Public Health and Disaster Response Task Force Outlines Priorities for FY 2026 – National Governors Association

 

Report on National Governors Association FY2026 Appropriations Priorities

Introduction

The National Governors Association’s (NGA) Public Health and Disaster Response Task Force has submitted its Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) appropriations priorities to the leadership of the Senate and House Committees on Appropriations. The requests underscore the necessity of federal funding to address critical national needs in disaster response, homeland security, and health and human services. These priorities align significantly with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aiming to build resilient communities, ensure public health, and support vulnerable populations.

High-Priority Appropriations Requests

The NGA has identified the following areas as its highest priorities for FY26 funding, recognizing the need for fiscal responsibility while addressing the nation’s most pressing challenges.

Disaster Response & Homeland Security

Funding in this area is critical for achieving SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 13 (Climate Action) by enhancing the capacity of states to prepare for, respond to, and recover from climate-related hazards and natural disasters. These requests also support SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) by strengthening emergency management institutions.

1. Flexibility in all programs to ensure states can respond to disasters efficiently and effectively.
2. Adequate funding for the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) and maintenance of the existing federal-state cost-sharing for FEMA programs, including Individual Assistance (IA), Public Assistance (PA), and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP).
3. Sustained funding for the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), a vital mutual aid system.
4. Restoration of funding for the Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) and Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) to at least FY23 levels.
5. Continued funding for resilience-building initiatives like the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Program to mitigate the costs of future events.

Health and Human Services

Maintaining state discretion and providing funding clarity for core social safety net programs directly contributes to SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). These programs are essential for ensuring basic living standards and access to health services for low-income individuals and families.

• Provide funding clarity while maintaining state discretion and flexibility in the administration of programs such as Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

Additional Funding Considerations for FY2026

The NGA Task Force also requests consideration for the following programs, which are vital for meeting the diverse needs of state populations and advancing key Sustainable Development Goals.

Behavioral Health

These programs are central to achieving SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), specifically by promoting mental health and well-being and strengthening the prevention and treatment of substance abuse.

• Community Mental Health Services Block Grants (MHBG)
• Children’s Mental Health Initiative grants
• Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) grants
• Substance Use Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Block Grant (SUPTR)
• State Opioid Response (SOR)
• CDC Injury Centers, which administer Overdose Data to Action (OD2A)

Children and Families Programs

Support for these programs advances SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by providing access to quality childcare, early education, and essential home energy assistance, thereby enabling workforce participation and fostering child development.

• Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG)
• Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
• Preschool Development Grants (PDG)

Homeland Defense and Cybersecurity

These requests support SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) by protecting critical infrastructure, strengthening institutional resilience against cyber threats, and ensuring the operational readiness of the National Guard.

• Strengthen CISA’s support and funding for local cybersecurity through the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program.
• Maintain robust support for National Guard recruitment and retention.
• Match Army National Guard Full-Time Support staffing levels to other reserve components.
• Ensure the National Guard receives a proportional share of military construction funding.
• Assist in the full implementation of Nationwide Integration of Time Resiliency for Operations (NITRO).
• Support the State Partnership Program.

Maternal Health

Funding for maternal health is a direct investment in SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), aiming to reduce maternal mortality, improve infant health outcomes, and ensure access to essential care and immunizations.

• Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant
• Surveillance for Emerging Threats to Mothers and Babies Network (SET-NET)
• Vaccines for Children Program

Public Health Infrastructure and Healthcare Workforce

These investments are fundamental to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). They strengthen the capacity of health systems to prevent and respond to public health threats, manage chronic diseases, and address critical workforce shortages, promoting both community health and economic stability.

• Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) Cooperative Agreement and Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Program.
• National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, and chronic disease programs for tobacco, cancer, cardiovascular health, and diabetes.
• Hospital Preparedness Program.
• Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program and the National Health Service Corps.
• Social Services Block Grant (SSBG).

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 1: No Poverty: The article requests funding for programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG), which provide direct support and social protection to low-income individuals and families.
• SDG 2: Zero Hunger: The call to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) directly addresses food insecurity and aims to ensure that vulnerable populations have access to adequate nutrition.
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: This is a central theme, with funding requests for a wide range of health initiatives, including maternal and child health (Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant), behavioral health (MHBG, SUPTR), substance use treatment (State Opioid Response), disease prevention (CDC programs for HIV, TB, cancer, etc.), and strengthening the healthcare workforce (National Health Service Corps).
• SDG 4: Quality Education: The article supports early childhood development and education by requesting funds for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and Preschool Development Grants (PDG), which aim to improve access to quality care and early learning.
• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: By advocating for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the article addresses energy affordability, a key component of ensuring access to modern energy services for all, especially low-income households.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The focus on addressing healthcare workforce shortages through programs like the Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program supports the creation of decent jobs and strengthens a critical economic sector.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: The article calls for investment in resilient infrastructure through the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Program and cybersecurity infrastructure via the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, which are essential for sustainable development.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The emphasis on disaster response and resilience, through funding for FEMA programs (DRF, IA, PA), the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), and BRIC, directly relates to making communities safer and more resilient to disasters.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: By requesting funds for hazard mitigation and building resilient infrastructure (HMGP, BRIC), the article implicitly addresses the need to strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The request for funding for the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP), Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG), and support for the National Guard aims to build effective and capable institutions at the state and local levels to ensure public safety and disaster response.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

SDG 1: No Poverty

1. Target 1.3: Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems. The request to fund TANF and the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) directly supports this target by ensuring these social safety nets are adequately resourced.

