Hazard Mitigation Resources

New Research Finds Increased Payoff from Disaster Resilience Investments

Every dollar invested in disaster resilience today could save communities

up to $33 in lost future economic activity



This powerful finding comes from a new report from Allstate, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. The report, Beyond the Payoff: How Investments in Resilience and Disaster Preparedness Protect Communities, models scenarios across five disaster types—hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, wildfires, and droughts—to show how upfront resilience investments save jobs, preserve the workforce, and protect local economies.

Mitigation plans allow state, local, tribal, and territorial governments to organize their long-term strategies for protecting people and property from future natural hazard events after assessing all disaster risks and vulnerabilities common to their planning areas. The mitigation planning process is prescribed in regulations and should result in mitigation actions based on a fair, logical, and fact-based thought process.

The mitigation plan must be adopted by the jurisdiction and approved by FEMA unless otherwise delegated. Adoption and approval of state, local, tribal, and territorial plans are eligibility requirements for FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), HMGP Post Fire, Building Resilient Infrastructure & Communities (BRIC) and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant programs.

State and tribal mitigation plans are also eligibility requirements for Public Assistance Categories C-G, Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAGs), and the Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dam (HHPD) grants. These plans need to be updated every five years to account for changing risk profiles and priorities.

FEMA Planning Resources

TheLocal Mitigation Planning Handbookis a plain-language tool to help local governments develop or update hazard mitigation plans. It gives guidance, case studies, definitions, and resources that help make mitigation planning easier.  

Hazard mitigation plans are blueprints to build resilient communities. Plans pinpoint natural hazard risks and vulnerabilities in the planning area. Then planners develop strategies to reduce these risks and vulnerabilities.

Download the 2025 Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide. The updated Handbook provides more details on ways to develop mitigation plans that meet the policy and regulatory requirements.  

Special Districts Participating in Mitigation Planning Fact Sheet (2024)

The Role of Local Leadership

How Can Local Leaders Promote the Integration of Hazard Mitigation into Local Planning?

Local community leaders and decision makers play an important role in setting priorities, providing overarching policy direction, and bringing stakeholders together. Their visibility can be used to spearhead initiatives that promote the importance of integrating hazard mitigation to achieve overall community safety and resilience. In addition, they can communicate with a broad base of constituents and partners. These qualities are invaluable for the success of an integrated, interdepartmental, multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation strategy. 

Climate Adaptation Planning Guide for Emergency Managers

Billion Dollar Disasters

Since records began in 1980, there have been 417 separate billion dollar disasters, which cumulatively have costs exceeding $3.1 trillion. Over the past 10 years, billion dollar weather and climate events have occurred nearly twice as often (inflation-adjusted) as in the 30 year average and $1.5 trillion in losses.   Climate Central

Climate Risk and Resilience

Hazard Mitigation Planning and Water Resource Management Module

The Watershed Academy has a Hazard Mitigation Planning and Water Resource Management Module. This module is intended for water quality and hazard mitigation professionals that are interested in integrating water quality issues and/or nature-based solutions into state or local Hazard Mitigation Plans (HMPs) and highlights the benefits of working across water quality and hazard mitigation programs. Modules in this series can be used as training tools to help planners from both worlds explore activities of mutual interest and benefit. Case studies and examples are provided to assist hazard mitigation planners with integrating water resource programs into HMPs and help watershed planners understand the synergies between water resource plans and HMPs.



Begin the course here.

FEMA Climate Risk and Resilience (ClimRR) Portal 

The Climate Risk and Resilience Portal (ClimRR) is an award-winning, free, national online source for sophisticated climate data down to the neighborhood level. ClimRR provides easy access to climate data to integrate future conditions into Hazard Mitigation Plans, land use plans, infrastructure design, and FEMA’s Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool (RAPT).

ClimRR data is available for changing hazards: extreme temperatures (hot and cold), cooling and heating degree days, heat index, wind, fire weather index, precipitation/no precipitation under two carbon emission scenarios. The updated portal lets users visualize and analyze future climate hazards combined with local demographic and infrastructure data.

APA Mitigation and Climate Action Planning Resources



With support from FEMA’s Cooperating Technical Partners program, the American Planning Association (APA) produced the following mitigation and climate action planning resources. Explore these resources via the links below.

PAS Memo 113: The Use of Foresight and Scenario Planning in Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation

Scenario planning can help planners make communities more resilient from future conditions; these conditions can include extreme weather and changing demographics. This PAS Memo offers guidance to planners on how to expand the use of foresight through exploratory scenario planning in both the hazard mitigation and climate adaptation fields.

Planning Information Exchange Webinar: Foresight and Scenario Planning for Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation. Presented by APA during 2022 National Community Planning Month, the recording of this webinar defines the use cases for scenario planning for both hazard mitigation and climate adaptation.

2022 Survey of State Planning Laws: Land Use, Hazard Mitigation and Climate Action. This story map summarizes key themes that emerged from the 2022 survey. The interactive maps allow users to view details on key laws that affect hazard mitigation and climate action planning for each state.

