Individual Assistance for Disaster Recovery
The Individual Assistance (IA) Program provides financial assistance up to $42,500 for disasters declared on or after October 31, 2023 (dollar amount adjusted annually according to the Consumer Price Index) through grants to individuals and families who sustain damage or develop serious needs due to a Presidential declared disaster. Serious needs and necessary expenses include:
- Housing
- Personal Property
- Transportation
- Medical and Dental
- Funeral
The grants do not need to be repaid and are provided only after verification of the serious needs and the necessary expenses cannot be met by insurance, another federal program or other sources of assistance. The program is not intended to provide for the purchase of non-essential, luxury or decorative items or return the recipient to his/her pre-disaster status.
Individual Assistance Links
- Help After a Disaster: Applicant's Guide to the Individuals and Households Program
- South Dakota Presidential Disaster Declaration History
- Frequently Asked Questions
Individual Assistance Preliminary Damage Assessments
Individual Assistance is made possible by the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and can be implemented at the request of the Governor and the recommendation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as part of the disaster declaration.
As with all disaster declarations, before the Governor is able to make a Presidential disaster declaration request, a preliminary damage assessment (PDA) needs to be completed. PDAs will include local, tribal, state and federal partners working together to gather the needed information.
FEMA's Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) Guide provides a standard framework for how emergency management officials conduct preliminary damage assessments following a disaster.
