Federal grant programs / Department of Homeland Security

Flood Mitigation Assistance (97.029)

Also known as Flood Mitigation Assistance Grants (National Flood Insurance Act Sec 1366)

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$812 million
• Grant awards271
• Typical award$398,400
• Awarded in FY 2025$29.5 million
• Size rank280 of 1,823
• Type of assistanceProject grants

Key findings

• Annual funding fell from $196 million in fiscal 2021 to $29.5 million in fiscal 2025.
• It is the 280th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• The 20 largest recipients received 102% of the money.
• Awards went to recipients in 31 states and territories.

What the program funds

Objectives The Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant program makes federal funds available to states, U.S. territories, Federally Recognized Tribal governments, and local governments to reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings and structures insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). It does so with a recognition of the growing flood hazards associated with climate change, and of the need for flood hazard risk mitigation activities that promote climate adaptation, equity, and resilience with respect to flooding. These include both acute extreme weather events and chronic stressors which have been observed and are expected to increase in intensity and frequency in the future. From Fiscal Year (FY) 1996 to FY 2019, FMA obligated over $1.5 billion in federal share mitigating over 8,000 properties insured by the National Flood Insurance Program. Performance Measures The following key performance indicators provide strategic and relevant information to decisionmakers and stakeholders about FMA’s progress and success toward achieving goals and objectives, and are based on measurable data that are available or could be feasibly collected: • Total number of NFIP-insured properties selected that are FMA and/or NFIP defined Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL), Repetitive Loss (RL), and Substantially Damaged. • Total federal cost share funding invested in Justice40 Communities identified using version 1.0 of the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST). • Total dollar amount of flood losses avoided in projects or communities funded by FMA subapplications. FEMA will further assess the recipient’s performance against the program objective during the award closeout process as outlined in Section F.3.c of this funding opportunity. Goals The FMA program aligns with the 2020-2024 DHS Strategic Plan through pursuing Goal 5: Strengthen Preparedness and Resilience. Specifically, Objective 5.1: Build a National Culture of Preparedness has several sub-objectives that the FMA program supports. FMA serves primarily to bolster Sub-Objective 5.1.1: Incentivize investments that reduce risk and increase pre-disaster mitigation, including expanding the use of insurance to manage risk through funding flood mitigation projects. The FMA program addresses Presidential Policy Directive 21, Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience. FMA also supports the National Mitigation Investment Strategy and the FIMA FY 2021-2023 Mitigation Strategy by advancing mitigation investment to reduce risks posed by natural hazards and increasing the nation’s resilience to natural hazards. Awards made under this NOFO will be funded, in whole or in part, with funds appropriated by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also more commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The BIL is a once-in-a-generation investment in infrastructure, which will grow a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable economy by enhancing U.S. competitiveness, driving the creation of quality jobs, and ensuring stronger access to economic and environmental benefits for disadvantaged communities. The BIL appropriates billions of dollars to FEMA to promote resilient infrastructure, respond to the impacts of climate change, and equip our nation with the resources to combat its most pressing threats. Objectives FMA aims to implement projects that reduce flood risks posed to repetitively flooded properties insured under the NFIP. The FMA program also aims to promote equity in the delivery of funds in line with the Administration’s Justice40 Initiative, established by Executive Order (EO) 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, which has made it the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal climate, clean energy, and other investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized and overburdened by pollution and underinvestment. In implementing the Justice40 Initiative, the FMA program is prioritizing assistance that benefits disadvantaged communities as referenced in EO 14008 and subsequent guidance. FMA funds are sourced from congressionally appropriated funding from the National Flood Insurance Fund (NFIF) as well as funding made available for FY 23 Flood Mitigation Assistance via the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The BIL funding allows increased federal cost share for a property: located within a census tract with a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Social Vulnerability Index score of not less than 0.5001. (Refer to Section C.4, Cost Share or Match).

From the federal Assistance Listing. Read the full listing on SAM.gov.

