INSIGHTi
FEMA Funeral Assistance for COVID-19
Updated June 30, 2021
Congress authorized the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide Funeral Assistance
for deaths associated with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This Insight provides an
overview of FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance, including eligible expenses, applicant eligibility
criteria, and award amounts.
FEMA IA for the COVID-19 Pandemic
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, President Donald J. Trump issued a nationwide emergency
declaration under Section 501(b) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act
(Stafford Act; 42 U.S.C. §§5121 et seq.). Subsequently, President Trump and President Joseph R. Biden
Jr. approved major disaster declarations for 50 states, 5 territories, the District of Columbia, and 3 tribes
under Stafford Act Section 401.
Funeral Assistance is a form of Other Needs Assistance (ONA) that is typically available when the
President authorizes the Individuals and Households Program (IHP)—a type of Individual Assistance
(IA)—pursuant to a declaration of emergency or major disaster under the Stafford Act. In the case of the
COVID-19 pandemic, however, Congress authorized FEMA to provide Funeral Assistance through
legislation.
Only Funeral Assistance, and not all forms of IHP assistance, has been authorized for the COVID-19
pandemic Stafford Act declarations. In addition, the other forms of IA authorized to support pandemic
recovery are limited to the Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program and the Lost Wages
Assistance (LWA) program (authorized by President Trump under the ONA statutory authority to provide
grants for supplemental lost wages payments to individuals receiving unemployment insurance).
Funeral Assistance for the COVID-19 Pandemic
Congress, through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, first required FEMA to provide Funeral
Assistance through the IHP for the presidential Stafford Act declarations for the COVID-19 pandemic. An
additional $2 billion was appropriated to the Disaster Relief Fund to reimburse funeral expenses incurred
through December 31, 2020, at a 100% federal cost share.
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Subsequently, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA; enacted March 11, 2021) also required
FEMA to provide Funeral Assistance for deaths associated with the COVID-19 pandemic at 100% federal
cost share. ARPA did not limit the date for expenses incurred.
On the date of ARPA’s enactment, the declarations for the COVID-19 pandemic for the declared states,
territories, and District of Columbia (but not the three tribes) were amended to authorize Funeral
Assistance under ONA (the amendments limit IHP-ONA to Funeral Assistance).
FEMA began accepting applications on April 12, 2021, through a dedicated call center. Per FEMA’s
interim policy on COVID-19 Funeral Assistance, updated June 29, 2021, the agency will reimburse up to
$9,000 in eligible funeral expenses incurred on or after January 20, 2020, at 100% federal cost share, for
deaths attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eligible Funeral Assistance Expenses
FEMA provides Funeral Assistance for disaster-caused funeral expenses, but not all expenses are eligible.
FEMA’s interim policy lists eligible expenses associated with funeral services and interment or
cremation, including:
transportation to identify the deceased (up to two people);
remains transfer;
caskets/urns;
burial plots/cremation niches;
markers/headstones;
interment;
funeral services;
clergy/officiant services;
death certificate costs; and
additional state/local/territorial/tribal (SLTT) government mandated expenses.
Examples of ineligible expenses include costs associated with obituaries, flowers, and printed materials
(e.g., programs).
Eligibility Criteria and Considerations for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance
The eligibility criteria established in FEMA’s interim policy must be met in order for applicants to receive
COVID-19 Funeral Assistance.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens, noncitizen nationals, or “qualified aliens” (as defined by FEMA), and
must have disaster-caused needs and necessary expenses that are not covered by other sources (e.g.,
insurance). Minor children cannot apply on behalf of adults who do not meet the citizenship requirements.
Decedents do not have to meet the citizenship requirements.
In addition, to receive COVID-19 Funeral Assistance:
the applicant must incur eligible funeral expenses on or after January 20, 2020;
the applicant must present documentation indicating the death was related to COVID-19:
a death certificate directly or indirectly attributing the death to COVID-19; or
for deaths occurring between January 20 and May 16, 2020, a signed statement by
the certifying official/medical examiner/coroner directly or indirectly attributing the
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death to COVID-19 and linking the death certificate cause of death with COVID-19;
and
the death must have occurred in the United States (i.e., a state, territory, or the District of
Columbia).
Applicants must also provide documentation related to insurance or other funeral benefits received, and
funeral expenses incurred.
Applicant registrations are associated with the state/territory/tribe in which the death occurred. Applicants
may have multiple registrations in multiple states or territories.
Determining Award Amounts for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance
Eligible applicants may receive different Funeral Assistance award amounts. An applicant’s award
amount will depend on FEMA’s determination of the applicant’s unmet needs. Per FEMA’s interim
policy,
The total amount of burial or funeral insurance proceeds and/or any other forms of Funeral
Assistance received from other sources will be deducted from the total actual cost of the funeral
expenses incurred prior to FEMA awarding Funeral Assistance for any remaining unmet needs up
to the Funeral Assistance award amount maximum.
A maximum award amount of $9,000 has been established for each COVID-19-related funeral. An
applicant may receive COVID-19 Funeral Assistance for multiple decedents up to the maximum amount
of financial assistance for ONA for the year in which the major disaster for COVID-19 was declared (i.e.,
$35,500 in FY2020). In addition to COVID-19 Funeral Assistance, up to $1,800 provided through the
LWA program counts towards the ONA maximum award.
There is currently no application deadline for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance.
Applicants may appeal FEMA award decisions.
Considerations
The unprecedented scope of COVID-19 Funeral Assistance may raise implementation concerns. FEMA
stated that their interim policy is intended to “streamline the delivery of Funeral Assistance,” and that
FEMA will monitor awards to recover funds awarded in error. It is unclear how many deaths may
ultimately be eligible for assistance; 592,682 deaths were attributed to COVID-19 on death certificates
through June 19, 2021, and the incident periods for the COVID-19 major disaster declarations remain
ongoing.
FEMA’s “COVID-19 Funeral Assistance” website provides current program information.
Author Information
Elizabeth M. Webster
Analyst in Emergency Management and Disaster
Recovery
Congressional Research Service
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Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff
to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of
Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of
information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role.
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