Grants Portal houses the Event PA Requests Profile, an Applicant's profile for an event. Applicants can upload their Damage Inventory and other documents pertinent to the event, as well as review the summary of the event as it pertains to their damage in the profile. The Event PA Requests Profile provides General and Event Information.

General Information

• FEMA Public Assistance Code
• State Government
• Status
• Request for Public Assistance Date
• Process Step

Event Information

• Job Number
• Event Name
• Event Type
• Incident Type
• Incident Level
• Incident Start Date
• Incident End Date
• Declaration Date
• Declared Counties

There are also several drop-down menus below, including the Stats/Summary section, Contacts, Locations, Damage Inventory, EHP Profile, Documents, Comments, Requests for Information, Discussion, and Process Status History sections. All of these bars can be expanded by selecting on the arrow to the right of the bar title.

To begin submitting a Request for Public Assistance, the Applicant signs in to Grants Portal, which loads their Dashboard. There will be a notification at the top of the page stating that the Applicant may submit a Request for Public Assistance.

This notification will only appear if a location in a designated county for the event is listed in the Applicant's Event PA Requests Profile. Grants Portal will also send out an email notifying the Applicant that they may submit a Request for Public Assistance. Before submittal, the Applicant should review their Organizational Profile to ensure the information and contacts are listed correctly.

Steps to submit a Request for Public Assistance. The Applicant should:

• Select the hyperlinked text that states, "Please click here to begin the RPA submission process"

This brings the Applicant to the "Request for Public Assistance" page. Instructions are provided on this page, explaining that the Applicant must answer a series of questions regarding their organization, contacts, mailing addresses, and supporting information. Once completed, the Applicant reviews the overall submission. After reviewing, they submit the request to FEMA.

Once submitted, the Applicant receives notifications through Grants Portal regarding their Request for Public Assistance status.

Steps to submit a Request for Public Assistance. The Applicant should:

• Read the instructions and select the blue "Next" button at the bottom right corner of the screen

The Applicant then arrives at the "General Information" tab. Here, Grants Portal displays the General Information associated with the Applicant's request. This includes the Applicant name, FEMA PA Code, DUNS Number, Event Name, and the Participated in PDA drop-down list.

Steps to submit a Request for Public Assistance. The Applicant should:

• Select the applicable event in the Event drop-down list
• Select Yes or No in the "Participated in PDA" drop-down list
• Select the blue "Next" button in the bottom-right corner of the screen

At this stage, the Applicant is at the "Contacts" tab. Here, the Applicant must indicate their primary and alternate contacts for this event. The indicated contacts will receive regular notifications and will be able to use Grants Portal to track the request progress as well as interact with designated FEMA partners such as the FEMA Program Delivery Manager.

Steps to submit a Request for Public Assistance. The Applicant should:

• Under "Primary Contact," select the desired name from the drop-down list
• The name, title, email address and phone number will be displayed beneath the drop-down list
• Under "Alternate Contact," select the desired name from the drop-down list
• Select the blue "Next" button at the bottom right corner of the screen

After completing the "Contacts" tab, the Applicant adds information for their primary location and mailing address in the "Addresses" tab. These addresses will be used for scheduling meetings and sending formal written correspondence.

If the Applicant needs to modify the addresses, they will have to begin the Request for Public Assistance process again after entering the correct information in their Organizational Profile.

Steps to submit a Request for Public Assistance. The Applicant should:

• Verify Primary Location or select the "Change" button
• Verify the mailing address or select the "Change" button
• Select the blue "Next" button in the bottom right corner of the screen once all the information is complete

After completing the "Addresses" tab, Grants Portal loads the "Other Information" tab. Here, the Applicant can provide any additional information, such as a brief narrative describing the reasons for requesting assistance.

Steps to Submit a Request for Public Assistance. The Applicant should:

• If necessary, enter any additional information in the text box
• This section is optional and may be skipped by selecting on the blue "Next" button in the bottom right corner of the screen

After completing the "Other Information" tab, the Applicant reviews the information from all tabs in its entirety. The Applicant must review all information for accuracy before selecting the green "Submit" button in the bottom right corner of the screen.

Steps to submit a Request for Public Assistance. The Applicant should:

• Review all information
• Select the "Submit" button

After selecting "Submit," a Congratulations Screen appears. It states that the Request for Public Assistance has been successfully processed and submitted to the Recipient organization for review. The application is complete by submitting a Request for Public Assistance.

