FEMA Announces Nearly $2 Billion in Available Funding to Increase Climate Resilience Nationwide
FEMA is making $1.8 billion available for two grant programs designed to help communities increase their resilience to the impacts of climate change, including increasingly frequent and extreme weather events.
The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) annual grant program is making $1 billion available for projects that protect people and infrastructure from natural hazards and the effects of climate change. The Flood Mitigation Assistance program is making $800 million available for projects that mitigate flood risks facing homes and communities across the nation. The funding for these two programs has been greatly increased thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and this year, the landmark legislation will contribute over $1 billion to these critical climate infrastructure and resilience programs.
As part of the Administration’s Justice40 Initiative, the BRIC and Flood Mitigation Assistance programs aim to deliver 40% of their overall benefits to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, overburdened by pollution, and underserved.
FEMA is also providing additional financial and technical support to help overburdened and underserved communities build resilience. This includes cost share adjustments and help with completing a Benefit-Cost Analysis for certain communities.
The agency is also expanding BRIC Direct Technical Assistance with a goal to add at least 80 more communities to the current 74 local jurisdictions nationwide.
The application period opens on Oct. 16, 2023. Eligible applicants must apply for funding using FEMA Grants Outcomes, FEMA’s grants management system. Applications must be submitted in the portal no later than 2 p.m. CDT on Feb. 29, 2024. FEMA will not consider applications after this deadline. The application deadlines are for applicants only. Local governments should consult with their state, tribal or territorial agency to confirm deadlines to submit subapplications.
FEMA has planned three live webinars (dates and time to be published) for governments to learn more about preparing applications and will be producing on-demand videos on subjects like technical and qualitative criteria, application pitfalls and building codes.
Visit FEMA.gov for more information about Hazard Mitigation Assistance.
A few key point to keep in mind:
- Sub application Start Date: 10/16/2023
- Sub application Submission (from GOHSEP to FEMA) Deadline: 02/29/2024 at 2:00 PM CDT
- BRIC- Available Funding for the NOFO: $1,000,000,000.
- FMA- Available Funding for the NOFO $800,000,000. Phased Projects continue to be eligible under FMA
- This cycle will continue to utilize the FEMA’s Grants Outcomes System (FEMA GO) system.
- Sub applicants experiencing technical problems outside of their control must notify FEMA and GOHSEP as soon as possible and no later than 2:00 PM CDT on Tuesday, February 27, 2024.
GOHSEP’S timeline:
- Requests for sub applicant technical assistance: 11/15/2023
- Sub applications due to GOHSEP in the FEMA GO system: 1/21/2024
GOHSEP will be scheduling statewide virtual information briefings to all eligible subapplicants in order to provide more information and answer any questions.
FEMA’s two competitive mitigation grant programs provide states, local communities, tribes and territories funding to address high-level future risks to natural disasters such as wildfires, drought, hurricanes, earthquakes, extreme heat, and increased flooding to foster greater community resilience and reduce disaster suffering.
Should you have any questions, please reach out to your HM SAL.
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