Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Grant

The Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant for Fiscal Year 2024 is a federally administered program by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) with support from state-level agencies such as the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (NeDNR) and the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). The program aims to reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). A total of $600 million has been allocated nationwide for this competitive funding cycle. The FMA grant has three main funding categories: Capability and Capacity Building (C&CB) Activities, Localized Flood Risk Reduction Projects, and Individual Flood Mitigation Projects. C&CB activities, capped at $60 million, include hazard mitigation planning, technical assistance, project scoping, and other measures to improve the administration of flood mitigation programs. Localized Flood Risk Reduction Projects have an allocation of up to $420 million and focus on reducing flood risk at a community level through measures such as culvert upsizing and floodplain restoration. Individual Flood Mitigation Projects, with a minimum allocation of $120 million, support property-level interventions such as acquisition, demolition, elevation, and floodproofing of NFIP-insured structures. The funding cap for mitigation reconstruction is $220,000 per structure, while other individual project types do not have a specified cap. Subapplicants must meet several eligibility criteria. They must be in good standing with the NFIP and possess a FEMA-approved Local or Tribal Hazard Mitigation Plan by the application deadline, except when applying for certain C&CB activities. Additionally, structures included in applications must have active NFIP policies as of January 6, 2025, and must retain that coverage throughout and beyond the mitigation work. Projects under the Localized Flood Risk Reduction category must include geospatial data to verify NFIP-related benefits. All applicants are also required to demonstrate the ability to meet non-federal cost share requirements, which may vary depending on factors such as social vulnerability metrics. The application process for Nebraska-based applicants is coordinated through NeDNR and NEMA. A Notice of Interest (NOI) must be submitted to these agencies by February 24, 2025. Although late NOIs will be accepted, they will be prioritized differently. Final subapplications must be submitted to NeDNR/NEMA by March 17, 2025, with the State of Nebraska's full application due to FEMA by April 18, 2025, at 3:00 PM ET. The application period officially opens on January 6, 2025. Subapplicants are advised to consult their respective state agencies for internal submission deadlines. To support potential applicants, NeDNR and NEMA will conduct two virtual briefings on January 13 and January 16, 2025. These sessions will provide an overview of the BRIC and FMA grant programs. Additional technical and programmatic resources, such as benefit-cost analysis tools, hazard mitigation planning guidance, and social vulnerability indices, are available through FEMA’s official website. For technical support, applicants may contact the FEMA GO Helpdesk or use the FEMA Grants Outcomes (FEMA GO) portal for submitting applications. For general programmatic inquiries, applicants can reach out via the FEMA Grants News inbox. The FMA grant is competitive and emphasizes projects that address repetitive loss or severe repetitive loss properties, particularly those located in socially vulnerable communities. FEMA encourages comprehensive strategies and projects that deliver co-benefits and demonstrate scalability or replicability.

Submit NOI early; attend Jan 13 or 16 webinars; use pre-calculated benefits and consult state NFIP coordinator.