For more resources that help communities integrate principles of hazard mitigation with planning efforts visit FEMA’s Implement, Integrate and Maintain Mitigation Planning Activities page.

Hazus 7.0 in ArcGIS Pro

Hazus 7.0, the latest version of FEMA’s risk assessment software, is now available. This release marks the first in the transition to ArcGIS Pro, setting the stage for future updates as we work to migrate key functionalities.

Key Highlights of Hazus 7.0:

• Integration with ArcGIS Pro: Bringing a modern, efficient user experience
• Simplified Workflows: Streamlined workflows for flood and hurricane analyses
• Improved Flood Model Methodologies: Implementing a depth-limited approach for coastal flood zone designation
• Flexible Average Annualized Loss (AAL) Calculation for Flood Analyses: Users can now use any 3 or more multi-return period depth grids, offering greater flexibility in calculating AAL for flood scenarios.
• HURREVAC Integration: HURREVAC is now fully integrated within Hazus, eliminating the need for the Hurricane Hazard Import Tool.

What’s Available in This Release:

• Ability to install and run Hazus 6.1 and 7.0 side-by-side without interference
• Capability to run a Hazus flood analysis with user supplied depth grid(s)
• Capability to run a Hazus hurricane analysis using HURREVAC data without the need for an open-source tool
• Export, share, and import projects from Hazus 7.0 with others who also have 7.0.

Not all functionalities from previous Hazus versions are available in Hazus 7.0. This release brings new streamlined workflows and an updated user interface for hurricane and flood models. Some models, like earthquake and tsunami, are not yet available in Hazus 7.0.

To ensure you’re still supported, Hazus 6.1 remains fully compatible with ArcMap 10.8.2, and both 6.1 and 7.0 can be run side by side without interference. This allows you to explore the latest advancements in Hazus 7.0 while continuing to use additional features available in Hazus 6.1.

Download Hazus 7.0 for ArcGIS Pro

View Hazus 7.0 Release Notes

View Hazus 7.0 User Guide

Building Codes: Affordable Resilience in the Built Environment

US building codes remain fragmented with no federal standards. States can voluntarily adopt model codes, whenever and with whatever edits they wish. These codes are generally set at life safety ‘escape’ rather than asset preservation ‘resilience’ levels.This webinar from Florida International University’s Institute for Resilient and Sustainable Coastal Infrastructure examines resilience affordability and explains why high resilience has the lowest cost to society.

Mitigation Saves: Infrastructure Retrofits

Retrofitting lifelines protects the whole economy, saving up to $31 per $1 invested. Activities that enhance resilience of water and wastewater facilities, electric utility substations, roads and railways, and communications equipment yielded benefit-cost ratios as high as 31 to 1.

Read NIBS Mitigation Saves.

Online NFIP 101: Introduction to Floodplain Management



Want to learn floodplain management basics? Don’t have the ability to attend a four-day training? Maybe you just want to brush up on one or two floodplain management topics? In partnership with the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM), FEMA’s Floodplain Management Division has anonline, self-paced course - NFIP 101: Introduction to Floodplain Management. The course is free and available to the general public. You may start, stop, and return to the course as your schedule permits, and you may take it as many times as you’d like. ASFPM is hosting the course and you can find it on their Training and Knowledge page under the “On-Demand Learning” heading, or link to NFIP101 (floods.org).

Two Ways to Use the Course:

·       Obtain a certificate of completion from FEMA’s Floodplain Management Division and 12 continuing education credits from ASFPM, both of which are earned after completing the course and passing the final exam.

·       As a reference guide on fundamental floodplain management concepts. No need to take the course all over again, just jump to the Chapter or Section you need a refresher on.

This course is intended for those just beginning a career in floodplain management. It provides:

·       Local, state, tribal, territorial, and federal officials with the knowledge and skills to administer and enforce floodplain management regulations;

·       New floodplain administrators with information and communication techniques to explain the impact of floodplain management decisions on insurance, public safety, and health; and

·       An overview of NFIP minimum floodplain management regulations based on the types of flood hazards identified as well as Substantial Improvement (SI) and Substantial Damage (SD) and describes the use of a permitting process as a floodplain management oversight and compliance tool.

While the content of this course is congruent with EMI’s EL-0273: Managing Floodplain Development Through the NFIP, successful completion of this course does not confer credit from EMI. Interested parties should visit https://training.fema.gov/netc_online_admissions/  to inquire about in-person E-273 courses or reach out to their State NFIP Coordinators to inquire about the locally offered, in-person L-273 course. However, students need not choose between the in-person, classroom experience versus the online course. Both are useful and can meet differing scheduling/topic needs.

Registration

Kentucky Water Research Institute KENTUCKY MS4 TRAINING PROGRAM

The design of the proposed training program promotes resource accessibility, knowledge retention, and content adaptability. Specifically, the program focuses on addressing the need for a cohesive, standardized structure for complying with specific Minimum Control Measures (MCMs) related to priority pollutants (i.e., nutrients, sediment, bacteria) and pollutant load reduction within MS4 programs throughout Kentucky.

