Order and Components of the Sequence of Delivery

As a FEMA employee, it is essential for you to understand the Sequence of Delivery because it will be your responsibility to communicate it clearly to the disaster survivor. The Sequence of Delivery must be followed when providing assistance to disaster survivors following an incident to ensure that they receive all the assistance to which they are legally entitled.

The sequence of delivery establishes the order in which disaster relief agencies and organizations provide assistance to disaster survivors. This is intended to prevent duplication of benefits, maximize available resources, and coordinate efforts to help disaster survivors navigate the recovery process.

The order of the Sequence of Delivery is:

  1. Emergency Assistance (Voluntary Agencies)
  2. Insurance
  3. Housing Assistance (HA)
  4. Other Needs Assistance (ONA) - Not Income Based
  5. SBA (Disaster Loans)
  6. Other Needs Assistance (ONA) - Income Based
  7. Unmet Needs - Voluntary Agencies
Graphic of the Sequence of Delivery listing the following Sequence: 1. Emergency Assistance (Voluntary Agencies ); 2. Insurance; 3. Housing Assistance (HA); 4. Other Needs Assistance (ONA) - Not Income-based; 5. SBA (Disaster Loans); 6. Other Needs Assistance (ONA), Income-based; 7. Unmet Needs Voluntary Agencies
* Eligibility for Federal assistance is based on each applicant’s individual circumstances as they relate to each program’s conditions of eligibility. Not all applicants will be eligible for all forms of Federal assistance. Source: Individual Assistance Program and Policy Guidance (IAPPG), March 2019