Open opportunities

• Fiscal Year 2026 Flood Mitigation Assistance
  Open · Closes February 26, 2027 (111 days left)

Rules from the program listing

Who can apply

Each state, territory, the District of Columbia, and federally recognized tribal government shall designate one agency to serve as the applicant for FMA funding. The designee is strongly encouraged to conduct outreach with disadvantaged communities as referenced in EO 14008 prior to and during the application process. Each applicant’s designated agency may submit only one FMA grant application to FEMA. Subapplications under which two or more entities would carry out the award are eligible, such as a multi-state or multi-tribal initiative; however, only one entity may be the applicant with primary responsibility for carrying out the award. Communities, including local governments, cities, townships, counties, special district governments, and tribal governments (including federally recognized tribes who choose to apply as subapplicants), are considered subapplicants and must submit subapplications to their state/territory/tribal applicant agency. Certain political subdivisions (for example, regional flood control districts or county governments) may apply and act as subapplicants if they are part of a community participating in the NFIP where the political subdivision provides zoning and building code enforcement or planning and community development professional services for that community. Contact information for the State Hazard Mitigation Officers (SHMOs) is provided on the FEMA website at https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/state-contacts.

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What the money can and cannot pay for

Civil Defense/Disaster Prevention and Relief/Emergency Preparedness Flood mitigation projects to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk of flood damage to properties insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) are eligible for the FMA program. Eligible project types include: acquisition-demolition and acquisition-relocation; elevation of existing structures to the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) or an Advisory Base Flood Elevation (ABFE) or higher; minor localized flood risk reduction projects; and dry-flood proofing (historic properties and non-residential structures). FMA funds can only be used for the flood hazard component of a hazard mitigation plan that meets the planning criteria outlined in 44 CFR Part 201. See also 44 CFR 79.6(b),(d)(1). Individual planning grants using FMA funds shall not exceed $50,000 to any applicant or $25,000 to any subapplicant. Projects must meet all eligibility criteria including technical feasibility, cost-effectiveness; compliance with environmental and historic preservation laws and regulations which include Environmental and Historic Preservation (EHP) Directive & Instruction (FEMA Directive 108-1& Instruction 108--1-1) and other program requirements. Please see the Hazard Mitigation Assistance Guidance posted on http://www.fema.gov and refer to the NOFO posted on www.Grants.gov for information.

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Matching requirements

Statutory Formula: Cost share is required for most subapplications funded under this program. FEMA may contribute the federal cost share funding if available, as follows: i. Capability and Capacity Building Activities federal cost share options: a. Up to 90% federal cost share funding if the average Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Social Vulnerability Index (SVI ) score is not less than 0.5001 for the benefiting area(s) substantiated by a benefiting area map. The activity must be funded by the BIL, or b. Up to 75% federal cost share funding if a higher federal cost share is not available. ii. Localized Flood Risk Reduction Project federal cost share options: a. Up to 90% federal cost share funding if the average CDC SVI score is not less than 0.5001 for the project benefiting area containing NFIP-insured properties, and the activity must be funded by the BIL, or b. Up to 75% federal cost share funding if a higher cost share is not available. iii. Individual Flood Mitigation Project federal cost share options and definitions: a. Up to 100% federal cost share funding for FMA defined Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL) (B)(i) or (B)(ii) properties in 42 U.S.C. § 4104c(h)(3), is a structure that: i. Is covered under a contract for flood insurance made available under the NFIP; and ii. Has incurred flood-related damage 1.

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Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines

Award range and average, in the agency's words

From Fiscal Year (FY) 1996 to FY 2019, FMA obligated over $1.5 billion in federal share mitigating over 8,000 properties insured by the NFIP. The smallest award submitted for FY22 was $25,000. The largest award submitted for FY22 was $50,000,000.

Examples of funded projects

Fiscal Year2020: Mitigation projects that address community flood risk for the purpose of reducing NFIP flood claim paymentsFiscal Year2021: Example of eligible project types include: acquisition-demolition and acquisition-relocation; elevation of existing structures to the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) or an Advisory Base Flood Elevation (ABFE) or higher; minor localized flood risk reduction projects; and dry-flood proofing (historic properties and non-residential structures).Fiscal Year2023: Risk reduction activities that lessen the impact of disasters on infrastructure, people, and property. Risk-informed planning and prioritization of mitigation needs.

Quoted from the program's federal Assistance Listing. The notice of funding opportunity is the official source for each competition's rules.

Who usually wins

Almost all of the money went to state and local governments.

By state

20 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.

Award amounts are federal obligations reported to USAspending.gov for fiscal 2021 to 2025; see how our data works.