Learn more here.

New Course for Community Planners Available on APA Learn

Every planner can help build a resilient future. A new FEMA-funded course helps community planners know their role in hazard mitigation, build mitigation skills, and work towards community resilience.

Planners can enroll today for Planning, Mitigating, and Advocating for Community Resilience.

Emergency managers are encouraged to share this course with community planners and planning departments.

By the end of this course, participants will:

·       Know how mitigation plans and actions work together to boost community resilience.

·       Be able to work with emergency managers and local staff to put together a mitigation planning process.

·       Be ready for challenges in mitigation planning. These may include a lack of joint efforts with planners, as well as poor integration of other local plans and tools.

·       Use planning tools (such as zoning or capital improvement) as mitigation actions.

·       Work with local leaders, staff, the public, and others to push for mitigation planning and reducing risk.

·       This course is eligible for 1.75 CM credits for American Planning Association (APA) members of the American Institute of Certified Planners. It is also free!

The APA hosts this course. To learn more, visit the APA Learn web page.

FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Grants



The Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) program provides grant funding for communities looking to protect against losses from disasters, and in advance of disasters. The HMA Division’s vision is to be a driver for resilience through partnerships and mitigation investments with states, tribes, territories and local governments. The program’s mission is to design, build and nurture high-performing teams that promote and deliver risk reduction programs.

Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP): The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provides funding to state, local, tribal and territorial governments so they can develop hazard mitigation plans and rebuild in a way that reduces, or mitigates, future disaster losses in their communities. This grant funding is available after a presidentially declared disaster.

Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA): Flood Mitigation Assistance funds are used for projects that reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings insured by the National Flood Insurance Program.

Flood Mitigation Assistance Swift Current: The Swift Current effort provides funding to mitigate buildings insured through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) after a major disaster declaration following a flood-related disaster event to reduce risk against future flood damage.

Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Post-Fire: Wildfires can destroy homes, businesses, infrastructure, natural resources, and agriculture. They can also increase secondary hazards and leave areas prone to floods, erosion, and mudflows for many years. FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) has Post Fire assistance available to help communities implement hazard mitigation measures after wildfire disasters.

National Dam Safety Program: Provides vital support in the form of funding, technical assistance, and research for states and territories with enacted dam safety programs. FEMA has two annual funding opportunities; the Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dams grant program and the National Dam Safety State Assistance Grant program.

Leveraging the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA)

for Mitigation Projects

The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) is a 1977 federal law that encourages banks to meet the credit needs of the entire community, particularly low- and moderate- income (LMI) neighborhoods, to combat redlining. The CRA has primarily been used to support affordable housing, small business, and community development, but remains underused as a tool for proactive, community-wide infrastructure investments. To address this gap, Rebuild by Design created a CRA Community Guide and a CRA Bank Guide to help community-based organizations and banks work together to leverage the CRA and invest in community-wide infrastructure before extreme weather strikes. CRA can shift investment from post-disaster recovery to proactive infrastructure that stabilizes assets, reduces risk, and strengthens local economies. 

Additional Funding Resources

Benefit Cost Analysis

In accordance with authorizing statutes, only cost-effective hazard mitigation measures are eligible for potential funding from FEMA. FEMA has specified minimum project criteria via regulation and policy and requires applicants and subapplicants to demonstrate that hazard mitigation projects are cost-effective.

FEMA developed several methodologies that applicants and subapplicants may use to demonstrate cost effectiveness in accordance with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-94[EW23], Guidelines and Discount Rates for Benefit-Cost Analysis of Federal Programs (Oct. 29, 1992).

FEMA generally assesses the cost effectiveness of hazard mitigation projects through a Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA),a quantitative analysis used to assess the cost effectiveness of a hazard mitigation measure by comparing the project’s avoided future damages (benefits) to the costs over the project lifetime. The result is a Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR), which is the numerical expression of the cost effectiveness of a project calculated as the net present value of total project benefits divided by the net present value of total project costs. A project is generally considered to be cost-effective when the BCR is 1.0 or greater, indicating the benefits of a prospective hazard mitigation project are sufficient to justify the costs.

FEMA created the BCA Toolkit to help applicants perform benefit-cost analyses in accordance with OMB’s guidelines. Through the development of the BCA Toolkit, FEMA created a standardized methodology that is specific to hazard mitigation activities and provides consistency across applicants and subapplicants. Methodologies for cost-effectiveness determination methods and standard values will be documented and made publicly available on FEMA’s Benefit-Cost Analysis webpage.

In addition to the BCA Toolkit, FEMA provides several streamlined methodologies that applicants and subapplicants may use to demonstrate cost effectiveness. While FEMA encourages the use of the BCA Toolkit, applicants and subapplicants may also use a non-FEMA BCA methodology if pre-approved by FEMA in writing.

For Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC), Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) and FMA Swift Current, additional information on demonstrating cost effectiveness may be found in the appropriate year’s Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). These funding opportunities are available on Grants.gov.