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

1. Target 2.1: End hunger and ensure access by all people… to safe, nutritious and sufficient food. Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a direct mechanism to achieve this target for vulnerable populations in the US.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

1. Target 3.1 & 3.2: Reduce maternal mortality and end preventable deaths of newborns and children. Funding for the Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant, SET-NET, and the Vaccines for Children Program directly supports these goals.
2. Target 3.3: End the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis… and combat hepatitis… and other communicable diseases. The request for the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention is aimed squarely at this target.
3. Target 3.4: Reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases… and promote mental health. This is addressed by funding for chronic disease programs (cancer, cardiovascular, diabetes) and behavioral health initiatives like the Community Mental Health Services Block Grants (MHBG).
4. Target 3.5: Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse. The call to fund the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Block Grant (SUPTR) and State Opioid Response (SOR) programs directly aligns with this target.
5. Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection and access to quality essential health-care services. Funding for Medicaid is critical for this target, as are programs like the National Health Service Corps that address workforce shortages in underserved areas.
6. Target 3.d: Strengthen the capacity… for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks. This is the explicit purpose of the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) Cooperative Agreement, Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Program, and Hospital Preparedness Program.

SDG 4: Quality Education

1. Target 4.2: Ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education. The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and Preschool Development Grants (PDG) are designed to achieve this.

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

1. Target 7.1: Ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services. The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) directly addresses the “affordable” aspect of this target for vulnerable households.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

1. Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure. The request for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Program and the Nationwide Integration of Time Resiliency for Operations (NITRO) program directly supports the development of resilient physical and technological infrastructure.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

1. Target 11.5: Significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected… caused by disasters. Funding for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund (DRF), Individual Assistance (IA), and Public Assistance (PA) programs is essential for post-disaster response and recovery, contributing to this target.
2. Target 11.b: Increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards… resilience to disasters. The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and BRIC program provide the resources for communities to implement such plans.

SDG 13: Climate Action

1. Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters. Programs like HMGP and BRIC are key federal tools for states and communities to build resilience against the increasing frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

1. Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels. Funding for the Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) and Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) enhances the capacity and effectiveness of state and local institutions responsible for public safety and disaster management.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article, as a funding request, does not specify official SDG indicators. However, it implies numerous metrics for measuring program success and progress toward the identified targets. These are primarily based on the allocation of funds and the reach of the programs mentioned.

Health Indicators

• Maternal and child health outcomes: The mention of programs like the Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant and SET-NET implies tracking indicators such as maternal mortality rates, infant mortality rates, and vaccination coverage rates (from the Vaccines for Children Program).
• Disease incidence and prevalence: Funding for centers focused on HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, STDs, TB, and chronic diseases implies the use of indicators like new infection rates, prevalence rates, and mortality rates from these specific conditions.
• Substance use and overdose rates: The Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) program explicitly points to an indicator: the number of overdose deaths. Other programs like SOR and SUPTR would track rates of substance use disorder and access to treatment.
• Healthcare workforce metrics: The Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program and National Health Service Corps imply tracking the number of healthcare professionals placed and retained in underserved communities.

Social Protection and Infrastructure Indicators

• Program reach and coverage: For programs like SNAP, TANF, and LIHEAP, an implied indicator is the number of individuals or households receiving benefits, representing the proportion of the vulnerable population being reached.
• Funding allocation: The entire letter is premised on funding levels. Therefore, the amount of money appropriated to each program (e.g., BRIC, HMGP, CCDBG) serves as a primary, direct indicator of commitment and investment towards the related targets.
• Disaster impact metrics: The focus on disaster relief and mitigation implies tracking economic losses from disasters and the number of people affected, which are metrics that FEMA and other agencies already collect.
• Institutional capacity: For grants like EMPG and the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, progress could be measured by the number of states/localities with updated emergency management or cybersecurity plans and their performance during drills or actual events.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

SDGs	Targets	Indicators (Implied from Article)
SDG 1: No Poverty	1.3: Implement social protection systems.	Number of families receiving assistance via TANF; Funding for SSBG.
SDG 2: Zero Hunger	2.1: End hunger and ensure access to food.	Number of individuals/households receiving SNAP benefits.
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being	3.1, 3.2: Reduce maternal and child mortality.	Maternal/infant mortality rates; Child vaccination rates.
	3.4, 3.5: Reduce mortality from NCDs, promote mental health, and treat substance abuse.	Overdose death rates (from OD2A); Access to mental health and substance use treatment services.
	3.8: Achieve universal health coverage.	Number of people covered by Medicaid; Number of health professionals in underserved areas.
	3.d: Strengthen capacity for health risk management.	State/hospital readiness levels for public health emergencies (via PHEP, ELC).
SDG 4: Quality Education	4.2: Ensure access to quality early childhood development and care.	Number of children in quality care/preschool funded by CCDBG and PDG.
SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy	7.1: Ensure universal access to affordable energy.	Number of families receiving LIHEAP assistance.
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure	9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure.	Funding allocated to BRIC and cybersecurity grants; Implementation of resilient infrastructure projects.
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities	11.5: Reduce deaths and economic losses from disasters.	Funding for Disaster Relief Fund (DRF); Economic losses from disasters.
	11.b: Implement policies for disaster resilience.	Funding for Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP); Number of communities with resilience plans.
SDG 13: Climate Action	13.1: Strengthen resilience to climate-related hazards.	Investment in hazard mitigation and resilient infrastructure (via BRIC, HMGP).
SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions	16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions.	Funding levels for EMPG and HSGP as a proxy for institutional capacity building.

Source: nga.org