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On March 22, FEMA enacted the most significant update to survivor assistance in the last 20 years to reach more survivors and deliver assistance faster.
With these updates, survivors of disasters declared on or after March 22 will have access to a wider range of assistance that is easier to understand and tailored to their unique needs.
By simplifying the application process and providing assistance more quickly, FEMA is supporting individuals, families and communities by allowing them to focus on rebuilding their lives and taking care of their own.
Survivors who apply for FEMA assistance can expect:
- New benefits that provide flexible funding directly to them when they need it most.
- Expanded eligibility to help them recover faster while building back stronger.
- A simplified application process to allow them the time and space they need to truly recover.
People who were impacted by disasters declared prior to March 22 will continue to receive FEMA’s full support to recover and rebuild.
The updated survivor assistance benefits only apply to new disasters declared on or after March 22 and underscore the agency’s ongoing commitment of putting people first.
The date of declaration for each federally declared disaster can be found at Disasters and Other Declarations | FEMA.gov.
FEMA received a record-breaking number of requests for funding in its annual grant cycle to enhance disaster resiliency. The two grant programs, Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) and Flood Mitigation Assistance received more than 1,600 subapplications from state, local, Tribal Nation and territorial governments requesting approximately $8 billion in funding.
FEMA made $1.8 billion available for these two grants in this fiscal cycle – a large portion of which came from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This continues the trend that each year more subapplications are submitted than funding available.
The available funding highlights the importance of FEMA’s continued commitment to “people first” and helping communities, families and businesses build climate resilience. The available funding also aligns with the FEMA Year of Resilience theme to build capacity to withstand tomorrow’s hazards.
These grant programs are among the most-flexible resilience programs within the federal government and can be used by communities to enhance disaster resiliency in various ways, such as:
- Better understanding of disaster risk and vulnerabilities.
- Conduct community-driven resilience.
- Hazard mitigation planning.
- Design transformational projects.
The application period for these annual funding opportunities opened in October 2023 and closed on Feb. 29.
BRIC Summary
FEMA received more than 1,200 BRIC subapplications across all 50 states, 35 Tribal Nations, five territories and the District of Columbia, with all requests totaling more than $5.6 billion. For this funding cycle, the agency made $1 billion available.
BRIC helps state, local, Tribal Nations and territorial governments address high-level risks to natural disasters such as wildfires, drought, extreme heat, hurricanes, earthquakes and increased flooding to foster greater community resilience and reduce disaster suffering.
Building Codes Plus-Up Summary
BRIC’s Building Code Plus-Up initiative received 133 subapplications totaling more than $52 million, demonstrating momentum toward preparing for tomorrow’s disasters by adopting and enforcing modern building codes.
This new set-aside funding opportunity is the largest amount requested from FEMA for building codes and aligns with the Biden-Harris administration’s National Initiative to Advance Building Codes. This opportunity dedicates funding exclusively to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories and federally recognized Tribal Nations for building code activities like adoption and enforcement.
Flood Mitigation Assistance Summary
FEMA received 424 subapplications for Flood Mitigation Assistance across all 10 FEMA regions, requesting nearly $2.3 billion from 39 states, including American Samoa and two federally recognized Tribal Nations. The agency made $800 million available for this funding cycle, while the Swift Current funding opportunity offered an additional $300 million.
This year, FEMA offered the most funding historically offered – nearly $1.1 billion – through the Flood Mitigation Assistance program. These grants are available to participating communities of the National Flood Insurance Program and address severe and repetitive loss projects.
BRIC Direct Technical Assistance
Additionally, FEMA saw increased requests for BRIC Direct Technical Assistance with 164 submissions, 28 of which were from federally recognized Tribal Nations and 136 communities across all 10 FEMA regions. These increases represent an oversubscription trend in funding to make communities safer from natural hazards and the effects of climate change.
The agency has already announced the selection of 74 communities and Tribal Nations from previous grant cycles and expects to make at least 80 more selections from these submissions.
Next Steps
FEMA anticipates releasing a more detailed analysis of the subapplications received for the fiscal year 2023 grant cycle later this year.
For more information, visit FEMA.gov.
FEMA has awarded approximately $38 million to the Mahoning Valley Sanitary District through the agency's Building Resilience Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program to strengthen and improve the Mineral Ridge Dam in Ohio.
FEMA funds will be used to make upgrades and modifications to the structure—which holds the source of drinking water for more than 200,000 northeast Ohio residents—helping to ensure it can withstand the probable maximum flood levels from a 500-year storm.
With funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, FEMA has infused extra money into existing grant programs, supporting efforts like the Mineral Ridge Dam resilience project to reduce disaster impacts and minimize future disaster costs.
