1. Susan Mongold & Cheryl Lee Virginia Department of Emergency Management
Combining Grant Functions to Increase Flexibility for an All Hazards Event
Susan Mongold & Cheryl Lee
Virginia Department of Emergency Management

2. Overview
This presentation will explore the opportunities VDEM has found that has increased flexibility in the:
management of grants from preparedness to disaster/mitigation
leadership of recovery positions with a focus on individual/public assistance and voluntary organizations
staffing of top five joint field operations functions

3. Overview
To accomplish these objectives we are going to present the information by
describing the former and current state of different grants and recovery functions
outlining the details of how we achieved the changes across grants management, staffing of recovery operations in the field, at a joint field office and long term support
encouraging questions and YOUR stories of how you’ve made this work!

4. Recovery Management Structure Outdated
That Was Then
This Is Now
Financial and citizen recovery managed by a single division
Public Assistance
Individual Assistance
Voluntary Assistance Liaison
Hazard Mitigation
VDEM philosophy change to “everyone is an emergency manager”
Recovery is an EOC function – bigger than a single agency (the lights stay on! )
Recovery Division provides leadership and coordination directing activities as the response moves from ESF to RSF

5. Recovery Management Structure Outdated
That Was Then
This Is Now
New event processing
Actively assessed damage when the outcome was apparent
Stopped work on processing old events
Worked the JFO until all PWs completed for the new event
Moved the latest event PWs to the back of the list
New event processing
Actively assess damage after any disaster
Establish disaster teams to process new alongside old
Augment teams with regional/mitigation/ preparedness grants staff and contractors

6. Grants Management That Was Then This Is Now All files hard copy
Issues with version control for information submitted with a PW
Records could not be shared, easily filed or stored
Retention nightmare
All files electronic (almost)
Implemented an existing software with end user controls and review of VDEM/ FEMA actions
Reduce files through scanning (in progress)
Align file management to the COV retention policy (in progress)

7. Grants Management That Was Then This Is Now
Public Assistance Processing
Treated both “smalls” and “larges” as smalls
Set a 100% audit rate for all project worksheets
Conducted field assessments, validation and processing within single division
Public Assistance Processing
Follow FEMA guidelines for processing “large” and “small”
Including the audit rate
Financial staff (and others) with regional staff involved in field assessments, financial validation

8. Grants Management That Was Then This Is Now Individual Assistance
Within the recovery division
A single position
Activated about once every 8 years
Individual Assistance
Recovery Division Director designated as IA lead (attend FEMA meetings, etc)
Three additional IA leads drawn from finance and training/exercises divisions
Deployed to California fires to work IA

9. Grants Management That Was Then This Is Now Financial management
Handled within the Recovery Division
Handed off to Accounts Payable like an invoice
Processes for financial management different from Finance Division and COV standards
Financial Management
All PA processing managed within Finance Division
Moved all PA and mitigation staff to disaster grants
Aligned disaster/ mitigation grants processes with preparedness grants processing

10. Staffing RSF/JFO in Recovery
That Was Then
This Is Now
One division staffed JFO with
Contractors
Reservists
Staffed JFO with a rotation in each position (3-4 persons to each position)
Used Reservists as needed
Brought on contractors to augment the processing of old disasters (keep them moving!)

11. Details…. This Is How This Is Now Training/Exercises
All employees are required to complete L0101 (Foundations of Emergency Management and be assigned a VEST role
Activation role training each month (½ day), plus exercise staffing
Recovery framework, EOC structure and processes updated to reflect all VDEM and partner roles (in progress)
VDEM philosophy change to “everyone is an emergency manager”
Recovery is an EOC function – bigger than a single agency (the lights stay on!
Recovery Division provides leadership and coordination directing activities as the response moves from ESF to RSF

12. Details…. This Is Now This Is How New event processing
Actively assess damage after any disaster
Establish disaster teams to process new alongside old
Augment teams with regional/mitigation/ preparedness grants staff and contractors
New event processing
Regional staff work with localities to assess initial damage (IDA)
Non PA/IA grants staff step in to process old disasters (contractors too as needed)
Finance staff join regional staff to conduct field assessments (JDPA)

