October 19, 2021

Nationwide Grants for Municipal Resiliency Projects: Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA)

While the floodplain management sector is exploring ways to increase community resiliency for floods, its most significant challenge to making improvements is funding. However, now that FEMA has a nationwide pre-disaster hazard mitigation grant opportunity called Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA), traditional municipal bonds do not have to be the only source of funding for resiliency projects.

Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Overview

• Total amount available is $160 million, which breaks down to:
  • $10 million for project scoping
  • $70 million for community flood mitigation projects, and
  • $80 million for technical assistance, flood hazard mitigation planning, and individual flood mitigation projects.
• Funding Limits (for each amount awarded, up to 5% of grant funds awarded can be used for subrecipient management costs):
  • $900,000 per project scoping subapplication for Community Flood Mitigation projects
  • $300,000 per project scoping subapplication for individual flood mitigation projects (elevation, acquisition, relocation and reconstruction)
  • $30 million cap per project for Community Flood Mitigation

• 

  Grant Amounts:

  • Generally 90% for Repetitive Loss properties with a 10% local match
  • 100% for Severe Repetitive Loss properties
• Resources:
  • Flood Mitigation Assistance
  • Notice of Funding Opportunity for Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grants

FMA aims to decrease or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings insured by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). A wide range of mitigation activities are eligible, ranging from property acquisition to retrofitting to structure demolition. For more information, visit FEMA’s website or the Texas Water Development Board.

Please contact Funding Specialist Mark Evans, Mark.Evans@freese.com, or reach out to your Freese and Nichols project manager for more details. We can advise you on funding eligibility and requirements for your individual needs.