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The third round of Swift Current funding is now available to help National Flood Insurance Program policy holders across the nation become more resilient to flooding.
This funding makes $660 million that FEMA is using from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the Flood Mitigation Assistance Program’s Swift Current opportunity.
Swift Current aims to speed up the award of Flood Mitigation Assistance funding to states, territories, the District of Columbia and federally recognized tribal governments to reduce the damage-repair cycle of repetitively or substantially flood-damaged properties. Rather than through annual Flood Mitigation Assistance grant cycle, Swift Current provides resiliency dollars after a major disaster declaration following a flood-related disaster event to reduce risk against future flood damage.
Examples of projects eligible for this funding include property acquisition and demolition, elevation and relocation. To be eligible, buildings must be insured through the National Flood Insurance Program and have a history of repetitive or substantial damage from flooding.
In alignment with the Flood Mitigation Assistance annual grant program, Swift Current provides more equitable access to mitigation grants through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. It offers tailored pre-application support to disadvantaged communities that often face challenges and provides cost share help up to 100% to help meet their non-federal match.
For the first Swift Current announcement in 2022, FEMA made available a total of $60 million. The second announcement in 2023 made $300 million available and expanded criteria to benefit more places, which as of May 30, 2024, includes 19 states and one Tribal Nation.
This announcement follows similar criteria to the 2023 funding opportunity to increase the likelihood of eligibility if they meet two criteria:
- They receive a major disaster declaration for a flood-related disaster event between June 1, 2024 - May 31, 2025. A flood-related disaster event includes coastal storms, hurricanes, remnants of hurricanes and floods.
One of the following criteria must also be met:
- The state, territory, or federally recognized tribal government has at least $1 million in National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) flood insurance claims paid in the 12 months prior to the disaster declaration date.
- The state, territory, District of Columbia or federally recognized tribal government has 500 or more NFIP flood insurance claims submitted in the declared flood-related event.
- The applicant is a U.S. territory or a federally recognized tribal government applying directly to FEMA.
FEMA will give special consideration if they receive a major disaster declaration for a flood-related event from June 1 - May 31, 2025, but do not meet any of the three additional conditions listed above. Refer to the funding opportunity for additional information and requirements.
FEMA will work with states, territories, District of Columbia and federally recognized tribal governments to explore their participation during this cycle. Potential applicants who have questions may contact their FEMA regional office.
The application window opens on June 1, 2024, and the last eligible disaster declaration date is May 31, 2025. The funding opportunity is available on Grants.gov.
All applications must be submitted in FEMA Grants Outcomes (FEMA GO) and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The application deadline date will be provided to the applicant. Applications received by FEMA after the deadline will not be considered for funding. For more information, interested NFIP policyholders should contact their state or territory hazard mitigation officer.
As the 44th Annual Building Safety Month during May comes to an end, the work around building safety and codes adoption is a year-round effort. In collaboration with the International Code Council, the month-long campaign wrapped up with the theme Celebrating Success in Building Science.
This is a time to highlight individuals and communities that are making a difference in building safety while also recognizing celebrations of ongoing success in building safety efforts as well. The building safety community, spanning from citizens to professionals, is recognized for its dedicated contributions. Learning events emphasize the crucial role of professionals and building codes in ensuring safety.
FEMA has several resources available online to raise awareness about building safety, codes and adoption.
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Building Resilience Through Interaction is a video that provides two activities for kids to raise awareness about modern hazard building codes. The flood and earthquake tables allow kids to build a structure and learn about the effects of heavy rainfall or seismic movement.
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Building Science Resource Library includes resources for different audiences such as building codes professionals and engineers, community planners, state program managers, teachers, individuals, homeowners and kids.
Building Safety Month reinforces the need for the adoption of modern, natural hazard-resistant building codes and helps us understand what it takes to ensure our friends and loved ones are safe in the event of a natural disaster. Strong building codes protect our homes, offices, schools, manufacturing facilities, stores and entertainment venues.
Let's continue to work together to create a future where resilience, preparedness and community support are the cornerstones of our safety initiatives. Check out and participate in these upcoming events to keep the conversation of Building Safety going year-round.
Do you have a building safety hero you want to shout out for Building Safety Month? Use the hashtag #BuildingSafetyMonth2024 on social media!
