BRIC supports state, local, tribal and territorial governments as they undertake hazard mitigation activities, reducing the risks they face from disasters and natural hazards. The BRIC program seeks to fund effective and innovative activities that will reduce risk, increase resilience, and serve as a catalyst to encourage the whole community to invest in and adopt mitigation policies. BRIC is designed to promote a national culture of preparedness and public safety by encouraging investments to protect our communities and infrastructure and strengthen our national mitigation capabilities to foster resilience.
BRIC was established as part of Section 1234 of the Disaster Recovery Reform Act, which amended Section 203 of the Stafford Act.[35] In its amended version, Section 203 of the Stafford Act authorizes FEMA to provide technical and financial assistance to state, local, tribal and territorial governments for hazard mitigation measures that are cost-effective and designed to reduce injuries, loss of life and damage and destruction of property. This includes damage to critical services and facilities.
The BRIC program is designed around the following guiding principles:
- Support state and local governments, tribes and territories through capability- and capacity-building to enable them to identify mitigation actions and implement projects that reduce risks posed by natural hazards.
- Encourage and enable innovation while allowing flexibility, consistency, and effectiveness.
- Promote partnerships and enable high-impact investments to reduce risk from natural hazards with a focus on critical services and facilities, public infrastructure, public safety, public health and communities.
- Provide a significant opportunity to reduce future losses and minimize impacts on the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF).
- Promote equity, including by helping members of disadvantaged groups and prioritizing 40% of the benefits to disadvantaged communities as referenced in Executive Order (EO) 14008 on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad (Jan. 27, 2021), in line with the Administration’s Justice40 Initiative.
- Support the adoption and enforcement of building codes, standards, and policies that will protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the public, taking into account future conditions, prominently including the effects of climate change, and have long-lasting impacts on community risk reduction, including for critical services and facilities and for future disaster costs.
States and territories that have had a major disaster declaration under the Stafford Act in the seven years prior to the annual application period start date are eligible to apply for federal assistance under BRIC as applicants. Federally recognized tribal governments can apply directly to FEMA for federal assistance under BRIC as an applicant or through the state as a subapplicant. Federally recognized tribal governments that have had a major disaster declaration under the Stafford Act in the seven years prior to the annual application period start date——or are entirely or partially located in a state that had a major disaster declaration in the seven years prior to the annual application period start date——are eligible to apply as applicants. Local governments and tribes are eligible to apply to states and territories for federal assistance under BRIC as subapplicants.[36] Individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations are not eligible to apply for BRIC assistance; however, an eligible applicant or subapplicant may apply for funding on behalf of individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations.
The BRIC program distributes assistance annually and requires a cost share.[37] No later than 180 calendar days after each major disaster is declared under the Stafford Act and subject to assistance availability, FEMA calculates the estimated aggregate amount of grants to be made under Sections 403 (“Essential Assistance”), 406 (“Repair, Restoration, and Replacement of Damaged Facilities”), 407 (“Debris Removal”), 408 (“Federal Assistance to Individuals and Households”), 410 (“Unemployment Assistance”), 416 (“Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training”) and 428 (“Public Assistance Program Alternative Procedures”) of the Stafford Act for the major disaster. FEMA may set aside up to 6% of that amount from the Disaster Relief Fund for deposit into the National Public Infrastructure Predisaster Mitigation Fund to fund BRIC. The amount set aside must not reduce the amounts otherwise made available under the referenced sections. FEMA assesses the amount of funding set aside for BRIC annually and determines what portion of that amount will be available during the following application period for the BRIC program. FEMA announces its determination in the annual Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the BRIC program.
All applicants and subapplicants must have a FEMA-approved mitigation plan that has been adopted by the jurisdiction in accordance with 44 CFR Part 201 and applicable mitigation planning policies by the application deadline and at the time FEMA obligates funding for mitigation activities. For more information on applicable mitigation planning policies, refer to the FEMA “Hazard Mitigation Planning” webpage.
For more BRIC guidance, refer to Part 10.