Pro Bono Net has  announced a new Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) series of national trainings for lawyers and advocates. The webinars are not only for those currently working with survivors of climate-driven disasters, but also for advocates who may potentially support disaster survivors in the future. The trainings are designed in partnership with Legal Aid of Sonoma County and the Disaster Legal Assistance Collaborative. It is supported by the Bigglesworth Family Foundation. 

What will the trainings focus on?

After the President of the United States declares a major disaster, federal funds may be available through FEMA for individuals, families, and small businesses to recover. Many disaster survivors apply to access these funds, but they can be denied this assistance or not provided with enough assistance to recover. Disaster survivors have a right to appeal, but only a small percentage of them do.

The national trainings will focus on the process lawyers and other advocates working with survivors must follow if they want to appeal FEMA’s determination on disaster assistance.

Attendees will also learn how to use Pro Bono Net’s bilingual FEMA appeals digital tool to create an appeal letter. The tool helps survivors to understand the appeals process, makes it easier to clearly articulate why the agency should reconsider its decision, and gives survivors a greater chance of obtaining the assistance they need to recover from the disaster. Over the past decade, the tool has helped over 14,000 survivors impacted by major climate disasters. All trainings will have closed captioning.

Who will present the trainings and when will they take place?

Pro Bono Net is conducting the trainings in partnership with Legal Aid of Sonoma County and the Disaster Legal Assistance Collaborative. We will host a total of four trainings for different audiences starting in June 2023 and continuing through September 2023:

• A Beginner’s Guide to Appealing the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Assistance Decision
  Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at 2:00 pm ET 
  A Beginner’s Guide to Appealing the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Assistance Decision will be open to community librarians, disaster case managers, staff and attorneys at legal aid organizations and pro bono programs, attorneys interested in doing pro bono work after a disaster, and advocates from long-term recovery groups nationwide.
  Register here. 

• A Beginner’s Guide to Appealing the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Assistance Decision (California)
  Tuesday, July 25, 2023, at 11:00 am PT 
  A Beginner’s Guide to Appealing the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Assistance Decision (California) will cover the FEMA appeals process and include specific information for attorneys and other advocates working with California-based survivors.
  Register here. 

• A Disability Rights Advocate’s Guide to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Assistance Appeals Process
  Tuesday, August 22, 2023, at 2:00 pm ET 
  A Disability Rights Advocate’s Guide to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Assistance Appeals Process, will include specific information that attorneys and advocates should know about when working on a FEMA appeal with a disaster survivor that has a disability.
  Register here. 

• A Beginner’s Guide to Appealing the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Assistance Decision
  (Spanish interpretation provided)
  Tuesday, September 19, 2023, at 2:00 pm ET
  A Beginner’s Guide to Appealing the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Assistance Decision (Spanish interpretation provided), will be open to community librarians, disaster case managers, staff and attorneys at legal aid organizations and pro bono programs, attorneys interested in doing pro bono work after a disaster, and advocates from long-term recovery groups nationwide. Spanish interpretation will be provided.
  Register here. 

Will the trainings be recorded?

Recordings and training materials will be posted to the Advocate Network of Advocate for Disaster Justice at www.advocatesfordisasterjustice.org.

Access to the materials and recordings will require a log-in as a member, but membership is free. Learn more about membership in Advocates for Disaster Justice.