1. Continuity Guidance Circular Webinar
Continuity Guidance Circular (CGC)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
March 2018

2. Why is Continuity Important?
Every day, individuals, organizations, communities, and governments provide critical services and perform essential functions upon which neighbors and citizens depend.
Continuity ensures that the whole community plans for sustaining these services and functions when normal operations are disrupted.
Implementation of continuity principles ensures that organizations, communities, and governments are able to support citizens in need.
National preparedness and sustainment of essential functions is a shared responsibility of the whole community.
Development and maintenance of continuity capabilities helps build and sustain a more resilient Nation equipped to sustain essential functions, deliver critical services, and supply core capabilities under all conditions.
Per the National Response Framework, whole community is a focus on enabling the participation in national preparedness activities of a wider range of players from the private and nonprofit sectors, including nongovernmental organizations and the general public, in order to foster better coordination and working relationships.

3. Background
Per Presidential Policy Directive-40, “the Secretary of Homeland Security...through the Administrator of FEMA...will develop and promulgate continuity planning guidance to state, local, territorial, and tribal governments, non-governmental organizations, and private sector owners and operators of critical infrastructure...”
FEMA led a whole community effort to review and revise the CGC, including a National Engagement period.
The CGC guides whole community efforts to develop and maintain the capability to ensure continuity of operations (COOP), continuity of government (COG), and enduring constitutional government during an emergency that disrupts normal operations.

4. Applicability
The CGC is flexible and adaptable for a broad range of audiences, threats, and capabilities.
The CGC serves as a resource for Federal and non-federal entities to appropriately integrate and coordinate continuity efforts.
Continuity is dependent upon the foundations of resilience and preparedness built by each and every individual and community.

5. Overview
The CGC is designed to present the overarching guiding principles behind the incorporation of continuity planning throughout the whole community by:
Describing the fundamental theories and concepts to unify the application of continuity principles, planning, and capabilities across the Nation;
Describing Federal and non-federal continuity efforts;
Outlining roles, responsibilities, and coordinating structures; and
Describing processes for building and maintaining continuity capabilities.

6. Table of Contents Foreword: A National Continuity Philosophy
Chapter 1: Getting Started
Chapter 2: Building a Capability
Chapter 3: Maintaining a Capability
Conclusion
Appendix 1: Authorities and References
Appendix 2: Key Terms
Appendix 3: Acronyms
Appendix 4: Continuity Planning Checklist

7. Foreword: A National Continuity Philosophy
Addresses why continuity is important and introduces continuity concepts and definitions.
Defines the goal and vision of continuity.   
Identifies three guiding principles:
Preparedness and resilience;
Whole community engagement; and
Scalable, flexible, and adaptable continuity capabilities.
Outlines whole community roles, responsibilities, and coordinating structures and the context and interdependencies between Federal and non-federal continuity.
Identifies how continuity interfaces with other emergency plans.

8. Chapter 1: Getting Started
This chapter identifies foundational elements of a continuity program that will increase the success of continuity planning and operations.
Guidance and Standards:
Organizations should identify existing, applicable continuity regulations or requirements.
Municipal and state governments without a mandate for continuity planning should consider developing a comprehensive policy to guide the planning and preparedness of those organizations on which its citizens depend.

9. Chapter 1: Getting Started cont.
Initiating Planning: When initiating continuity planning, organizations are encouraged to:
Become knowledgeable with the current program;
Establish a team to assist with planning;
Develop a project plan, timelines, and milestones; and
Identify preliminary budgeting and resource requirements.
Leadership Support: Leadership and elected officials are necessary to oversee a comprehensive planning environment by coordinating and integrating continuity and emergency plans with interdependent internal and external stakeholders.

10. Chapter 2: Building a Capability
This chapter aims to provide guidance and a framework for building a comprehensive continuity foundation and plan.
Step 1: Identify Essential Functions:
Outlines the National Essential Functions (NEFs) and role of non- federal entities in maintaining the NEFs;

11. National Essential Functions
The NEFs are the foundation of all continuity programs and capabilities and are the primary focus of the federal government before, during, and after a catastrophic emergency.
The whole community directly contributes to the Nation’s ability to continue performance of the NEFs.

12. Chapter 2: Building a Capability cont.
Step 1: Identify Essential Functions continued:
Discusses a Business Process Analysis;
Outlines the need to conduct or leverage risk assessments;
Details the Business Impact Analysis; and
Summarizes how to identify and prioritize essential functions.
Step 2: Identify Mitigation Options: Details potential mitigation options to reduce risk to essential functions, including:
Alternate locations;
Telework;
Devolution; and
Mutual aid.

13. Chapter 2: Building a Capability cont.
Step 3: Identify Key Elements: Identifies factors critical to continuity plans, including essential records, communications, critical systems, human resources, orders of succession, and delegations of authority.
Step 4: Plan and Implement Options and Elements: Defines the four phases of continuity.

14. Chapter 3: Maintaining a Capability
This chapter aims to provide guidance and a framework for maintaining a viable continuity capability and maturing a continuity program and plan.
Testing, Training, and Exercising: Outlines guidance for continuity tests, training, exercises, and continuous improvement planning.
Updating and Reviewing Plans and Programs: Details the plan revision cycle and continuity metrics considerations.
Resource Direction and Investment: Outlines continuity budget considerations and options, including use of grant funding for continuity planning.
Multi-Year Strategic Planning: Identifies multi-year strategic planning as a useful strategy to develop and improve continuity programs.

15. Next Steps
FEMA has developed a supporting Continuity Resource Toolkit that will provide examples, tools, and templates for implementing each CGC chapter.
The Toolkit website is
FEMA will update continuity training and other supporting materials, tools, and templates to align with the final document.
Once published, the updated CGC will supersede the 2013 version.
This Continuity Guidance Circular does not make current continuity plans and programs obsolete.
To promote consistency across the Nation, entities are encouraged to review the CGC and update plans and capabilities, as necessary.
This assists in enhancing jurisdictional continuity plans and capabilities and aligning those plans and capabilities with national continuity doctrine, as identified within the CGC.

16. Discussion and Questions