your application, contact the State of Hawai‘i as soon as possible by emailing dod.hiema.publicassistance@hawaii.gov.

For an overview of the Public Assistance program visit www.fema.gov/assistance/public/apply. The initial request form takes only a few minutes and does not commit your organization to any further steps should you choose not to proceed.

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