Overview of the Grant Programs Directorate (GPD)
Formally created on April 1, 2007 in accordance with the Post-Katrina Emergency Management 
Reform Act (PKEMRA), the Grant Programs Directorate (GPD) was formed from three legacy 
organizations:  (1) FEMA Grants Management Branch, (2) DHS Office of Grants and Training – 
Office of Grant Operations, and (3) DHS Office of Grants and Training – Preparedness Programs 
Division.
GPD is the one-stop-shop for grants management at FEMA.  Since its inception, GPD has integrated 
the functions of its legacy organizations to create a single entity responsible for business management 
of all FEMA grant programs and for the programmatic management of the full suite of preparedness 
grant programs.  
GPD set forth its first Strategic Plan for 2011 – 2014; it identified the following strategic goals and 
objectives of GPD, which are aligned with FEMA’s Strategic Goals:
>	Goal #1 – Foster a Whole Community Approach to Emergency Management Nationally; 
>	Goal #2 – Build the Nation’s Capacity to Stabilize and Recover from a Catastrophic Event;
>	Goal #3 – Build Unity of Effort and Common Strategic Understanding Among the Emergency 
Management Team; and
>	Goal #4 – Enhance FEMA’s Ability to Learn and Innovate as an Organization.
GPD’s focus is on improving grants management and related efforts to ensure meaningful and 
measurable results.  GPD relies on the strength of its partnerships to accomplish its mission, and strives 
to strengthen its collaborative relationships through enhanced communication and improving strategic 
partnerships.  By providing outstanding customer service to all grantees as well as internal and external 
partners; engaging state, local and tribal stakeholders through consistent outreach and discussion; and 
ensuring transparency in the grant process, GPD enhances the nation’s level of preparedness and the 
public’s ability to prevent, protect and mitigate against, respond to and recover from all hazards.	
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“FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, 
sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.”

         	May 2011



“FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and 
improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.”