The following slides outline the review and approval process of the Request for Public Assistance from the Recipient perspective.

The Recipient must navigate to the "My Tasks" section in the "My Organization" pane on the left side of the screen. This is where workflow items can be viewed.

Steps to approve the Request for Public Assistance:

• Select "Workflow Items" from the "My Tasks" section on the left side of the screen

Once "Workflow Items" is selected, Grants Portal redirects the Recipient to the "My Workflows" page. Here the active project workflows can be viewed, and search filters applied.

Steps to approve the Request for Public Assistance:

• Select the "Filters" drop-down to expand the section
• Select "Recipient RPA Eligibility Type" from the "Type" dropdown
• Select the magnifying glass to the left of the relevant workflow

The Recipient can now view the Workflow Details including Workflow Information such as:

• Class
• Type
• Description
• Status
• Created on (date)

They can also view Type-Specific Information such as:

• Event title
• Applicant
• Type
• Primary Contact
• Alternate Contact
• Physical Location
• Mailing Location
• RPA Comments

Steps to approve the Request for Public Assistance:

• After verifying all information is accurate, select the green "Eligible" button or the red "Ineligible" button at the top right of Grants Portal

If the Recipient determines that the Applicant's Request for Public Assistance is eligible, a pop-up box will appear, asking if they are sure of the determination.

Steps to approve the Request for Public Assistance:

• Fill out the "Reason" text box, providing an explanation why the Applicant has been determined to be eligible
• Select the "Yes" button

If the Recipient determines that the Applicant's Request for Public Assistance is ineligible, a pop-up box will appear, asking if they are sure of the determination.

Steps to approve the Request for Public Assistance:

• Fill out the "Reason" text box, providing an explanation of why the Applicant has been determined to be ineligible
• Select the "Yes" button

To begin adding single damages to the Damage Inventory, the Applicant navigates to the "My Organization" pane.

Steps to develop the Damage Inventory:

• Select "Applicant Event Profiles" in the "My Organization" pane
• Then select the magnifying glass on the left of the Event number

After selecting on the magnifying glass, the Applicant can see the project details.

Steps to develop the Damage Inventory:

• Scroll down to the Damage Inventory bar
• Select the "Manage" button in the bottom right corner of the screen

Once the Applicant selects "Manage," the Damage Inventory and all current entries can be viewed.

Steps to develop the Damage Inventory:

• To add a single damage, select the "Add Damage" button in the top right corner of the screen

Selecting "Add Damage" causes a pop-up window to appear. It asks, "What type of Damage do you want to create?" and displays two options: Standard Damage and Management Cost.

Standard Damage entails damages that are categories A-G. Management costs pertain to reimbursement of Category Z- Directed Administrative Costs.

Steps to develop the Damage Inventory. The Applicant must:

• Select "Standard Damage"

The pop-up window will disappear after the Applicant selects on "Standard Damage." The Applicant returns to the Event PA Requests Profile with the General Information and the Event Information. Complete the fields for the Category of Work, the facility name, the Damage Description, location, and repair information.

Steps to develop the Damage Inventory:

• Once all information is complete, it can be saved in Grants Portal
• Select the green "Save" button in the top right corner of the screen

To access the Damage Inventory, the Applicant follows the same steps as the previous process. First, navigate to the My Organization Profile in the task pane.

Steps to develop the Damage Inventory:

• Select the "My Organization" tab
• Select the "Organization Profile" tab
• Select "Applicant or Recipient Event Profiles" Requests.
• Select the magnifying glass to the left of the Event title to access the project details

Adding multiple damages at one time is significantly easier when using the Damage Inventory Template. The following steps show the Applicant how to use the template to upload multiple damages at once to Grants Portal.

Once the Applicant selects an Event Title, project details such as the Request for Public Assistance decision date, the Recovery Scoping Meeting completion date, the Damage Inventory deadline, and the current process step can be viewed.

Steps to develop the Damage Inventory:

• Scroll down to the Damage Inventory
• Select the "Manage" button on the right side of the screen

Once the Applicant has navigated to the "Damage Inventory" bar, the list of current damages associated with the project can be viewed.

