Indiana Disaster Relief & Financial Assistance
Last Updated: August 2026
If your home or property has been damaged by flooding, severe storms, tornadoes or another disaster, financial help may be available through Indiana, FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration or other disaster recovery programs.
Which programs are available depends on the specific disaster, where the damage occurred and whether state or federal assistance has been approved.
Quick Answer
Start by checking Indiana’s current disaster information to see which programs are open and which counties and storm dates are eligible.
→ Check Indiana Disaster Declarations
→ Check Indiana State Disaster Relief Fund
If you have insurance, file your insurance claim promptly rather than waiting to see whether government assistance becomes available.
Indiana State Disaster Relief Fund
The State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) provides assistance to Indiana residents following certain qualifying disasters.
It is designed primarily to help with disaster losses when insurance or other assistance is unavailable or does not fully cover the loss.
Individual assistance may help with the cost of repairing, replacing or restoring residential real or personal property damaged or destroyed by a qualifying disaster.
The maximum possible individual award is currently $25,000, but receiving that amount is not guaranteed.
→ Indiana State Disaster Relief Fund
Who May Qualify?
Eligibility depends on the disaster and the circumstances of the applicant.
Indiana’s program is generally intended for people who are uninsured or underinsured and need additional help recovering from disaster damage.
When Individual Assistance is made available, applicants may be required to:
- Have damage from an eligible disaster
- Live in an eligible area
- Show that the damaged property is their primary residence
- File an insurance claim first if they have applicable coverage
- Provide documentation of the loss
- Allow the damage to be inspected
The State Disaster Relief Fund is intended to help with recovery — not necessarily pay for every disaster-related loss.
Important: Check the Disaster Date
Disaster assistance is usually tied to a specific event and specific dates.
For example, assistance approved for damage caused by one storm may not cover damage caused by another storm several weeks later.
Before applying, check:
1. The dates of the disaster
2. Which counties are eligible
3. Which type of assistance has been approved
4. The application deadline
→ View Current Indiana Disaster Declarations
This is especially important following multiple storms or flooding events occurring close together.
FEMA Disaster Assistance
Federal assistance may become available when a disaster receives the necessary federal declaration and Individual Assistance is approved for the affected area.
FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program may provide eligible disaster survivors with assistance for needs such as:
- Basic home repairs
- Temporary housing or rental assistance
- Certain damaged personal property
- Other qualifying disaster-related expenses
FEMA assistance generally does not replace everything that was lost and does not pay for losses already covered by insurance.
→ Check FEMA Disaster Assistance
→ Search FEMA Disaster Declarations
A Disaster Declaration Doesn’t Always Mean FEMA Money
You may hear that Indiana or your county has been declared a disaster area and assume that means FEMA grants are immediately available.
That isn’t necessarily the case.
There are different types of local, state and federal disaster declarations and different types of assistance.
Some declarations provide help primarily to state and local governments for emergency response or damaged public infrastructure, while FEMA Individual Assistance specifically provides certain types of assistance to eligible households.
Always check whether Individual Assistance has actually been approved for your location and disaster.
SBA Disaster Loans
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) may provide low-interest disaster loans following certain declared disasters.
Despite the agency’s name, SBA disaster assistance isn’t limited to businesses. Depending on the disaster declaration, loans may be available to:
- Homeowners
- Renters
- Businesses
- Certain nonprofit organizations
Availability, eligible counties and application deadlines vary by disaster.
→ Check SBA Disaster Assistance
Indiana also maintains information about recent SBA disaster declarations affecting Indiana counties:
→ Indiana Disaster Declarations & SBA Information
If You Have Insurance
Don’t wait for possible government assistance before contacting your insurance company.
Indiana disaster officials recommend filing applicable insurance claims, taking photos and keeping receipts.
Document the damage before making permanent repairs whenever it is safe to do so.
Keep:
- Photos and video
- Your insurance claim number
- Insurance estimates and settlement information
- Contractor estimates
- Repair bills
- Cleanup expenses
- Receipts for damaged belongings
- Temporary housing expenses
- Disaster-assistance applications and confirmation numbers
Indiana’s State Disaster Relief Fund may require insured applicants to file an insurance claim first so the state can determine what losses remain after insurance.
What If Insurance Doesn’t Cover Everything?
Being insured doesn’t necessarily mean you have no other options.
Some disaster programs are designed to help with uninsured or underinsured losses.
If insurance denies part of your claim or doesn’t cover all eligible damage, keep the insurer’s documentation. You may need it when applying for another disaster assistance program.
Don’t throw away denial letters, settlement statements or other insurance paperwork.
Other Disaster Assistance
Even when state or FEMA financial assistance isn’t available, other organizations may provide help with immediate needs or recovery.
Indiana’s disaster survivor resources include information for:
- Emergency shelter
- Food
- Clothing
- Cleanup assistance
- Housing
- Transportation
- Legal assistance
- Rural and farm assistance
- Mental health and crisis resources
- Other community needs
→ Indiana Disaster Resources for Survivors
You can also dial 211 to find available community assistance.
Local Tip for Tippecanoe County
If you’re unsure whether assistance is available for a particular Tippecanoe County storm or flood, check Indiana’s disaster information first.
You can also contact the Tippecanoe County Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) for local disaster recovery guidance.
Phone: 765-742-1334
Address: 629 N. 6th Street, Suite J, Lafayette, IN 47901
→ Tippecanoe County Emergency Management Agency
Related Pages
Report Storm & Flood Damage
Learn where to report storm and flood damage in Tippecanoe County and what information to document.
→ Report Storm & Flood Damage
Disaster & Emergency Help
Find disaster recovery, emergency housing, cleanup and other resources in Tippecanoe County.
→ Disaster & Emergency Help
FEMA Disaster Assistance
Learn how to check whether FEMA Individual Assistance is available and how the program works.
→ FEMA Disaster Assistance
Official Resources
Indiana State Disaster Relief Fund
Eligibility, current availability and application information for Indiana disaster assistance.
→ Indiana State Disaster Relief Fund
Indiana Disaster Declarations
Check current state declarations, federal declarations and recent SBA disaster declarations.
→ Indiana Disaster Declarations
Indiana Disaster Resources for Survivors
Find financial, housing, food, cleanup and other disaster recovery resources.
→ Disaster Resources for Survivors
FEMA Disaster Assistance
Check eligibility and apply for federal disaster assistance when available.
→ DisasterAssistance.gov
U.S. Small Business Administration
Check current disaster loan programs and application information.
→ SBA Disaster Assistance
Summary
Financial assistance may be available after severe storms, flooding and other disasters, but eligibility is determined separately for each disaster.
Check the storm dates and eligible counties before applying. File applicable insurance claims promptly, document your losses and keep receipts and other records.
Indiana residents may have assistance available through the State Disaster Relief Fund, FEMA, SBA or other disaster recovery organizations, depending on the particular disaster.