FEMA is announcing $160 million in additional funding for states, local communities,
tribes, territories, and the District of Columbia to build climate and disaster resiliency, including the selection of more than 400 resilience projects and activities. Today’s announcement includes $136 million for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program and $24 million for the Flood Mitigation Assistance program. FEMA intends to award these initial selections quickly to get funds in the hands of the communities that need it the most.
The announcement comes as the Biden-Harris Administration celebrates Infrastructure Week and the 18-month anniversary of President Biden signing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The law provides nearly $7 billion in funding to support FEMA’s resilience and mitigation programs. To date, over $370 million has been provided, or is in the process of being provided, to these two programs by this landmark legislation.
During this grant cycle, each state and territory that applied for the allocation funding were eligible for up to $2 million to support mitigation projects and planning, project scoping, and the adoption and enforcement of hazard resistant building codes. In addition, $54 million of the overall funding includes a set-aside for Tribal Nations that applied.
Historic Levels of Resilience Funding
The Biden-Harris Administration has approved historic funding levels for FEMA’s annual resilience grant programs. The infrastructure law provides $6.8 billion to support the agency’s resilience and mitigation programs overall, with an increase over the last three years for both programs.
For BRIC and Flood Mitigation Assistance programs, funding increased from $660 million to $1.16 billion during the President’s first year in office. In 2022, it nearly tripled to more than $3 billion, including $900 million Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds.
Today’s announcement represents just a fraction of the more than $3 billion that that these funds will ultimately enable. FEMA will make the second set of project selections later this summer, which will include larger and more complex projects for both programs. For BRIC, this will be what is selected for the national competition funding, and for Flood Mitigation Assistance selections will include acquisitions, elevations, and local flood risk reduction projects.
BRIC Non-Financial Direct Technical Assistance Selections
For communities and Tribal Nations with limited resources, the agency is also announcing 46 selections for BRIC non-financial Direct Technical Assistance. This assistance, for up to 36 months, helps local and tribal jurisdictions to reduce disaster damage, build community resilience and sustain successful mitigation programs. In its third year, this brings the total number of communities benefitting from this hands-on support to 74 communities, territories and tribes nationwide. This wide-ranging support includes climate risk assessments, community engagement, partnership building, hazard mitigation and climate adaptation planning.
Summary of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding for FEMA Programs
Since its passage, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has provided funding for these additional programs, taking decisive action to tackle the climate crisis and strengthen resilience nationwide, including for underserved communities.
$185 million in State and Local Cybersecurity Grants to address threats to information systems. In total, the agency will make available $1 billion over four years to support strong cyber security practices for states, local communities, tribes and territories. To date, $176 million has been allocated through this program.
$733 million over five years is available for states and territories to enhance dam safety programs. In Fiscal Year 2022, FEMA awarded $15 million for the National Dam Safety Program to provide technical assistance, planning, design and construction grants for rehabilitating eligible high-hazard potential dams.
$60 million for the agency’s Swift Current Initiative, which provides funding to four states impacted by Hurricane Ida in 2021. These states – Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey and Pennsylvania – were selected because they have the highest number of repetitively flood damaged NFIP-insured unmitigated buildings and total claims (by count) within their respective regions. To date, more than $30 million has been allocated.
$500 million for the Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund program https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/storm-rlf/cycleover five years. This program provides capitalization grants to states, eligible federally recognized tribes, territories and the District of Columbia to establish revolving loan funds. These low-interest loans allow jurisdictions to reduce vulnerability to natural disasters and foster greater community resilience. During the first year of the program, the agency has provided $50 million in available funding to states, territories and certain federally recognized tribes.
For more information about FEMA programs funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, please visit fema.gov.
