Governor's Response and Recovery Fund Awards Grants to Support Recovery Efforts
Today, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency announced the awarding of $41,353,959 from the Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund (GRRF) to support needs across the Helene-impacted communities.
This funding will be distributed across 126 projects for businesses, farmers, forest landowners, local governments, and nonprofits that were impacted as a direct result from Tropical Storm Helene.
“Tropical Storm Helene disrupted lives and livelihoods across our state, and for many families, the road to recovery is just beginning,” said TEMA Director Patrick C. Sheehan. “This funding is a reflection of the State of Tennessee’s commitment to stand beside impacted communities—not just in the immediate aftermath, but for as long as it takes to rebuild. We have witnessed the communities’ resilience firsthand, and we will continue to stand alongside the survivors in their recovery every step of the way.”
The GRRF is a $125 million program established during special session and supplemental funding was included during the first session of the 114th General Assembly to provide innovative assistance for unmet disaster recovery needs. The initial round of grant funding was offered to eligible applicants in Helene-impacted communities.
In addition to the funds awarded to eligible applicants, this fund will also support other disaster-related recovery efforts. This includes $45 million in earmarked allocations to provide direct assistance to the impacted counties and utility districts and coverage of fees related to county-issued bonds. Additionally, projects that are eligible for federal assistance will be reviewed after the exhaustion of the federal awards process to ensure duplication of benefits does not occur. Any remaining funds will be set aside to support future recovery efforts.
The Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund is one of several key resources the state has deployed to support counties impacted by Tropical Storm Helene. In addition to GRRF funding:
- The state appropriated an additional $240 million to the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) to strengthen Tennessee’s disaster relief capacity, reduce the local cost-share burden from 12.5% to 5% for eligible jurisdictions and cover the state’s portion of the local cost-share requirement for federal disaster assistance.
- The state created the Hurricane Helene Interest Payment Fund, allocating $110 million to assist local governments with recovery-related borrowing costs by covering up to 5% interest for up to three years on monies borrowed related to Helene recovery efforts.
- Further support includes the $91,827,564 provided to local jurisdictions through the Helene Emergency Assistance Loan Program, as well as the removal of more than 5 million cubic yards of waterway debris and more than 720,000 cubic yards of right-of-way debris, ensuring impacted communities can safely and efficiently rebuild.
For more information about the Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund, visit TEMA’s website.