(The Center Square) – Applications for $100 million in grants to help with recovery from Hurricane Helene are available in Tennessee.
The first round of the Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund grants are due by May 31, according to the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. Local governments, nonprofit organizations, businesses, farmers, and forest landowners in Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington counties are eligible, a release said.
“Tropical Storm Helene was an unprecedented disaster for our state, and the Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund is part of a comprehensive plan to provide flexible financial resources for current and future emergencies,” Gov. Bill Lee said in a statement. “I thank the General Assembly for their partnership and acting swiftly to provide necessary relief for Tennesseans.”
The fund was created in February to provide funds for unmet disaster recovery needs following the storm last fall. The grants do not have to be repaid, although if projects funded by the grants come in under budget, the excess money is required to be returned, according to the state.
Decisions on grant applications will be issued by July 2, the state said.
“We are incredibly grateful to Governor Lee for his leadership and swift action in establishing the Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund,” said Patrick C. Sheehan of the state’s Emergency Management Agency. “This fund provides a critical lifeline to Tennesseans working to recover from disaster, and it reflects the state’s deep commitment to supporting our communities when they need it most.”
A sample application asks farmers to provide an estimate of how much revenue they lost as a result of the Sept. 26 storm, including crop damage, livestock loss and building destruction. The storm was a hurricane when it made landfall in Florida and eventually dissipated in the mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina.
The application also asks for estimates on the cost of repairing the damage.
“All applicants must provide supporting documentation as part of the review process,” the application states. “Final funding determinations will be made at the discretion of the governor.”
Applicants must also disclose whether they have applied for or received funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency or the U.S. Small Business Administration.
More information can be found on the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency website.