For additional information on 2024 National Building Safety Month, visit the International Code Council. For additional information on FEMA’s Building Science, please visit this FEMA webpage or reach out to your local regional building science point of contact.
FEMA updated the Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) program manual, which provides planning and assessment guidance for state, local, Tribal Nations and territorial (SLTT) partners in the vicinity of a commercial nuclear power plant.
The 2023 REP program manual (RPM) provides guidance on preparedness for radiological emergencies at commercial nuclear power plants. The manual is divided into five distinct parts.
- Part I of the manual provides a program overview.
- Part II of the manual provides planning guidance derived from the planning standards identified in 44 CFR Part 350 and NUREG 0654/FEMA REP-1, Rev.2.
- Guidance on assessment of preparedness capabilities is described in Part III of the REP Program Manual.
- Part IV of the manual provides guidance on administering the REP program.
- Part V of the manual provides guidance on design of alert and notification systems.
FEMA will host a series of 60–90-minute webinars to provide an overview of notable changes found in the 2023 REP program manual. Each webinar will focus on one or two specific parts of the manual. Advanced registration is required.
Register for the webinar series below:
For additional information and event resources, visit the 2023 REP Program Manual and Change Summary on FEMA.gov. For any questions, contact FEMATHDPolicy@fema.dhs.gov
FEMA will host two webinars as an opportunity to learn about the updates to OneResponder and its capabilities and functions from 1 - 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday, June 18 and on Thursday, June 20. It is a primer for existing users and an introduction for new users.
OneResponder is a personnel qualifications management tool for use by the whole community. As part of the National Resource Hub, it supports the implementation of the National Incident Management System’s (NIMS) resource management objective to qualify, certify and credential incident personnel and aids in implementing the National Qualifications System (NQS).
In addition to providing a basic overview of OneResponder as a tool and its functionality, the webinar will cover the following recent updates to OneResponder:
- The ability to import National Emergency Training Center (NETC) training for users with valid FEMA Student IDs.
- The ability to decertify a responder from a position.
- Resolution of an issue with training course importations and course codes with leading zeros.
- A messaging capability for the Responder Portal.
- The addition of military locations to the state dropdown list.
Register for the webinars at FEMA National Integration Center OneResponder Webinars on FEMA.gov.
FEMA seeks feedback on “Planning Considerations: Putting People First” guidance. This document is intended to assist emergency managers and planning partners at all jurisdiction levels in identifying and understanding the interests and needs of populations throughout their community, particularly those who are disproportionately impacted by disasters and populations who have been historically underserved.
The guide outlines an understanding of a people first approach and helps emergency managers by applying that approach to the Six Step Planning Process established in “Comprehensive Preparedness Guide 101” (CPG 101). The “Putting People First” guide also discusses the importance of community engagement in maintaining strong community partnerships. Additionally, the guide includes data analysis and visualization resources and population spotlight sheets to help begin the process of how to engage and assess the needs of underserved populations.
A line-numbered version of the draft guide is provided to help identify specific areas or topics for potential revision or development. The feedback form can be used to capture any recommendations. Email feedback or questions to NPD-Planning@fema.dhs.gov. The feedback period will conclude at the close of business on July 10.
FEMA will host webinars to provide an overview of the draft and facilitate discussion on additional ways to improve the guide. The webinars will be held:
- Wednesday, June 12 at 2 p.m. ET.
- Thursday, June 20 at 3 p.m. ET.
- Tuesday, June 25 at 11 a.m. ET.
To access the guide and register for the webinars, visit https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/national-preparedness/plan.
Applications Accepted Through June 7 for $103M Available to Assist Emergency Operations Centers Nationwide
FEMA released the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Fiscal Year 2024 Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Grant Program on April 25. The program provides more than $103 million in funds eligible for state and local governments, as well as Tribal Nations, for equipping, upgrading or constructing emergency operations center projects determined by Congress.
Only State Administrative Agencies (on behalf of state and local units of government) and federally recognized tribes with projects identified in Appendix A of the funding notice are eligible to apply. The EOC Grant Program is congressionally directed spending with Congress determining the funded projects.
