FEMA HMA Grant Resources & Guidelines

FEMA MITIGATION GRANT PROGRAMS

FEMA Publishes Application Support Materials for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program

The following application support materials are available to better support communities and provide detailed information on how to submit a complete and eligible application for funding. The materials below cover 13 of the most requested HMGP project types:

  • Acquisition and demolition
  • Advance assistance
  • Community safe rooms
  • Elevation
  • Flood risk reduction
  • Generators
  • Hurricane wind retrofit
  • Planning
  • Warning sirens and systems
  • Soil stabilization
  • Wildfire
  • Post wildfire soil stabilization
  • Post wildfire flood and sediment

The materials aid state, local, tribal and territorial emergency management to submitting more successful Hazard Mitigation Grant Program applications. Materials also help them reduce time it takes to receive awards.  FEMA anticipates the guides will help HMGP funding reach more communities.

The 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, disaster losses in their communities.  When requested by an authorized representative, this grant funding is available after a presidentially declared disaster.

In alignment with the “people first” approach outlined in the 2022-2026 FEMA Strategic Plan, these materials provide an overview of program requirements, sample applications and step-by-step instructions that aim to reduce barriers preventing some communities. Guides are especially beneficial to disadvantaged communities that may have difficulties accessing the program. 

The support materials include information for the most requested HMGP project types for various mitigation activities such as acquisition, elevation, flood risk reduction, hurricane wind retrofitting and soil stabilization.  FEMA plans to develop more application support materials for additional project types.   

Visit Application Support Materials for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program | FEMA.gov to access the HMGP support materials.

HMA Fact Sheet: Summary of FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant Programs

March 23, 2021

FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Division has published a new fact sheet entitled, Summary of FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant Programs, that:

  • Provides an overview of HMA grant programs;
  • Discusses the authorities under which the programs operate;            
  • Explains who is eligible to apply, and how to apply for HMA grants;
  • Summarizes cost share requirements; and
  • Shares information about how applications for HMA grants are evaluated.

Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)

Section 404

HMGP is a post-disaster program established under Section 404 of the Stafford Act.  It offers funding to states, communities, and other eligible recipients to invest in long-term measures that will reduce vulnerability to future natural hazards.  The Commonwealth, through KY Emergency Management, has a strong role in administering HMGP with FEMA providing oversight.

General guidelines and resources for this program can be found on the FEMA website at https://www.fema.gov/hazard-mitigation-grant-program.

Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA)

FMA is a grant program funded by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and focused on buildings that are insured by the NFIP, with particular attention to buildings that have received multiple flood insurance payments.

Follow the links:

General guidelines and resources for this program can be found on the FEMA website https://www.fema.gov/flood-mitigation-assistance-grant-program.

Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Description

Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC), will be funded through the Disaster Relief Fund as a six percent set aside from estimated disaster grant expenditures. BRIC, focuses on reducing the nation’s risk by funding public infrastructure projects that increase a community’s resilience before a disaster affects an area.

As a federal disaster mitigation program, BRIC allows FEMA to invest grant monies in infrastructure projects before a disaster affects an area.  Examples of interest areas include infrastructure mitigation projects; hazard mitigation planning; building codes and enforcement; and risk informed funding.

Link to BRIC Policy FP-008-05 (fema.gov)

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

January 5, 2022

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.

Link https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_form-ff-206-fy-21-124.pdf

Hazard Mitigation Assistance Job Aids

Link to the Job Aids on a variety of topics –https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/job-aids.

FEMA Announces New Interim Policy for Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant Programs

August 27, 2021

A new interim FEMA policy requires certain structures in Special Flood Hazard Areas to conform to higher flood elevation standards if they use Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grant funds.

FEMA published the Partial Implementation of the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard for Hazard Mitigation Assistance Programs (FEMA Policy FP-206-21-0003) to better align with Executive Order 14030 Climate-Related Financial Risk, which aims to strengthen resiliency nationwide. This new standard is in the fiscal year 2021 notices of funding opportunity for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) programs.

In addition to BRIC and FMA, it also applies to the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) for any major disaster declared on or after Aug. 27 and assistance authorized for all 59 COVID-19 disaster declarations.  In addition, the interim policy applies to HMGP Post Fire for any Fire Mitigation Assistance Grant declarations issued on or after Aug. 27. 

The interim policy partially implements the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard by requiring higher flood elevations established by the Freeboard Value Approach for certain actions such as elevation, dry floodproofing and mitigation reconstruction in the Special Flood Hazard Area.  The Freeboard Value Approach is the Base Flood Elevation plus two feet.  Under the interim policy, FEMA does not require the partial implementation Freeboard Value Approach if using it would cause the project to be unable to meet applicable program cost-effectiveness requirements.

FEMA anticipates this approach will ensure communities affected by future flood disasters are less vulnerable to the loss of life and property and reduce the effects of a changing environment.

