FEMA Opens Applications for $2.9 Billion to Build Resilience In Your Community

Grant applications to support hazard mitigation projects and increase resilience are currently open.

Natural disasters continue to cause devastating damage throughout the U.S. However, grant applications for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) competition and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) program are now open to support hazard mitigation projects.

Understanding BRIC

BRIC is a $2.1 billion program funding states, local communities, tribes and territories to address future natural disaster risks such as droughts, earthquakes, extreme heat, flooding, hurricanes and wildfires. FMA is an $800 million program allocating federal funds to reduce or eliminate the risk of flood damage to buildings and structures insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Both programs will benefit from historic funding levels for the next several years from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), which allocates billions of dollars toward resilience efforts.

FEMA prioritizes projects under BRIC that incentivize natural hazard risk reduction activities that will mitigate risk for public infrastructure and disadvantaged communities under Executive Order 14008. These projects incorporate nature-based solutions such as efforts to reduce carbon emissions, enhance climate resilience and adaptation, adopt and/or enforce the latest published editions of building codes and encourage hazard mitigation projects that meet multiple program priorities. The maximum grant request for BRIC is $50 million with a required 25 percent non-federal cost share. See the 2021 BRIC Program Awards and program resources for project ideas and guidance. Funding specialists from Halff can assist communities in reaching their resilience goals.

Halff’s funding experts can help navigate funding opportunities for your community.

Qualifying for FMA

FMA provides federal funding to help states and communities pay for cost-effective ways to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk of flood damage to structures insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Grant funds can support the flood hazard component of a community’s Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan (MHMP), for the acquisition and demolition or relocation of structures, structure elevation, dry flood-proofing of non-residential properties and historic residential properties and more. The maximum grant request for FMA is $25,000 to $900,000, depending on the application type, with a required non-federal cost share of between zero and 25 percent based on project specifics. The 2021 FMA Awards and program resources provide project ideas and guidance.

Application Deadlines Quickly Approaching

BRIC and FMA awards are highly competitive, with complex factors affecting scoring at the statewide and national levels. Both programs require that project types be listed in an adopted, FEMA-approved hazard mitigation plan and may need cost-benefit ratio data to be competitive.

In 2021, $4.16 billion in federal cost share funding was requested for BRIC, and FEMA awarded $65.7 million. For FMA, $534 million in federal cost share funding was solicited, with $25.5 million awarded.

State agencies must administer and submit grant applications from local communities to FEMA by Jan. 27, 2023. Each state agency has its deadline ahead of the January date, likely in November and December.

Halff’s funding experts can help you navigate the funding opportunities available for your project. Reach out to Funding Resources Program Manager Elizabeth Range-Pendell, eRangePendell@halff.com, or Senior Resilience Planner Sean Lahav, sLahav@halff.com.

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