Before You Apply for Flood Mitigation Assistance Funds

Eligibility

Federal Cost Share or Non-Federal Match

Flood Mitigation Assistance grant program makes federal funds available to states, U.S. territories, federally recognized Tribal governments, and local governments to reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings insured under  the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), and within NFIP-participating communities. The Flood Mitigation Assistance grant program funds activities and projects, including:

Additional capability and capacity building activities also may be funded, including:

• Partnership Development to Conduct Eligible Mitigation Activities
• Enhancing Local Floodplain Management
• Severe Repetitive Loss/Repetitive Loss Strategy Development
• Other Capability and Capacity Building Activities

Projects must:

• Be cost effective
• Be located in a participating NFIP Community (In good standing)
• Meet applicable NFIP flood insurance policy requirements
• Align with the applicable hazard mitigation plan
• Meet all environmental and historic preservation (EHP) requirements
• Meet other program requirements

Applicants and Subapplicants

Subapplication Types

States,  U.S. territories, and federal recognized Tribal government can submit applications on behalf of subapplicants for FMA funding in the FEMA Grants Outcomes (GO).

Applicants may have their own priorities and or requirements when screening their subapplications. Subapplicants cannot submit directly to FEMA. Subapplicants must submit their subapplications to their applicant for review and submission. Subapplicants should consult with their applicant agency to confirm subapplication deadlines to the applicant if applicable.

Homeowners, business operators, and non-profit organizations cannot apply directly to FEMA, but can be included in a subapplication submitted by an eligible subapplicant. For more information, please contact your local government or state to apply for FMA funding.

Applicants often determine mitigation priorities, which are generally aligned with the program's visions and goals. Contacting the State Hazard Mitigation Officer, or equivalent representative for a respective federally recognized Tribal government or U.S. territory can be helpful in choosing which hazards pose the greatest threat and determining the best strategy for mitigation. From these broad mitigation strategies, subapplicants weigh public interest while targeting specific mitigation projects beneficial to their communities.

Entities interested in creating Flood Mitigation Assistance subapplications may contact town/city/county managers, planning, and/or emergency management offices within local governments, including cities, townships, counties, special district governments, and federally recognized Tribal governments. For local governments, please contact your State Hazard Mitigation Officer to learn about the applicant’s priorities, deadlines, and additional requirements.

• Applicants may include states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and federally recognized Tribal governments.
• Each state, the District of Columbia, U.S. territory, and federally recognized Tribal government shall designate one agency to serve as the applicant for funding. Each applicant’s designated agency may submit only one Flood Mitigation Assistance grant application to FEMA. An application can be made up of an unlimited number of subapplications.
• Applicants must have a FEMA-approved State or Tribal Hazard Mitigation Plan by the application deadline and at the time of obligation of grant funds.

• Local governments, including cities, townships, counties, special district governments, state agencies, and federally recognized Tribal governments (who choose to apply as subapplicants) are considered subapplicants and must submit subapplications to their state/U.S. territory/federal recognized Tribal government applicant agency.
• All subapplicants for FMA must be participating in the NFIP, and not be withdrawn or suspended, to be eligible to apply for grant fund. Participation status can be verified in the Community Status Book online.
• Subapplicants must have a FEMA-approved Local or Tribal Hazard Mitigation Plan by the application deadline and at the time of obligation of grant funds for mitigation projects (except for mitigation planning).
• Federally recognized Tribal governments and non-federally recognized tribes can choose to apply as a subapplicant to an eligible state or U.S. territory.

Capability and Capacity Building Activities enhance the knowledge, skills, expertise, etc., of the current workforce to expand or improve the administration of Flood Mitigation Assistance. These activities may be used to develop future Localized Flood Risk Reduction Projects and/or Individual Flood Mitigation Projects that will subsequently reduce flood claims against the National Flood Insurance Program.

• Mitigation Plans for the development or update of a Mitigation Plan(s). Mitigation Plan subapplications will be evaluated to ensure that the result will provide benefits to the NFIP.
• Technical Assistance by States to Communities must have received an FY 2022 FMA award of at least $1 million federal cost share. Technical Assistance by States to Communities funding is provided to maintain a viable FMA program over time.
• Project Scoping can be used to obtain data and to prioritize, select, and develop future Localized Flood Risk Reduction Projects and/or Individual Flood Mitigation Projects based on current FEMA-approved mitigation plans. Project Scoping subapplications will be evaluated to ensure that the result will lead to an eligible project subapplication that will provide benefits to the NFIP.
• Additional Capability and Capacity Building includes activities in the following sub-categories:Partnership Development to Conduct Eligible Mitigation Activities, Enhancing Local Floodplain Management, Severe Repetitive Loss/Repetitive Loss Strategy Development, and other Capability and Capacity Building Activities.

Localized Flood Risk Reduction Projects address localized flood risk for the purpose of reducing National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) flood claim payment.  These projects are local level drainage/flood control projects to improve drainage and reduce flood risk for communities and can include numerous activities such as drainage pipes, pump stations, topographic grading, seawalls, marsh restoration, and other nature-based solutions.

Individual Flood Mitigation Projects are those that mitigate the risk of flooding to individual NFIP-insured structures and give priority to properties meeting Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL) and Repetitive Loss (RL) definitions. These project types include acquisition, acquisition relocation, relocation, elevation, mitigation reconstruction, and dry floodproofing of historic or commercial structures.

Cost share is required for all subapplications funded by the FMA grant program. Generally, the cost share for this program is 75% federal cost share and 25% non-federal cost share. Contributions of cash, third-party in-kind services, materials, or any combination thereof, may be accepted as part of the non-federal cost share.

FEMA may consider the non-federal cost share based on availability of remaining federal funds, as noted in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. For example, the following federal cost share options may be available:  

• Up to 90% federal cost share funding if the average Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) score is not less than 0.5001 for the benefiting area(s) substantiated by a benefiting area map, and the activity must be funded by Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. FEMA will determine the CDC SVI score using the following three SVI themes: Socioeconomic Status, Household Characteristics, and Housing Type and Transportation; or
• Up to 75% federal cost share funding if a higher federal cost share is not available.

• Up to 90% federal cost share funding if the average CDC SVI score is not less than 0.5001 for the project benefiting area containing NFIP-insured properties, and the activity must be funded by the BIL. FEMA will determine the CDC SVI score using the following three SVI themes: Socioeconomic Status, Household Characteristics, and Housing Type and Transportation; or
• Up to 75% federal cost share funding if a higher cost share is not available.

• Up to 100% federal cost share funding for Flood Mitigation Assistance  defined Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL) (B)(i) or (B)(ii) properties in Title 42 United States Code 4104c(h)(3); or
• Up to 90% federal cost share funding for Flood Mitigation Assistance  defined Repetitive Loss (RL) properties in Title 42 United States Code Section 4121(a)(7); or
• Up to 90% federal cost share funding for each NFIP-insured property located within a census tract with a CDC SVI score is not less than 0.5001, and the activity must be funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. FEMA will determine the CDC SVI score using the following three SVI themes: Socioeconomic Status, Household Characteristics, and Housing Type and Transportation; or
• Up to 75% federal cost share funding if a higher federal cost share is not available.