Link to the documents: 

Innovative Drought and Flood Mitigation Projects

This publication evaluates four HMA project types that are considered by FEMA to be high performing. These project types–Aquifer Storage and Recovery, Floodwater Diversion and Storage, Floodplain and Stream Restoration, and Low Impact Development/Green Infrastructure–are evaluated based on the HMA program requirements: technical feasibility and effectiveness; cost effectiveness; and Environmental and Historic Preservation requirement consistency.

In addition, potential for program activity overlap with other federal agencies, known as Duplication of Programs, is examined with appropriate consideration of opportunities for federal agencies to successfully coordinate to fund these project types from more than one federal program.

Link to https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_innovative-drought-flood-mitigation-projects.pdf

Links to Guidance

FEMA GUIDANCE

Hazard Mitigation Applications Moves to FEMA’s New Grants Management System

FEMA’s new online grants management system is operational for hazard mitigation grant funding notices and awards. 

The system, called FEMA Grants Outcomes, or FEMA GO, is the result of a multi-year effort to modernize and transform the way FEMA conducts grants management.  The Federal Fiscal Year 2020 Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) and Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant programs will use the FEMA GO system.

FEMA GO must be used to apply for funding through FMA or the new BRIC grant programs. The legacy FMA and PDM projects will continue to reside in eGrants.

FEMA has provided FEMA GO training to staff in its 10 regional offices, and to the offices of their respective state, local community, tribes and territories.  Additional training and readily accessible program support will be published on FEMA.gov as it becomes available. 

There will also be a FEMA GO Help Desk to offer support with creating and submitting FMA and BRIC grant applications.  For more information, visit www.fema.gov/grants/guidance-tools/fema-go. 

Mitigation Action Portfolio

September 7, 2020

The FEMA Mitigation Action Portfolio is a resource to introduce stakeholders to the BRIC grant program. The portfolio includes an array of eligible hazard mitigation activities.

Projects highlighted in this portfolio are meant to exemplify successful hazard mitigation that also enhances a culture of preparedness and holistic disaster resilience. 

FEMA hopes these project examples inspire stakeholders to think big and bold in addressing natural hazards, while also considering additional benefits that can be achieved beyond reducing economic and human costs from disasters. 

Link to Mitigation Action Portfolio.

Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) 2020 Webinar Recap

Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) will support states, local communities, tribes and territories, as they undertake hazard mitigation projects reducing the risks they face from disasters and natural hazards. BRIC is a new FEMA pre-disaster hazard mitigation program that replaces the existing Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program and is a result of amendments made to Section 203 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act) by Section 1234 of the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 (DRRA).

  • Week 1: Introduction to Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Grant Program
  • Week 2: Meaning of the BRIC Name
  • Week 3: BRIC and Building Codes
  • Week 4: BRIC and Community Lifelines
  • Week 5: BRIC and Nature-Based Solutions

Videos and Presentations:  Watch the video recordings and download copies of the presentations from the sessions, as they become available.

To learn more about Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC), visit https://www.fema.gov/bric.

FY15 Hazard Mitigation Assistance Guidance

This guidance applies to HMGP disasters declared on or after February 27, 2015, unless indicated otherwise. This guidance is also applicable to the PDM and FMA program.

February 27, 2015

Download Document

FY15 Hazard Mitigation Assistance Guidance Addendum

This addendum supplements the information provided in the HMA Guidance.

February 26, 2015

Download Document

FY15 Hazard Mitigation Assistance Guidance Fact Sheet

This document provides general information on the FY15 Hazard Mitigation Assistance Guidance.

March 3, 2015

Download Document

HMGP Additional 5% Initiative for Promoting Resilience through Disaster-Resistant Building Codes

April 2018

This Fact Sheet Clarifying Building Code Elements provides Recipients and subrecipients of Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds with additional information on how to implement the Additional 5 percent Initiative as changed by the FY 15 Hazard Mitigation Assistance Guidance.  FEMA’s intention in supporting the adoption and enforcement of building codes is to promote resilience by using disaster-resistant practices.  A building is considered disaster resistant when it not only protects its occupants but can also be quickly repaired and re-occupied because damage from natural disasters is minimized.

The Additional 5 % Initiative is funding that has been set aside under the HMGP to help communities enhance disaster resilience related to building codes, such as adopting the current International Building Code® and improving a community’s Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS) score.  A building is considered disaster resistant when it not only protects its occupants but can also be quickly repaired and re-occupied because damage from natural disasters is minimized.

HMA Cost Share Guide

May 2016

The Hazard Mitigation Assistance Cost Share Guidance is a tool for Applicants, Subapplicants and FEMA to assist with understanding match requirements for FEMA’s HMA grants. The Guide encourages early coordination for cost share strategies and provides helpful examples for various approaches such as donated resources for the non-Federal cost share.  

Download the Hazard Mitigation Assistance Cost Share Guide.

To learn more about the Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant Programs, visit: https://www.fema.gov/hazard-mitigation-assistance

View the Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant Resources page here: https://www.fema.gov/hazard-mitigation-assistance-hma-grant-resources.