The application period will remain open until 5 p.m. ET on Friday, June 7. Application submissions must be made through FEMA Grants Outcomes (GO). The NOFO is available on Grants.gov (Assistance Listings Number 97.052) and www.fema.gov/grants.
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National Hurricane Program Hosts HURREVAC Webinar Series for Emergency Managers
The National Hurricane Program is a partnership between FEMA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the NOAA National Hurricane Center. From June 10 – 14, FEMA's National Hurricane Program will host a five-day HURREVAC training for emergency managers. Each session will start at 2 p.m. ET and run 60–90 minutes.
HURREVAC is a free, web-based decision-support tool that assists emergency managers by providing information and tools to inform hurricane response decisions in advance of a threatening storm. Interested emergency managers can register now for this annual HURREVAC webinar series.
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Attend FEMA’s Webinar on Assessing Completed Actions Resulting from Incident After-Action Reviews
FEMA is hosting a webinar on how to assess the success of completed actions from real-world incident after-action reports (AARs) with the agency’s Continuous Improvement Technical Assistance Program (CITAP). The webinar is from 1-2 p.m. ET on Wednesday, June 12, and will focus on approaches for evaluating completed recommended actions as outlined in FEMA’s National Continuous Improvement Guidance.
During this webinar, FEMA will ask attendees to consider two common approaches for evaluating the success of completed actions and when to use them. The webinar will also review best practices for assessing the effect of completed actions and resources available on the FEMA Preparedness Toolkit.
Register in advance to attend the by visiting the event page on FEMA.gov and clicking the "Register" button. If an issue arises while registering or logging in, contact the FEMA CITAP Team at FEMA-CITAP@fema.dhs.gov.
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FY24 FEMA National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program State Assistance Grant Applications Available this Month
The Fiscal Year 2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the FEMA National Earthquake Hazards Reduction program (NEHRP) Multi-State and National Earthquake Assistance funding opportunity was made available May 8 on grants.gov/search-results-detail/354079. The Fiscal Year 2024 FEMA National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Individual State Earthquake Assistance Program Notice of Funding Opportunity opened May 17.
The application period for each funding opportunity is as follows:
- Fiscal Year 2024 Multi-State and National Earthquake Assistance Notice of Funding Opportunity will close at 5 p.m. ET on June 14. All applications must be submitted in FEMA GO.
- Fiscal Year 2024 Individual State Earthquake Assistance Notice of Funding Opportunity will close at 5 p.m. ET on June 24. All applications must be submitted in FEMA GO.
For more information on FEMA GO, visit FEMA.gov/grants/guidance-tools/fema-go. Additional information on these funding opportunities and FEMA NEHRP is available at FEMA.gov/emergency-managers/risk-management/earthquake/nehrp.
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FEMA Publishes Funding Opportunity for 110 Mitigation Projects for Nearly $191M
FEMA published the Fiscal Year 2024 funding opportunity making approximately $191 million available to support 110 mitigation projects nationwide. These projects were congressionally authorized through the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024. The funding for these projects will be made available through FEMA’s Pre-Disaster Mitigation grant program for 35 states, the District of Columbia and one Tribal Nation.
Communities with projects identified for funding must submit an application by June 28. The agency will only disburse funding after all program eligibility criteria, such as Environmental and Historic Preservation requirements, are met.
For general questions about Pre-Disaster Mitigation congressional community projects, please contact the appropriate State Hazard Mitigation Officer or FEMA regional office. The Hazard Mitigation Assistance Helpline is also available at 866-222-3580.
FEMA will offer a webinar series for applicants. For more information and list of the projects, visit FEMA.gov. If you require further assistance after navigating the resources listed above, email FEMA-Ask-PDM@fema.dhs.gov.
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$10.8M Available for Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grants
FEMA released the funding notice for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program. The program provides $10.8 million to eligible states and local governments to close known preparedness capability gaps, encourage innovative regional solutions to issues related to catastrophic incidents and build on existing regional preparedness efforts.
Awards will be made on a competitive basis to applicants who present an ability to successfully meet the requirements described in the funding notice.
The application period will close at 5 p.m. ET on July 25. Submissions must be made through FEMA Grants Outcomes (GO). The Notice of Funding Opportunity is available on Grants.gov (Assistance Listings Number 97.111), as well as on the FEMA website at www.fema.gov/grants.
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