Steps to develop the Damage Inventory:

• To download the Damage Inventory template, select the "Import" button at the top right corner of the screen
• A drop-down list will appear. Select the "Download Template" option on that drop-down list

After selecting on the "Download Template" option, a pop-up window appears.

Steps to develop the Damage Inventory. The Applicant should:

• Select the "Open With" option and ensure that it is set to open with Microsoft Excel
• Select "OK"

Once the Applicant has downloaded the Damage Inventory template, the file download opens with Excel and the Applicant is able to view the spreadsheet template.

Steps to develop the Damage Inventory. The Applicant should:

• Select "Enable Editing" in the "Protected View" bar at the top of the spreadsheet

Once the Applicant enables editing to the spreadsheet, the template is automatically populated with the necessary damage information:

• Incident Number
• Applicant Name
• Applicant Point of Contact information

Additionally, the following damage information can be edited:

• Category of Work
• Address of damaged site and GPS coordinates
• Detailed damage description

The Applicant completes each of the columns in the spreadsheet and ensures that the updated Microsoft Excel spreadsheet is saved to their desktop.

It is extremely important that the Applicant does not modify or change the spreadsheet template in any way, or skip rows when entering damage information.

The Applicant returns to Grants Portal to upload the completed Damage Inventory Spreadsheet.

Steps to develop the Damage Inventory. The Applicant should:

• In the "Applicant or Recipient Event Profile" on the same page where the Damage Inventory template was downloaded, select the "Import" button at the top right corner of the screen
• From the drop-down list, select "Upload Spreadsheet"

A File Upload pop-up window will appear. The Applicant should locate where the Damage Inventory template was saved.

Steps to develop the Damage Inventory. The Applicant should:

• Select the file template
• Select "Open"

Grants Portal will detect errors if any information was entered incorrectly into the template when the Applicant uploads the template. There will be a notification in the top of the Applicant Event Profile of the number of records with errors. 

Applicants should scroll down to review the red boxes at the bottom of the screen to view what items the Grants Portal has deemed as an error.  This will assist you to be able to correct these items.

Steps to develop the Damage Inventory. The Applicant should:

• Verify the errors or warnings
• Select the red "Cancel Import" button on the right side of the screen

The "Cancel Import" pop-up window appears. It asks, "Do you wish to cancel this import?"

Steps to develop the Damage Inventory. The Applicant should:

• Select the red "Cancel Import" button
• Resolve any errors on the Microsoft Excel worksheet
• Save the spreadsheet to their computer and then re-upload the correct spreadsheet

If the Damage Inventory template has no errors, there will be no error or warnings in the Import Damage Inventory section.

Steps to develop the Damage Inventory. The Applicant should:

• Select the green "Commit Import" button

After selecting on the "Commit Import" button, the pop-up window will appear. It asks, "Do you wish to commit the changes in this import?"

Steps to develop the Damage Inventory:

• Once ready, select the "Commit Import" button

The Applicant's newly uploaded Damage Inventory is visible in the "Import Damage Inventory" section.

The Applicant may wish to edit a Damage Inventory that has already been uploaded to Grants Portal. Much like the previous process, the Applicant will navigate to the "My Organization" pane.

Steps to edit the Damage Inventory. The Applicant should:

• Select "Event PA Requests" from the "My Organization" pane on the left side of the screen
• Select the magnifying glass next to the current Event

The Applicant is now in the "My Applicant or Recipient Events Profile" of the event selected to edit. The Applicant can scroll down to the "Damage Inventory" bar.

Steps to edit the Damage Inventory. The Applicant should:

• Scroll down to the "Damage Inventory" bar
• Select the "Manage" button on the right side of the screen on the "Damage Inventory" bar

Once the Applicant is in the Manage Damage Inventory page, all the uploaded damages can be viewed.

Steps to edit the Damage Inventory. The Applicant should:

• Select the blue "Edit" button on the left of the Damage Inventory to be edited

Now the Applicant can edit the General or Damage Information as needed.

Steps to edit the Damage Inventory. The Applicant should:

• Select the text box next to the "Damage Description" and edit it as needed
• When finished, select the green "Save" button at the top right corner of the screen

The "Save Changes" pop-up window will appear.

Steps to edit the Damage Inventory. The Applicant should:

• If the Applicant has made all necessary edits to the Damage Inventory, select the blue "Yes" button