RICHMOND, VA – Governor Glenn Youngkin announced Friday that President Donald J. Trump approved Virginia’s major disaster declaration and significant additional funding for Southwest Virginia after historic flood and severe winter storms. In addition to approving the disaster declaration, additional funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and new state funding agreed to by the Governor and the General Assembly this week will also be available for ongoing recovery efforts. A final determination on Individual Assistance has not been made. The Governor’s team will be working with local officials to facilitate and expedite access to these critical funding streams to support recovery in the affected counties. Funding will assist localities in developing projects and programs to rebuild and repair homes, private bridges, support infrastructure and provide much-needed immediate rental assistance to those impacted by these natural disasters.
“I am grateful to President Trump and the entire Administration for moving forward in their approval of the major disaster declaration,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “We will continue to seek every recovery resource necessary to support Virginians that have been adversely impacted by these storms. I committed to assist those with immediate needs to ensure the health and safety of survivors and we will continue our efforts to seek opportunities to rebuild these communities. With the federal public assistance, the existing HUD funds and the substantial commitment in the agreed upon state budget amendment there are significant resources to support recovery for these Virginians who have suffered from these storms.”
“While a final determination has not yet been made on Individual Assistance, I have spoken at length with the Administration about reforming the Individual Assistance formulas that adversely affect the Commonwealth’s eligibility and am pleased that FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton has committed to review these formulas,” Youngkin added. “In addition, I am also grateful for the hard work from the entire Trump Administration to get funding tied to Hurricane Helene recovery out the door, having been bottled up by the previous administration.”
Youngkin continued: “In my budget amendments, I proposed expanding eligibility for the $50 million in Southwest disaster assistance funding to cover the recent winter storm flood and cover local match requirements for federal dollars. I’d like to thank the General Assembly, in particular the Southwest delegation, for their support here.”
Resources Available
Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Community Development Block Grant Urgent Need funding:
Under Governor Youngkin’s direction, Virginia has immediately made available up to $5 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Urgent Need funding to provide a tool for prompt responses to serious and immediate threats to local health and safety caused by a disaster.
The funding will support immediate relief and recovery efforts in Southwest Virginia communities that were devastated by Hurricane Helene and the other recent winter storms. DHCD will provide support by leveraging its already strong partnerships with localities and community partners in Southwest Virginia.
For additional information, please visit https://www.dhcd.virginia.gov/cdbg-urgent-need-fund.
Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funding:
Under Governor Youngkin’s direction, Virginia accelerated its Action Plan development to access the $46,670,000 allocated to Virginia by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under the Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program.
CDBG-DR provides relief for those needs that remain after all other assistance has been exhausted. It provides funding for housing, infrastructure, economic revitalization, public services, administration and planning needs that were unmet by other assistance and for resilience and flood mitigation projects.
Public comment on Virginia’s draft Action Plan is open until April 4, soon after which the Action Plan will be submitted to HUD for approval. Once HUD has approved the Action Plan and signed the CDBG-DR grant agreement, DHCD will begin accepting funding applications from localities.
For additional information, please visit https://www.dhcd.virginia.gov/cdbg-dr.
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Resilient Virginia Revolving Loan Fund funding:
The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation administers the Resilient Virginia Revolving Loan Fund. The Fund, established in 2022 as a self-sustaining program to aid communities and property owners impacted by flooding for localities.
Funds are available to advance projects that will improve flood resilience, and include residential upgrades for resilience purposes, buyouts necessary for the construction of mitigation or resilience projects, relocations, and buyout assistance for single and multifamily residential, assistance to low-income and moderate-income homeowners to help lower flood risk through structural and nonstructural mitigation projects, or other means, and grants to persons for hazard mitigation and infrastructure improvement projects for resilience purposes.
For additional information, please visit https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/dam-safety-and-floodplains/rvrf.
Small Business Administration (SBA) Loans:
Types of Disaster Loans:
Business Physical Disaster Loans – Loans to businesses to repair or replace disaster-damaged property owned by the business, including real estate, inventories, supplies, machinery and equipment. Businesses of any size are eligible. Private, non-profit organizations such as charities, churches, private universities, etc., are also eligible. For more information on eligibility and interest rates, please visit: https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance/physical-damage-loans#id-business-physical-disaster
Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) – Working capital loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster. These loans are intended to assist through the disaster recovery period. For more information on eligibility and interest rates, please visit: https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance/economic-injury-disaster-loans
Home Disaster Loans – Loans to homeowners or renters to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate and personal property, including automobiles. For more information on eligibility and interest rates, please visit: https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance/physical-damage-loans#home-and-personal-property-loans
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program:
The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program is also available statewide. Local governments can apply for projects to reduce future risk of flooding to structures and infrastructure. Applications are submitted through the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.
Other Federal funding:
The American Relief Act, 2025, H.R.10545 – 118th Congress (2023-2024), provided $110 billion in funding for disaster relief for a variety of Federal agencies as well, including HUD, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, The Department of Commerce, the Small Business Administration, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Transportation, the Forest Service and the United States Army Corps of Engineers.