Hazard Mitigation Assistance Policies and Guidance

Find policy and guidance to help interpret federal statutes, laws and regulations.

FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grant programs provide funding for eligible mitigation activities that reduce disaster losses and protect life and property from future disaster damages, including:

  • Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)
  • Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Post Fire (HMGP Post Fire)
  • Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM)
  • Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA)
  • Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC)
  • Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund Program (Safeguarding Tomorrow RLF)

Search for Policy and Guidance Documents

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FEMA Policy Aid: Hazard Eligibility and Local Projects Act (HELP Act) Considerations and Recommended Documentation for Successful EHP Review

This policy aid helps applicants and subapplicants understand the unique Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) eligibility requirements for acquisition and demolition projects submitted under the Hazard Eligibility and Local Projects (HELP) Act, implemented in January 2023. It outlines considerations and recommended documentation that may support FEMA’s Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation review of projects under FEMA’s HELP Act authorities.

Streamlined Approaches to the Benefit-Cost Analysis of Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Projects

FEMA Policy 206-23-001
This policy provides streamlined approaches to assess the cost-effectiveness of hazard mitigation projects under the Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grant programs. These streamlined cost-effectiveness determination methods will allow subapplicants to submit a cost-effectiveness narrative for projects less than $1 million and offer FEMA BCA assistance to under resourced communities and Tribal Nations to help determine cost-effectiveness for hazard mitigation projects.

Implementation of the Hazard Eligibility and Local Projects Act for Hazard Mitigation Assistance Programs

FEMA Policy FP-206-24-004
This policy sets forth the HELP Act implementation guidelines for the following HMA programs: Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC), Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA), Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and the HMGP Post Fire Programs, as well as Congressionally approved Pre-Disaster Mitigation (Congressionally approved PDM).

Removal of Requirement in FEMA Policy #104-11-1, Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Management Costs (Interim), Fiscal Responsibility for Management Cost Awards Over $6 Million

This information bulletin removes the requirement for FEMA to develop an agreement with the recipient for management cost awards over $6 million for all major disasters declared on or after August 1, 2017, and before March 23, 2023, for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

Acknowledgement of Conditions for Properties Using FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance (FEMA Form FF-206-FY-22-158)

This template is provided by FEMA for signature by property owners and local government officials participating in a mitigation project funded in part by Hazard Mitigation Assistance. The template communicates flood insurance requirements and floodplain management criteria.

Declaration and Release (Declaración Y Autorización), FEMA Form FF-104-FY-21-128 (previously identified as 009-0-3) (English language version) and FF-104-FY–21-128-A (Spanish language version)

The Hazard Mitigation property acquisition and open space grants use the Declaration and Release (Declaración Y Autorización), FEMA Form FF-104-FY-21-128 (previously identified as 009-0-3) (English language version) or FF-104-FY–21-128-A (Spanish language version) to verify information and determine grant eligibility. The forms are part of a grant process that FEMA and State, Territory and Tribal recipients of FEMA mitigation grant funds will use to certify property owner information; to ensure that all acquisitions using FEMA mitigation grants are voluntary; to ensure no property is acquired using state, territorial, local or tribal eminent domain authorities or other forcible acquisitional procedures; and to ensure that when the State, Territory or Tribe acquires the property the property remains in open space.

FEMA Model Deed Restriction (FF-206-FY-22-157)

This template is provided by FEMA for signature by property owners and local government officials participating in an acquisition project funded in part by Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA). This form supports the requirements of FEMA's property acquisition regulations at 44 C.F.R. Part 80.

Statement of Assurances for Property Acquisition Projects (FF-206-FY-22-156)

This template is provided by FEMA for signature by local government officials participating in an acquisition project funded in part by Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA). The subapplicant must ensure this statement of assurances form is attached to the project application at the time of submission to the applicant.

Statement of Voluntary Participation for Acquisition of Property for Purpose of Open Space (FF-206-FY-124)

State, territorial and tribal recipients will collect the Statement of Voluntary Participation for each property owner prior to award and submit copies to FEMA as part of the grant agreement. The statements must be signed by property owners and local community officials. These statements will enforce the requirement that all acquisitions using FEMA mitigation grants are voluntary, and that no property is acquired using state, territorial, local or tribal eminent domain authorities or other forcible acquisition procedures.

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