On September 30, 2020, FEMA opened the application period for the FY2020 Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) for the new BRIC pre-disaster mitigation grant program and the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant program.
This year there is $660 million available for the FMA and BRIC programs combined. There is $160 million available in funding for FMA and $500 million for BRIC.
Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) will support states, local communities, tribes and territories as they undertake hazard mitigation projects, reducing the risks they face from disasters and natural hazards. BRIC is a new FEMA pre-disaster hazard mitigation program that replaces the existing Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program.
The BRIC program guiding principles are supporting communities through capability- and capacity-building; encouraging and enabling innovation; promoting partnerships; enabling large projects; maintaining flexibility; and providing consistency.
The BRIC program aims to categorically shift the federal focus away from reactive disaster spending and toward research-supported, proactive investment in community resilience.
FEMA anticipates BRIC funding projects that demonstrate innovative approaches to partnerships, such as shared funding mechanisms, and/or project design.
For example, an innovative project may bring multiple funding sources or in-kind resources from a range of private and public sector stakeholders or offer multiple benefits to a community in addition to the benefit of risk reduction.
Eligible applicants must apply for funding using the new FEMA Grants Outcome (FEMA GO), which is now the management system for FMA and BRIC.
Applications must be received in the FEMA GO Portal by January 29, 2021, at 3 p.m. ET. Applications received by FEMA GO after this date will not be considered for funding.
Photo by Linda Russ from Pixabay.