13. Details…. This Is Now This Is How All files electronic (almost)
Implemented an existing software with end user controls and review of VDEM/ FEMA actions
Reduce files through scanning (in progress)
Align file management to the COV retention policy (in progress)
Almost all electronic
Existing software rolled out to localities to upload all supporting documentation
Hard copy files scanned and loaded in system
Closed files being labeled and sent to library for hold/ destruction

14. Details…. This Is Now This Is How Public Assistance Processing
Follow FEMA guidelines for processing “large” and “small”
Including the audit rate
Public Assistance Processing
Revised PA guidance to reflect current federal PA guidelines
Staff retraining
Moved staff from Recovery to Finance Division – merged with mitigation – creating Disaster Grants program

15. Details…. This Is Now This Is How Public Assistance Processing
Financial staff (and others) with regional staff involved in field assessments, financial validation
Public Assistance Processing
Divisions now participating in field work
Finance
Training & Exercises
Recovery
Information Technology
Planning
Regional Support
VEST
External Affairs/Policy

16. Details…. This Is Now This Is How Individual Assistance
Recovery Division Director designated as IA lead (attend FEMA meetings, etc)
Three additional IA leads drawn from finance and training/exercises divisions
Deployed to California fires to work IA
Individual Assistance
“see training”
Ask for non-field volunteers, trained, sent to shadow FEMA in the field, worked the JFO for three months
EMAC request – team of 2 for 30 days – two staff who had worked the JFO volunteered and deployed

17. Details…. This Is Now This Is How Financial Management
Staff performance plans revised
moved staff to Finance/grants (new location, supervisory structure, team members)
Provided formal financial training
Merged under Grants – preparedness, disaster and mitigation grants
Financial Management
All PA processing managed within Finance Division
Moved all PA and mitigation staff to disaster grants

18. Details…. Financial Management This Is Now This Is How
Aligned disaster/ mitigation grants processes with preparedness grants processing
Financial Management
Grant award process
Stakeholder involvement = transparency
Formal, written grant agreements
Comprehensive monitoring
Documentation requirements aligned
Files – storage uniformity
Written SOPs

19. Details…. This Is Now This Is How Staffing RSF/JFO and Recovery
Used Reservists as needed
Brought on contractors to augment the processing of old disasters (keep them moving!)
Staffing RSF/JFO and Recovery
Pulled from VDEM staff
Across all divisions
Cross training of all grants staff in recovery grants
Hiring wage employees – cross trained with preparedness grants

20. Details…. Staffing RSF/JFO and Recovery This Is Now This Is How
Staffed JFO with a rotation in each position (3-4 persons to each position)
Staffing RFS/JFO and Recovery
See rotation schedule
Works for virtual or on site JFO
Agency ends ups 3-4 people deep in each function (went in 0-1 person deep in each function)

21. Sample JFO Staffing Pattern
Duty
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun
JIC
Joe
Joe/
Debbie
Virtual IA
Cheryl
Cheryl/
Donna
Donna/Robyn
Robyn
Logs
Jason
Jason/
Reser.
Steep learning curve (no background)
Tools maintained to pass forward the workload
Overlap days discontinued as roles and processes “gel”
Resulted in over 40 agency employees trained in key recovery positions

22. Summary VDEM has found that has increased flexibility in the:
management of grants from preparedness to disaster/mitigation
leadership of recovery positions with a focus on individual/public assistance and voluntary organizations
staffing of top five joint field operations functions

23. Summary By the numbers IA specialist – 0 to 4 people
Closed over 1,500 old projects in 18 months
While opening two new disasters
Passed through $84 million to localities and state entities – some from disasters over eight years old
New Disaster Processing
Jonus – 1st payout 10 months from first project worksheet
Matthew – 1st payout 7 months from first project worksheet
IA specialist – 0 to 4 people
JFO experience – 4 to over 40 people
PDA experience – 3 to 50 people

24. Give YOU any ideas???

25. Contacts Susan Mongold Cheryl Lee
Deputy State Coordinator – Mission Support
Cheryl Lee
Chief Financial Officer