FEMA aims to identify successes and opportunities for reducing barriers to accessing Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) funding for state, local, tribal and territorial governments. As part of the program’s continuous improvement efforts, every three years, FEMA conducts a comprehensive stakeholder engagement effort to gather ideas and recommendations for how BRIC can be responsive to the complex resilience needs at all levels of government.
Below are highlights from FEMA’s 2020 and 2023 BRIC stakeholder engagements. FEMA will again seek stakeholder feedback for the BRIC program in 2026. Program feedback can be provided at any time by sending an email to fema-bricfeedback@fema.dhs.gov.
Summary of 2023 Stakeholder Engagement Effort
FEMA provided an opportunity for stakeholders to share their thoughts and experiences with FEMA following the initial launch of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program in fiscal year 2020. A second engagement effort was conducted in the summer of 2023, which included an online survey, dedicated feedback inbox, and targeted focus groups. The three-month survey period ended on Aug. 31, 2023. In total, more than 4,000 unique comments were received.
This effort aimed to assist FEMA with identifying strengths and opportunities to help shape and inform recommendations that the BRIC program can adopt to support communities as they undertake hazard mitigation projects. The stakeholder feedback was compiled into a report that details key topic areas addressed by stakeholders and summarizes their recommendations. This 2023 report signals FEMA’s continued commitment to continuous improvement and helps inform program design for future cycles.
- 2023 Stakeholder Engagement Report Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) (August 2024): This is the 70-page report that summarizes the engagement activities and eight broad topics addressed.
Summary of 2020 Stakeholder Engagement Effort
To support the development of the BRIC program, FEMA engaged in a comprehensive stakeholder engagement process in 2019 that leveraged an online crowd-sourcing platform, as well as virtual and in-person listening sessions. FEMA heard from federal, state, tribal, and territorial stakeholders; local partners; and members of the general public about the challenges they face in implementing mitigation projects and recommendations for how BRIC can be responsive to their mitigation needs.
In total, FEMA received 75 formal letters and approximately 5,000 comments with feedback from engagements and emails. The stakeholder feedback was compiled into a report that provides information about the concerns expressed by stakeholders and their recommendations to address those concerns.
- Summary of Stakeholder Feedback Report (March 2020): This is the 72-page report that summarizes the engagements and topics addressed.
- Supplemental Information Sheet about the Summary of Stakeholder Feedback Report: This four-page resource is a high-level summary of each chapter of the report.