In August 2022, FEMA published a final rule to increase the established threshold for Small Project maximum for the agency’s Public Assistance (PA) program to $1,000,000 (Small Project). The increased threshold reduces the administrative burden on state, local, tribal, or territorial (SLTT) governments and private non-profit (PNP) organizations receiving FEMA financial grants following a disaster.*
The Vermont Department of Public Safety (DPS) is Vermont's "Recipient" of all FEMA Public Assistance dollars - State and municipal. For municipalities' portion, they "subgrant" these funds. Although FEMA has set the Small Project maximum at $1,000,000, VT DPS has adopted a lesser threshold per their internal procedures to mitigate risk. **
Sources:
*FEMA Policy: Public Assistance Simplified Procedures FEMA Policy FP-104-23-001
**Public Assistance Grant Program Briefing (pages 25 and 39)