Grant Programs Directorate
Fact Sheet
The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) consolidated multiple legacy grant management organizations to create the new Grant Programs Directorate (GPD) in order to provide a unified, solutions-oriented approach to managing federal financial assistance programs.
GPD is fiscally responsible for approximately 17,000 open grants and is programmatically responsible for more than two-thirds of those grants. GPD subject matter experts provide on-site programmatic monitoring and technical assistance to grantees, while analyzing, evaluating and ensuring accountability and program effectiveness.
This past year, GPD awarded and provided oversight over more than $10.6 billion in grants through approximately 50 programs to state, territorial and local communities, and critical infrastructure systems to enhance preparedness, protection, response, recovery and mitigation capabilities throughout the nation.
GPD also instituted a balanced approach to making Homeland Security grant awards to states and high threat urban areas based on risk. While identifying the Nation's highest threat communities, this methodology also recognizes that risks are widespread and all states and many cities have inherent needs for Federal resources.
To achieve its mission, FEMA has forged strong partnerships with many Federal Departments and Agencies to develop and implement the various grant programs. Federal partners include the Department of Commerce, Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Justice, Department of Transportation, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Infrastructure Protection and Office of Intelligence and Analysis, as well as other components within DHS.
Moving forward into the new year, GPD will become the one-stop shop to enhance fiduciary management of FEMA grants through standardization of grants management policies, processes, reporting, and accountability across all FEMA grant programs.
GPD will ensure all preparedness grant programs are aligned to, and are measurable against the National Preparedness Guidelines and the National Priorities as authorized by the H.R. 10 9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act. Another initiative to occur in 2008 involves the implementation of a program-wide paperless process to increase efficiency and standardize all grant management procedures, from applicant submission to grant closeout.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Friday, 04-Jan-2008 14:45:45 EST