Application Period for Hazard Mitigation Funding Opens September 30, 2021

FEMA recently posted funding notices for two hazard mitigation grant programs, Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) and Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC), totaling $1.16 billion. And the application period opens on Thursday, September 30, 2021. 

Both federal programs provide funds to states, local governments, tribes, and territories for eligible mitigation activities to strengthen our nation’s ability to build a “culture of preparedness.” Details for each are provided below: 

Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Grant Program

Funds from the FMA program can be used for projects that reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings insured by the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA chooses recipients based on the applicant’s ranking of the project and the eligibility and cost-effectiveness of the project. 

Building Resilient Infrastructure & Communities Grant Program

BRIC supports states, local communities, tribes, and territories as they undertake hazard mitigation projects, reducing the risks they face from disasters and natural hazards. BRIC is a new FEMA pre-disaster hazard mitigation program that replaces the existing Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program. According to FEMA, the BRIC program’s guiding principles are “supporting communities through capability- and capacity-building; encouraging and enabling innovation; promoting partnerships; enabling large projects; maintaining flexibility; and providing consistency.”

Whether you apply for one or both grants, it’s important to remember that FEMA requires state, local, tribal, and territorial governments to develop and adopt hazard mitigation plans as a condition for receiving certain types of non-emergency disaster assistance, including funding for hazard mitigation assistance projects. So, make sure your community’s plan is up to date (they expire every five years). 

It’s also important to remember that the deadline for submitting applications for program funding (through FEMA Grants Outcomes, or FEMA GO) ends at 3:00 PM on January 28, 2022. Applications received by FEMA after this deadline will not be considered for funding. 

This information is shared with you as a courtesy of BOLDplanning, the company, and the solution of choice for over 10,000 hazard mitigation, emergency operations, and business continuity plans nationwide.