FEMA ANNOUNCES APPLICATION PERIOD FOR $1.16B BUILDING RESILIENT
INFRASTRUCTURE, COMMUNITIES AND FLOOD MITIGATION ASSISTANCE GRANT
PROGRAMS
[https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20210809/fema-announces-application-period-116b-building-resilient-infrastructure]


Release Date: 
August 9, 2021 

WASHINGTON -- FEMA announced today it published funding notices for
two hazard mitigation grant programs for $1.16 billion to combat
climate change and protect underserved communities against disaster
hazards. 

The Flood Mitigation Assistance
[https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/floods] and the Building
Resilient Infrastructure and Communities
[https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/building-resilient-infrastructure-communities/]
(BRIC) provides funds to states, local communities, tribes and
territories for eligible mitigation activities to strengthen our
nation’s ability to build a culture of preparedness.

These pre-disaster programs fund projects that invest in a more
resilient nation, reduce disaster suffering and avoid future disaster
costs, particularly in disadvantaged communities in the face of more
severe floods, wildfires and hurricanes. Setting a blueprint for
agencies striving to implement the Justice40 Initiative
[https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/01/27/fact-sheet-president-biden-takes-executive-actions-to-tackle-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad-create-jobs-and-restore-scientific-integrity-across-federal-government/],
the Biden administration took steps to enhance the benefits for
disadvantaged communities by ensuring they have more access to
these funds.  

“It is critical that as we work to address climate change, we are
doing so in a way that ensures equity in the delivery of our
programs,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. “By altering
the criteria for the programs, we aim to reach more underserved and
at-risk communities, which are often disproportionately impacted by
climate change, and provide them with the necessary means to make them
more resilient for the next disaster.”

This follows last week’s historic announcement of the post-disaster
$3.46 billion in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
[https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20210805/biden-administration-commits-historic-346-billion-hazard-mitigation-funds]
assistance for hazard mitigation measures across the 59 major disaster
declarations
[https://www.fema.gov/disaster/coronavirus/disaster-declarations]
issued due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Nearly $5 billion in new
funding opportunities is now available to help communities prepare for
extreme weather and climate-related disasters.

The application period for the BRIC and Flood Mitigation Assistance
grants opens on Sept. 30 and the funding notices are available on
Grants.gov [https://www.grants.gov/].

Climate change has driven increased extreme weather frequency while
chronic underinvestment in resilience has harmed American
infrastructure. These investments will advance environmental justice,
reduce community disaster vulnerability, promote individual and
community safety and strengthen our ability as a nation to adapt to
changing conditions.

Earlier this year, President Biden announced this year’s BRIC grant
amount totaling $1 billion. Since the last funding notice, BRIC’s
guiding principles have been revised to reduce future losses and
promote equity, including prioritizing assistance that benefits
disadvantaged communities.

FEMA expanded grant access to disadvantaged communities by refining
BRIC’s project selection criteria to enable a significantly higher
proportion of benefits for those most in need of investment in climate
resiliency. Scoring criteria for the competitive grant program has
been adjusted to incentivize mitigation actions that consider climate
change and future conditions, populations impacted and economically
disadvantaged rural communities. Additionally, FEMA doubled to 20 the
number of communities that can receive help with project development.

The Flood Mitigation Assistance grant amount this year is $160
million. Also aligning principles with the Biden administration’s
Justice40 Initiative, FEMA will use the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention’s Social Vulnerability Index as a selection factor in
its competitive scoring process for Flood Mitigation Assistance
grants. This means underserved populations will receive more points
for projects that benefit their communities.

Eligible applicants must apply for funding using FEMA Grants Outcomes,
the agency’s grants management system. Submit applications in FEMA
Grants Outcome Portal no later than 3 p.m. ET on Jan. 28, 2022.
Applications received by FEMA after this deadline will not be
considered for funding.

Interested applicants should contact their hazard mitigation officer
for more information. For more information visit FEMA.gov
[https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/].

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