This primer is intended to inform decision makers and the public about the complicated process of financing disaster response. This work shows how federal, state and local funding have provided and will provide relief to the areas and people affected by Hurricane Harvey. The vulnerable populations section discusses some of the challenges certain populations face in trying to access relief and recovery resources. This primer does not address some of the longstanding challenges in using disaster relief funding wisely, which requires the close coordination of each unit of government. These challenges – time constraints for spending recovery dollars, difficulties in gaining support to mitigate impacts of future disasters, understanding multiple layers of regulations, and the tension between balancing long-term hazard mitigation investments with short-term economic development goals – will be addressed in subsequent work.