What does the Federal Emergency Management Agency do?

Updates published annually

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is a subdivision of the Department of Homeland Security responsible for coordinating the federal government’s response to natural disasters, emergencies, and other large-scale incidents. The agency provides financial assistance, logistical support, and planning resources to help individuals, communities, and governments prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. It also works to strengthen nationwide emergency management capabilities through training, partnerships, and risk mitigation efforts. It was established in 1979.

In FY 2024,

$35.1B

was spent by the Federal Emergency Management Agency

In FY 2024,

39.3%

of Dept. of Homeland Security spending was by the Federal Emergency Management Agency

How much does the Federal Emergency Management Agency spend?

The Federal Emergency Management Agency spent a net total of $35.1 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 39.3% of the $89.3 billion spent by the Department of Homeland Security, which itself was 1.3% of all federal spending. The FEMA ranked first among DHS subdivisions in net spending.

Net spending is the difference between agency spending and any financial accounts generating funds from the agency’s own activities, like fees or rent. When these funds offset all spending, net spending appears negative. Some agencies tend to operate with positive net spending while others will register negative net spending sometimes or often.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency ranked first among Department of Homeland Security divisions in net spending in 2024.

DHS net spending by division, FY 2024

Like the overall federal budget, agency spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s federal spending has increased from $4.81 billion in 1980 to $35.1 billion in 2024.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1980.

Yearly federal net spending by FEMA, adjusted for inflation (2024 dollars), FYs 1980–2024

Since 1980, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's spending has increased 630.9%, while overall spending has increased 193.7%.

As a percentage of the overall federal budget, a positive number means agency net spending made up some positive share of total federal spending; a negative number means that net generated funds offset a portion of total spending. FEMA spending grew more than overall federal spending since 1980, which means that its share of the federal budget increased. In 2024, FEMA accounted for 0.5% of overall federal spending.

Major legislation, internal or global economic conditions, and acute events like the COVID-19 pandemic can affect spending year to year. For example, the federal budget fluctuated during the pandemic, rising from $5.3 trillion (in 2023 dollars) in 2019 to $7.7 trillion in 2020 and $7.8 trillion in 2021.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1980.

Net spending by FEMA as a share of federal spending, FYs 1980–2024

Most federal spending can be categorized as direct or indirect. Direct spending refers to money the federal government spends on budget items such as federal programs, employee salaries, and debt interest. Indirect spending refers to federal transfers to state and local governments.

In FY 2024, the Federal Emergency Management Agency transferred 74.0% of its total spending to states and local governments.

The chart below outlines all net FEMA spending.

How did the Federal Emergency Management Agency spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to FEMA, FY 2024

How many people work for Federal Emergency Management Agency?

Some 24,348 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Federal Emergency Management Agency as of September 2024. This is 42.8% more people than the division staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Federal Emergency Management Agency has increased 42.8% since 2010.

Number of federal employees working for FEMA, September 2010–2024

The Federal Emergency Management Agency accounts for 1.1% of the overall federal workforce. As the number of federal employees has changed, so too has the way the workforce is organized, with resources allocated to agencies depending on government priorities. The division constituted a larger share of the overall federal workforce in 2024 compared to 2010 (0.8%).

While the number of employees on an agency’s payroll contributes to that agency’s expenditures, some agencies have relatively few employees compared to their budget or vice versa, giving them an outsized share of either the budget or the workforce. According to the most recent data, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's share of the workforce (1.1%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.5%).

Who leads the Federal Emergency Management Agency?

FEMA is led by an administrator. This position is nominiated by the president and requires confirmation by the Senate. The administrator reports to the Secretary of Homeland Security. There is no set term length for the administrator.

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.

Office of Personnel Management
FedScope
Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury
Budget of the US Government and Monthly Treasury Statement