The announcement aligns with FEMA’s Year of Resilience commitment to spur game-changing actions and build local capacity to withstand the threats of tomorrow. BRIC, FEMA’s pre-disaster mitigation grant program, aims to categorically shift the federal focus away from reactive disaster spending toward research-supported, proactive investment in community resilience.
The BRIC program provides funds to states, local communities, Tribal Nations and territories for eligible mitigation measures that support a more resilient nation, reduce disaster suffering and avoid future disaster costs. For this project, FEMA will pay 70% of the approximate $54 million eligible project cost, with the remaining 30% of the approximate $16 million costs provided by capital improvement funds.
Nearly $2.3 billion in BRIC funding was available in the fiscal year 2022 notice of funding opportunity. This was bolstered by $200 million in support of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding.
To learn more about FEMA’s BRIC program, visit Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities | FEMA.gov.
To learn more about the project, visit Biden-Harris Administration Announces $38M FEMA Grant for Mineral Ridge Dam Resilience Project | FEMA.gov
FEMA’s Grant Programs Directorate invites federally recognized Tribal Nations to participate in the Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THSGP) Webinar Series. In the upcoming sessions, we will provide an overview of the new FEMA Grant Outcomes (GO) grants management system, which is replacing the legacy Non-Disaster Grants system.
FY 2024 THSGP applicants will be required to submit their applications in the new FEMA GO system. The upcoming webinars will provide an overview of FEMA GO, including how to set up your account and the fundamentals of the THSGP application process.
Three separate sessions are being offered. There is no need to participate in more than one session since the agenda is the same for each.
Register for the following dates at the links below:
For questions regarding the Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program, email FEMA-THSGP@fema.dhs.gov or FEMA Grants News (formerly AskCSID) at FEMA-Grants-News@fema.dhs.gov.
For questions regarding FEMA grants and other assistance programs, contact FEMA Tribal Affairs at Tribal Affairs | FEMA.gov.
For questions regarding FEMA Headquarters and Regional Tribal Affairs, contact Federally Recognized Tribes | FEMA.gov. To find your regional contact, click on the applicable region based on your location.
FEMA's Continuous Improvement Technical Assistance Program (CITAP) will host a webinar on how to plan for data collection and analysis for real-world incident after-action reports (AARs) on Thursday, April 4. This webinar will emphasize approaches for planning incident after-action reviews outlined in FEMA’s National Continuous Improvement Guidance. Please note this webinar will be presented in Spanish. The English version of this AAR webinar will be held tomorrow, March 27, at 11 p.m.
After-action reviews are critical for emergency managers to identify strengths, potential best practices, areas for improvement and mission-critical issues during and following real-world incidents. During this webinar, FEMA will equip participants with a systematic approach to successfully collect and analyze data to inform real-world incident after-action review products. The webinar will also review resources focused on developing data collection and analysis plans that are available on the CITAP’s website on the FEMA Preparedness Toolkit.
The webinar is designed for leaders of state, local, Tribal Nations and territorial partners, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and other entities involved in emergency management functions engaged in continuous improvement efforts.
The webinar will be held virtually on Thursday, April 4, from 2 - 3 p.m. ET. To attend the webinar, register in advance by visiting the event page on FEMA.gov and clicking the "Register" button. If an issue arises while registering or logging in, please contact the FEMA CITAP Team at FEMA-CITAP@fema.dhs.gov.
FEMA is seeking public comments on its updated Consensus-Based Codes, Specifications and Standards Policy through April 26. Application of this policy will increase the resilience of communities impacted by presidentially declared disasters by requiring the use of hazard-resistant design criteria in the repair and restoration of disaster-damaged infrastructure.
FEMA’s landmark study, “Building Codes Save: A Nationwide Study,” illustrated that the use of modern building codes leads to major reductions in property loss from natural disasters. Since originally published in November 2019, the Policy has supported resilient recovery by establishing minimum hazard-resistant design and construction criteria for facilities receiving Public Assistance funding. The Policy defines the framework and requirements for the consistent and appropriate implementation of the required consensus-based design and construction codes, specifications and standards.
This updated policy makes minor changes to the policy language, which includes:
- Updates to the list of codes, standards and specifications.
- Removes retroactive applicability criteria.
- Clarifies policy language while maintaining the intent and applicability of the previous policy.
While applicants are not required to adopt these codes, they are required to apply all relevant consensus-based codes, specifications and standards identified in the policy for applicable permanent work restoration projects.
State, local, Tribal Nations and territorial governments, as well as certain nonprofits and others who have an interest in FEMA Public Assistance funding, are encouraged to review and comment on the agency’s updated Consensus-Based Codes, Specifications and Standards Policy.
The 30-day public comment period is open through April 26 and comments can be submitted in the following ways:
For more information, visit Public Assistance Consensus-Based Codes, Specifications, and Standards Policy Update Public Comment Period | FEMA.gov
FEMA’s National Integration Center published the National Incident Management System (NIMS) Guideline for Mutual Aid.
