St. John’s University COVID-19 and Hurricane Ida Recovery
$5M+ FEMA PA Recovery | 20 Projects | 2021 – Present | Second Appeal Victory
The Challenge
Like many institutions during the pandemic, St. John’s University faced unprecedented operational disruptions, compounded by severe flood damage from Hurricane Ida. With recovery spanning both public health and natural disaster events, the University needed expert guidance to navigate FEMA’s PA program under two separate federal declarations, COVID-19 (DR-4480) and Hurricane Ida (DR-4615).
Our Approach
CSA was selected to provide full-service FEMA grants management under a Professional Services Agreement. Acting as the University’s dedicated disaster recovery partner, CSA is managing more than $5 million in federal aid across eligible emergency protective measures, facility impacts, and pandemic-related expenses. Our team works directly with St. John’s financial and facilities leadership to develop compliant documentation, align costs with FEMA regulations, and minimize the administrative burden.
CSA provides end-to-end FEMA Public Assistance support, delivering the following services to ensure accurate claims, full compliance, and maximum reimbursement:
- FEMA PA grant administration and financial tracking
- Eligibility assessments and application preparation
- Strategic cost reconciliation and documentation alignment
- Project worksheet (PW) scoping and submission
- Regulatory compliance (2 CFR 200, 44 CFR) and audit readiness
- Reporting and funding maximization strategy
- Risk mitigation consulting to prevent disallowances
Impact
By combining FEMA PA expertise with precision grant management, CSA is helping St. John’s University recover critical funds while avoiding common compliance pitfalls. Our ongoing partnership ensures that recovery dollars are secured efficiently, documentation is audit-ready, and the University remains focused on its mission—not the paperwork.
