Along with pumpkin spice everything, decorative gourds, and creepy movies, it’s that time of year for all of us to brush up on the federal funding cycle! 

To review: the federal fiscal year (FY) 2024 began October first. Operations awards from this budget will hit your Reserve by summer or early fall of 2024, depending on the fiscal cycle of your Reserve’s state partner. (With us so far?)

How much will your Reserve receive? That’s the 47 million dollar question. We won’t know until Congress officially passes an FY 2024 budget, and they’ve given themselves until November 17th to do so. (In the meantime, we’re in a state of fiscal limbo known as a continuing resolution, a.k.a. an object lesson in being comfortable with uncertainty.)

What can you do to help? Treat this time without a budget as an opportunity to further educate your congressonal delegation. They must pass an FY 2024 budget that is in line with NERRA’s funding request if each Reserve is to have what it needs to respond to the pressures of extreme weather, community need, and inflation.

The easiest way to do that? Thank members of Congress for what we know to be certain—that past congressional investment made it possible for your Reserve to do important work for the resilience of your communities. Please join NERRA’s Season of Gratitude campaign and send a message to your delegation between now and November 15th. You can use the templates we created or draft your own; we just ask that you focus on the consistent congressional support needed to ensure your Reserve’s capability to help improve your community’s resilience. 

With gratitude to everyone for all you do.