How much Coloradans have received in FEMA direct relief money
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Colorado ranks in the bottom five states for FEMA direct relief dollars received since 2015, per newly gathered data.
Why it matters: FEMA checks are a top talking point right now as the agency faces a funding shortfall while dealing with dueling disasters: the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and this week's "catastrophic" arrival of Hurricane Milton.
By the numbers: Colorado residents received about $2.1 million through FEMA's Individuals and Households Program (IHP) between January 2015 and April 2024, according to data collected for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace's Disaster Dollar Database.
- Florida, Louisiana and Texas have received the lion's share of FEMA direct assistance over that nine-year period, with totals of more than $2 billion each.
The latest: More than 100 Colorado first responders, including the Colorado National Guard, have been deployed to help with search, rescue and recovery efforts for both hurricanes Helene and Milton.
- "It is the Colorado way to step up and lend a hand to our fellow Americans in need, today will be no different," Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement earlier this week.
How it works: IHP is meant as an immediate financial lifeline for people whose lives have been upended by natural disasters, not as an insurance replacement.
- It's just one part of FEMA's overall disaster relief spending.
Zoom in: Colorado's payouts were driven by the 2021 Marshall Fire — the most destructive wildfire in state history, with more than $2 billion in estimated damages.
- The average IHP award was about $2,250. Of the roughly 3,200 Coloradans who applied for assistance, around 30% — or about 950 — were eligible.
- Coloradans also received an additional $35.5 million in FEMA's "Public Assistance," which helps fund community rebuilding efforts, like repairing infrastructure and public services.
The big picture: FEMA spent about $12.7 billion nationally on IHP between January 2015 and April 2024, compared to approximately $52.3 billion on Public Assistance.