Kansas benefits most from federal disaster grants

A study has found that Kansas saves more money, on average, than any other state that uses federal grants to mitigate natural disasters.

The Pew Charitable Trusts recently released its data analysis showing that for every $1 of federal funds spent on protecting against flood and tornado damage, Kansas avoided $6.81 in potential recovery costs. Researchers drew from a previous study of federal disaster mitigation grants between 1993 and 2016.

The findings come after Kansas saw heavy rainand flooding this spring, delaying wheat harvests. A May tornado near Pittsburg damaged buildings and toppled power lines.

Federal programs typically have a match — typically 25 % — that must be paid by the state or local government receiving the grant. Researchers found Kansas and the federal government spent roughly $220 million on wind and flood mitigation, which netted about $1.5 billion in savings.