General Program Questions
What is the purpose of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program?
The FY 2025 Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program (RCPGP) is intended to build state and local capacity to manage catastrophic incidents by improving and expanding regional collaboration among emergency managers and other preparedness stakeholders. The primary objective of the RCPGP is to involve regional stakeholders in the development of plans to address those core capabilities that present persistent preparedness challenges, with specific focus on community-level resilience, and an emphasis on addressing the needs of disaster vulnerable communities and long-term vulnerability reduction within those communities. The RCPGP represents one part of a comprehensive set of actions authorized by Congress and implemented by DHS to build preparedness capabilities. The National Preparedness Goal (the Goal) defines what it means to be prepared for a wide range of threats and hazards, including catastrophic incidents.
What legislation authorizes funding for the FY 2025 RCPGP?
The program is authorized by the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, Pub. L. No. 119-4, § 1101.
How much funding is available under the FY 2025 RCPGP?
The total amount of funds distributed under the FY 2025 RCPGP will be $10.8 million.
What are the changes in funding levels between FY 2024 and FY 2025?
The FY 2025 funding level for the RCPGP is the same as FY 2024.
Where is the FY 2025 RCPGP Notice of Funding Opportunity located?
The FY 2025 RCPGP Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is located online at Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program | FEMA.gov.
How many awards are anticipated?
FEMA anticipates issuing a total of six awards to the states identified below. The target award amount for each state is $1.8 million.
Who is eligible to apply for the FY 2025 RCPGP?
The State Administrative Agency (SAA) is the only entity eligible to submit FY 2025 RCPGP applications to DHS/FEMA. Each eligible SAA will serve as the official applicant and recipient of RCPGP funds and is responsible for managing the award and ensuring compliance with all program requirements.
The SAAs for the following states are eligible for this funding opportunity:
- Alaska
- California
- Colorado
- Florida
- North Carolina
- Texas
Eligibility for the FY 2025 RCPGP is limited to these six states based on a risk-informed methodology that prioritizes regions with the greatest need for catastrophic preparedness planning.
What must applications include?
In addition to the required project narrative, budget worksheet and narrative, and standard application forms and agreements as noted in Section 4 of the NOFO, FY 2025 RCPGP applications must include:
- A written, signed statement explaining the regional impact of the proposed investment.
- Names of all entities partnering on the project, including but not limited to states, territories, local or tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, and other non-governmental entities. Partner entities can extend beyond the boundaries of the state and can be located in other states for the purposes of regional collaboration.
- Letters of support from partner entities or a written, signed statement certifying the involvement and support of all partner entities that will participate in the proposed project. Also, if applicable, provide information on the relationship between the applicants and partnering entities, e.g., existing letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements, such as a signed Memorandum of Understanding.
- A list of all counties and disaster-vulnerable communities that will be involved in the project and will directly benefit from the project.
How will FY 2025 RCPGP applications be submitted?
Applying for an award under the RCPGP is a multi-step process. Applicants are encouraged to register early in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) and the FEMA Grants Outcomes (FEMA GO) system, as the registration process can take four weeks or more to complete. Registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact your ability to meet required submission deadlines. Please refer to Section 5 in the FY 2025 RCPGP NOFO for detailed information and instructions.
All application materials will be posted on Grants.gov. Eligible applicants should submit their application through FEMA GO. For FEMA GO support, applicants should contact FEMAGO@fema.dhs.gov or (877) 585-3242, Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. ET.
Completed applications must be submitted in the FEMA GO system no later than 5 p.m. ET on Aug 15, 2025.
What are the key dates associated with the FY 2025 RCPGP?
- Application start date: Aug. 1, 2025
- Application submission deadline: Aug. 15, 2025 at 5 p.m. ET
What is the FY 2025 RCPGP period of performance?
The period of performance is 36 months.
How will applications be evaluated?
Each application will be evaluated for completeness, adherence to programmatic guidelines, and anticipated effectiveness of the proposed Project Narrative template. Below is a summary of the evaluation criteria.
- Need: The applicants demonstrate need for grant funds, including identifying their current capabilities (as applicable) and associated gaps/needs for a project to build beyond current capabilities within the core capabilities of interest.
- Project Design: The applicants demonstrate an effective and sustainable project approach for building their current capability within the 36-month period of performance, including the specific project implementation, project management, and regional collaboration approaches.
- Impact: The applicants demonstrate the proposed project’s regional impact, including how the project will build the applicant’s capabilities, performance measures the project is expected to achieve, and how the project can be scaled or replicated to benefit national preparedness.
- Budget: The applicants demonstrate a reasonable and cost-effective budget (based on the Budget Detail Worksheet and Project Narrative), including explanation of reasonable project costs across the requested categories, the project’s relative cost effectiveness and sustainability, and the applicant’s ability to manage federal grants.
What other resources are available to address programmatic, technical and financial questions?
- For additional program-specific information, please contact FEMA Grants News at (800) 368-6498 or fema-grants-news@fema.dhs.gov. FEMA Grants News hours of operation are from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.
- For support regarding financial grants management and budgetary technical assistance, applicants may contact the FEMA Award Administration Division Help Desk via email at ASK-GMD@fema.dhs.gov.
- The FEMA Regions also provide technical assistance to RCPGP recipients. A list of contacts in the FEMA Regions is available at www.fema.gov/fema-regional-contacts.The Program Office can be reached by email at FEMA-RCPGP@fema.dhs.gov.
- All inquiries and communications regarding the FEMA Environmental and Historic Preservation (EHP) review process, including the submittal of EHP review materials, should be sent to gpdehpinfo@fema.dhs.gov. EHP Technical Assistance, including the EHP Screening Form, can be found online at https://www.fema.gov/grants/tools/environmental-historic/preparation-resources.