Policy & Program Manager Everblue Nashville, Tennessee, United States
As disasters grow more frequent and severe, emergency managers are increasingly asked to do more with limited funding while ensuring investments deliver measurable resilience outcomes. This session explores how Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) dollars-traditionally viewed as energy efficiency funding-can function as frontline resilience infrastructure when strategically deployed. Using real-world examples from statewide WAP administration and post-disaster relief efforts, including recovery coordination following Hurricane Helene, this presentation demonstrates how weatherization investments strengthen homes against extreme heat, cold, and power disruptions while reducing long-term recovery costs. Attendees will learn how integrated data systems and program management tools can improve visibility into where funds are deployed, how dollars are layered with disaster relief funding, and how outcomes can be tracked across preparedness, response, and recovery phases. The session highlights how aligning weatherization, emergency management, and disaster recovery workflows allows agencies to maximize federal grant dollars, avoid duplication, and prioritize the most vulnerable households. By reframing weatherization as a preparedness strategy-not just an efficiency program-emergency managers can anchor resilience efforts in systems that protect lives, stabilize communities, and stretch limited resources further.
