Oklahoma nonprofits that help families rebuild after severe storms say they are still waiting on federal reimbursements that were supposed to cover case managers and program overhead. Without that money, volunteer crews are scrambling for cash and construction materials. Recovering Oklahomans After Disaster (ROAD) and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City say the backlog stretches back months, pushing them to lean harder on donations and unpaid labor to finish badly needed home repairs. Leaders with both groups say they are watching the Department of Homeland Security closely after a leadership shakeup in Washington.
As reported by News 9, ROAD's leaders told the station they have not received reimbursements since early summer 2025 and that a recent DHS policy adds extra review for payments above $100,000, slowing processing. ROAD co-founder Chad Detwiler told News 9 the disaster case management grant pays for the work case managers do and program administration and not building materials, leaving nonprofits to buy lumber and other supplies out of pocket. That strain, Detwiler said, has reduced how many rebuild projects ROAD can accept at once.
Why reimbursements don't buy repairs
FEMA's guidance for the Disaster Case Management Program makes clear that DCMP funding is intended to pay for case management and administrative costs rather than direct reconstruction, per FEMA. That design keeps case managers on the ground navigating insurance, housing and other programs for survivors, but it also means materials and contractor bills typically fall outside the grant's reimbursement rules.
Why leaders hope Mullin will move funds faster
President Trump announced last Thursday that he would nominate Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace Kristi Noem as DHS secretary, a move covered widely in national media. CBS News reported the nomination and the expected transition. Local nonprofit leaders say they hope an Oklahoma-based secretary with ties to the state can press for clearer, faster processing. Patrick Raglow, executive director of Catholic Charities, told News 9 that Mullin's office has been responsive to disaster-related requests in the past.
Federal pause and the legal backdrop
The slowdown is rooted partly in broader policy and legal fights: a 2025 OMB directive and subsequent agency reviews prompted pauses and manual checks that slowed many reimbursements, according to a litigation tracker compiled by Just Security. Courts at times ordered the release of frozen funds and flagged the manual-review process, but the interruption left some grantees waiting months for payments.
What nonprofits say they need now
Organizers say that until federal reimbursements clear they will keep relying on donations, volunteer labor and private grants to keep rebuilding. Recovering Oklahomans After Disaster has posted volunteer sign-ups and donation pages on its website, and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City continues to provide long-term disaster case management for survivors. Nonprofit leaders say timely federal payments would allow them to buy materials, hire skilled contractors and finish more homes faster.