Mutual aid agreements establish the terms under which one party provides resources – personnel, teams, facilities, equipment and supplies – to another party. Because most jurisdictions do not maintain sufficient resource levels to handle extreme events independently, mutual aid agreements provide a means for jurisdictions to augment their resources when needed for high-demand incidents.
A mutual aid network enhances the nation’s overall preparedness and readiness by allowing jurisdictions and organizations to account for, order, and mobilize outside resources efficiently and effectively.
NIMS is a key component of the national incident management capabilities and enables organizations from across the nation to work together during incidents of all kinds and sizes. Implementing NIMS nationwide is a fundamental part of building our national preparedness.
The NIMS Guideline for mutual supplements the resource management component of NIMS by providing guidance on different types of mutual aid agreements, the key elements of a mutual aid agreement and the key elements of mutual aid operational plans used for implementation.
To learn more, visit NIMS Components - Guidance and Tools | FEMA.gov
 FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and Deputy Administrator Erik Hooks at the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA)’s 2024 Mid-Year Forum in Washington, D.C.
On March 17, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell addressed the nation’s emergency managers at the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA)’s 2024 Mid-Year Forum in Washington, D.C. In her speech, she celebrated NEMA’s 50th anniversary and the long-standing partnership between the emergency management organizations. As the role of emergency managers continues to shift to meet changing needs of the nation, Administrator Criswell called for resilience-focused collaboration to find ways to “equitably deliver our resources to communities before they need them.”
From the accident at Three Mile Island in 1979 to the COVID-19 pandemic, the field of emergency management has evolved through the decades. Emergency managers are called upon to respond to more and more incidents and a variety of natural and man-made hazards. The profession is no longer expected to just pick up the pieces; emergency managers are expected to be there before, during and after disaster strikes.
Communities across the nation have been, and continue to be, tested by natural hazards and adversaries looking to do harm. Amidst these challenges, there are stories of how thoughtful planning helped a family, a neighborhood or a community. Administrator Criswell underscored the critical importance of fostering robust partnerships to leverage resources, share best practices and break down barriers to enhance resilience and safeguard communities nationwide.
Read Administrator Criswell’s full speech at Administrator Criswell's Remarks at the National Emergency Management Association 2024 Mid-Year Forum.
During March, we have the opportunity to recognize Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month – a campaign to raise awareness about the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in all facets of community life and the barriers they face.
“FEMA’s Office of Disability Integration and Coordination Sherman Gillums Jr., Ed.D. and Acting CEO of the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities Robin Troutman discuss the importance of including people with disabilities in disaster planning and operations on the latest episode of the Before, During and After podcast.
FEMA's Office of Disability Integration and Coordination has recently released a new version of its training course IS-368.A, titled "Including People with Disabilities in Disaster Operations," which provides an overview of information and strategies to include people with disabilities during preparedness, response and recovery efforts.
To listen to the podcast, visit Before, During & After | FEMA.gov.
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Attend FEMA’s Webinar on Planning for Your Incident After-Action Review
FEMA's Continuous Improvement Technical Assistance Program will host a webinar on how to plan for data collection and analysis for real-world incident after-action reviews on Wednesday, March 27, from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. ET. This webinar will emphasize approaches for planning incident after-action reviews outlined in FEMA’s National Continuous Improvement Guidance.
During this webinar, FEMA will equip participants with a systematic approach to successfully collect and analyze data to inform real-world incident after-action review products. The webinar will also review resources focused on developing data collection and analysis plans that are available on the CITAP’s website on the FEMA Preparedness Toolkit.
To attend the webinar, register in advance by visiting the event page on FEMA.gov and clicking the "Register" button. If an issue arises while registering or logging in, email FEMA-CITAP@fema.dhs.gov.
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Review and Provide Feedback to Emergency Operations Center Skillsets by March 28
FEMA’s National Integration Center released updated National Incident Management System Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Skillsets for national engagement. Feedback is due no later than March 28, at 5 p.m. ET.
Regardless of structure, EOC personnel typically perform these common functions:
- Collect, analyze and share information.
- Support resource needs and requests, including allocation and tracking.
- Coordinate plans and determine current and future needs.
- In some cases, it provides strategic coordination and policy direction.
This update is based on best practices and lessons learned related to operations, assessing processes and transitioning, capabilities, infrastructure (technology), personnel and comprehensive training to support temporary or extended virtual EOC operations or replace the typical EOC model with a hybrid/virtual option.
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FEMA Integrated Public Assistance Forms Available for 60-Day Review
FEMA is requesting public review and comment on its updated Integrated Public Assistance Application forms. These forms standardize required information and documentation for the agency’s Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide. The updated forms are available for comment period, which closes April 1.
