On April 4, 2025, the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) officially terminated the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. Federal funding for disaster recovery and long-term mitigation and resiliency for public infrastructure is still available, however, through the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
What is the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program?
The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) provides funding to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments to develop hazard mitigation projects.
Due to damages from Hurricane Helene, FEMA has provided $1.5 billion in HMGP funding for past or future storm mitigation projects throughout North Carolina. Priority will be given to disaster-declared communities in Western North Carolina, but all areas are eligible.
What is a hazard mitigation project?
A hazard mitigation project is intended to protect, buffer, elevate, relocate, and protect infrastructure from future flood, wind, and other atmospheric or man-made events. It may involve planning, construction, or other actions that completely mitigate or significantly reduce future disaster losses and associated costs.
The goal of a hazard mitigation project is to reduce the need for FEMA to repeatedly return to a site to repair the same types of storm damage and to reduce repair costs locally. These projects also help lower insurance costs on facilities that require National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) coverage.
Commonly targeted infrastructure includes water and sewer utilities, dams, levees, stormwater structures, and infrastructure affected by flooding. Specific examples of hazard mitigation projects include the following:
- Constructing flood barriers like levees
- Elevating pump stations or buildings above known flood levels
- Strengthening raw water intakes against erosion and debris
- Enlarging culverts to handle flood surges
- Installing submersible pumps
- Anchoring storage tanks
- Installing shut-off valves
These are just a few possible examples, however, and the planning work needed to prepare for construction projects is also eligible under FEMA HMGP Advance Assistance funds.
What do I need to submit for a hazard mitigation grant?
Communities should be prepared to provide the following to FEMA to be considered for a hazard mitigation grant:
- Letter of Intent (LOI)/Pre-Application – This document includes the name of the community, the problem to be addressed, the project name, expected outcomes if funding is awarded, and the total estimated cost.
- Supporting Slides – The LOI must be accompanied by two supporting slides that show photos, maps, and FEMA Flood Insurance Study (FIS) data.
- FEMA Hazard Mitigation Plan Adoption – The community must have an approved Hazard Mitigation Plan in place, and the proposed project must be identified as a mitigation activity in the plan.
- Notification to County Emergency Manager – The community must formally notify the County Emergency Manager of intent to submit an HMGP application.
How do I apply for a hazard mitigation grant?
There are two steps to complete during the 2025 calendar year:
- Identify any project(s) that would be eligible for this funding
- Submit a Letter of Intent/Pre-Application with supporting slides by the deadline of October 31, 2025, at 5:00 PM ET
If the community’s Letter of Intent/Pre-Application is accepted, they will receive an application packet. This packet must be completed and submitted to FEMA within 15 months from the date of the disaster declaration.
Where can I find more information about the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program?
Visit FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program website for more information about eligible projects and how to apply.
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