FEMA’s disaster preparedness efforts prioritized “equity” initiatives leading up to the 2024 hurricane season, directing millions in federal grants to communities identified as “underserved” by the Biden administration. The $12 million grant program launched in May 2023 aimed to increase investments in minority and rural communities, but left out some areas that would soon be devastated by Hurricane Helene.
FEMA’s grant program, part of the Biden-Harris administration’s push for equity, required applicants to focus on racial and sexual minorities, among other disadvantaged groups. According to documents, FEMA directed entities applying for funding to use the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST), which outlined which counties were considered underserved.
Many of the hardest-hit areas following Hurricane Helene were excluded from FEMA’s grants under this framework. For example, parts of North Carolina and Georgia — regions devastated by the storm — were not eligible for the equity grants. By Saturday, the storm had left 227 dead and caused an estimated $35 billion in damage.
Maggie Jarry, an emergency management specialist, emphasized that FEMA’s approach is shifting away from serving the largest number of people and is instead focused on “disaster equity.” This shift has raised questions, as many believe FEMA’s equity-focused initiatives have overshadowed the need to address areas most vulnerable to natural disasters.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas acknowledged that FEMA is struggling financially, with the agency short on funds to handle the upcoming hurricane season. FEMA’s budget has already been stretched thin, with nearly $1 billion spent on migrant assistance programs over the past two years.