The new Plaza Towers Elementary School is now in use, thanks to federal aid that rebuilt it. Credit: Clifton Adcock / Oklahoma Watch

Two years after the violent tornado of May 20, 2013 struck Moore, killing 24 and causing billions in damage, money from the federal government into the state to aid recovery has slowed substantially.

Last summer, Oklahoma Watch took a look at the approximately $256 million in federal money that had, at that point, been approved for recovery from the storms that struck Oklahoma then, including the Moore tornado.

As of May 20, approximately $4 million in additional federal aid has been approved since last year, bringing the total to about $260 million in federal funds approved since the disaster in 2013.

Those funds include:

  • $47.4 million in FEMA public assistance grants.
  • $15.2 million in FEMA individual assistance funds.
  • $51.3 million in approved disaster funds from the Small Business Administration.
  • $52.2 million for the City of Moore in disaster grants by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
  • $93.7 million for the State of Oklahoma in disaster grants by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Support our publication

Every day we strive to produce journalism that matters — stories that strengthen accountability and transparency, provide value and resonate with readers like you.

This work is essential to a better-informed community and a healthy democracy. But it isn’t possible without your support.