These documents reduce the administrative burden of collecting required information by 20%, which meets the Paperwork Reduction Act requirements. This integrated approach to collecting required information will reduce program complexities. The information provided in the initial forms facilitate early identification of an applicant’s critical needs and the type of customer support required to dynamically tailor federal resources to an applicant based on their specific circumstances and resulting needs.
FEMA published the notice for the revision of the forms in the Federal Register (Federal Register: Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Public Assistance Program).
The IPA forms and comment matrix may be accessed at FEMA.gov.
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FEMA Co-Hosts 2024 Partnership Forum Highlighting Stories of Resilience
Registration is now open for the Resilient Nation Partnership Network 2024 Partnership Forum co-hosted with the Sundance Institute. The theme of this year's forum is, “Stories of Resilience: Voices that Inspire.”
Each session will feature diverse speakers discussing and inspiring community-led resilience. Sessions will take place online each Thursday in April (April 4, 11, 18, 25) from 1 – 3 p.m. ET.
Registration is open to all. To register and learn more, visit Resilient Nation Partnership Network | FEMA.gov.
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FEMA Seeks Comments on Simplified Homeowner Flood Insurance Form to Improve Customer Experience
FEMA is seeking public comments to improve the homeowner policyholder experience through a new proposed Homeowner Flood Form to simplify the National Flood Insurance Program's standard flood insurance policy. The proposed Homeowner Flood Form aims to provide homeowners with a more customizable and user-friendly experience with five new proposed endorsements, allowing policyholders to modify their coverage.
Comments can be submitted until April 8 on www.regulations.gov Docket ID: FEMA-2024-0004. Please follow the instructions on the page to submit comments and contact the Regulations.gov Help Desk if you encounter technical issues.
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FEMA Offers $360M in Grants to Boost Number of Trained Firefighters in Communities Nationwide
The application period remains open for the Fiscal Year 2023 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program, which offers $360 million in grants directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to help them increase or maintain the number of trained firefighters protecting communities across the nation.
Building more resilient communities includes having sufficiently staffed fire departments. FEMA SAFER grant funding will be used to increase the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry minimum standards, attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate fire protection from fire and fire-related hazards and to fulfill traditional missions of fire departments. The SAFER application period will close on Friday, April 12, 2024, at 5 p.m. ET.
The FY 2023 SAFER Notice of Funding opportunity and technical assistance documents for this program are available at www.grants.gov and on the FEMA website. Additional information about upcoming webinars to assist applicants is also available on the FEMA website.
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Still Time to Apply for the $36M in Grants to Strengthen Community Resilience Through FEMA's Fire Prevention Programs
The latest application period for the Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) grant program is open, which will award $36 million for Fiscal Year 2023 to strengthen community fire prevention programs and support scientific research on innovations that improve firefighter safety, health and well-being.
The FP&S Program has awarded approximately $852 million since its inception. To help keep communities and firefighters safer, FP&S funding is being made available directly to eligible fire departments, national, regional, state, local, tribal and non-profit organizations such as academic (e.g., universities), research foundations, public safety institutes, public health, occupational health and injury prevention institutions for fire prevention programs and firefighter health and safety research and development such as clinical studies that address behavioral, social science and cultural research. The application period will close on Friday, April 12, at 5 p.m. ET.
The FY 2023 FP&S Notice of Funding Opportunity and technical assistance documents for this program are available at www.grants.gov and on the FEMA website. Additional information about upcoming webinars to assist applicants is also available on the FEMA website.
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Biden-Harris Administration Announces $150 Million to Help Underserved Communities Fund Resilience Projects
FEMA announced the second funding opportunity for the Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund grant program to make communities safer from natural hazards. Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this program provides capitalization grants to eligible applicants nationwide. Applicants then offer low-interest loans directly to local communities to reduce their vulnerability to disasters, promote equity, foster greater community resilience and reduce disaster impacts.
The Safeguarding Tomorrow funding notice is available at Grants.gov. Eligible entities must apply for funding using the Non-Disaster Grants Management System. Applications must be received by Tuesday, April 30, at 3 p.m. ET.
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Application Period Open for Repetitive Flood Mitigation Funding
An additional $300 million in Swift Current funding is available to help property owners across the nation become more resilient to flooding. This funding opportunity is the second time that FEMA is using assets from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for Swift Current, part of the Flood Mitigation Assistance program. Buildings must be insured through the National Flood Insurance Program to be eligible.
FEMA will work with states and Tribal Nations to explore their participation during this cycle. Potential applicants who have questions may contact their FEMA regional office, while interested subapplicants should contact their state or territory hazard mitigation officer. All eligible applicants must submit their FY 2023 Swift Current grant applications to FEMA via Mitigation eGrants. Upon Swift Current activation, FEMA will provide the application deadline to the applicant.
The application period opened on Nov. 15, 2023, and the last eligible disaster declaration date is May 31. Full details are available on Grants.gov.
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