Hazard Mitigation Assistance Programs (HMA)

The FFY 2012 Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Unified Guidance has been released and the application period opened on June 1, 2011. With the release of the guidance, the application period officially opened for the Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM), Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA), Repetitive Flood Claims (RFC) and the Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL) Programs.

• FFY12 HMA Grant Notification Memo (pdf 869Kb)
• FFY12 Intent to Submit Form (pdf 249Kb)
• FY 2012 Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Unified Guidance (pdf 1.1Mb)

The HMGP makes grants available to state and local governments as well as eligible private, non-profit organizations and Indian tribes to implement cost-effective and long-term mitigation measures following a major disaster declaration. The amount of funding made available is a percentage of total disaster costs and therefore will vary with each disaster. A project does not have to be in a declared county to be eligible for HMGP funding. Therefore, every community that is vulnerable to natural hazards should consider applying for HMGP funds.

HMGP funding is allocated using a "sliding scale" formula based on the percentage of the funds spent on Public and Individual Assistance programs for each Presidentially-declared disaster. For States with a Standard State Mitigation Plan, the formula provides 15% of the estimated aggregate amounts of disaster assistance. States with an "enhanced" State Mitigation Plan are eligible to receive an additional 5% or a total of 20% of the estimated aggregate amounts of disaster assistance.

Grant applications are submitted to WEM, which sets mitigation priorities and awards grants based on available funding and State criteria as established in the State Mitigation Plan. FEMA conducts the final eligibility review to ensure that all projects are compliant with Federal regulations, including the federal law that requires states and communities to have FEMA-approved mitigation plan in place prior to receipt of HMGP project funds. A mitigation plan must identify hazards, assess community needs, and describe a community-wide strategy for reducing risks associated with natural disasters.

In order to receive HMGP funds, the community must be participating and in good standing with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Under the terms of the program, eligible projects must be environmentally sound, cost-effective, solve a problem and prevent future disaster damages. Projects can protect either public or private property. Successful projects receive 75% federal funding with 12.5% state funding. The applicant is responsible for 12.5% of the project costs.

For additional information visit http://www.fema.gov/government/grant/hmgp/index.

The Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Program is a nationally competitive program that makes funding available to local, state and Indian Tribal governments to implement feasible and cost-effective hazard mitigation activities. Funding may be awarded for development or update of an all-hazards mitigation plan or for a cost-effective hazard mitigation project. The first priority is to complete an approvable plan. Local governments and Indian Tribal governments applying for PDM funds for local mitigation projects must first have an approved local mitigation plan. Successful projects receive 75% federal funding for total project costs. The applicant is responsible for 25% of project costs. The local share may in the form of in-kind services as well as dollars; however, no other federal source of money may be used to fund the local share.

All Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Program applicants must be participating in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) if they have been identified through the NFIP as having a Special Flood Hazard Area (a Flood Hazard Boundary Map (FHBM) or Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) has been issued). In addition, the community must not be suspended or on probation from the NFIP.

For more information visit http://www.fema.gov/government/grant/pdm/index.

The Flood Mitigation Assistance program (FMA) is a cost-share program (75% federal, 25% local match) through which communities can receive grants for the development of a comprehensive flood mitigation plan and the implementation of flood mitigation projects. Communities must belong to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to receive FMA funds.

The overall goal of FMA is to fund cost-effective measures that reduce or eliminate the long-term risk of flood damage to NFIP-insured buildings, manufactured homes and other structures. Other goals are to: Reduce the number of repetitively or substantially damaged structures and the associated claims on the NFIP; encourage long-term, comprehensive mitigation planning; respond to the needs of communities participating in the NFIP; and complement other federal and state mitigation programs with similar goals.

There are two types of FMA grants available: planning grants and project grants. Planning grants are used to assess flood risks and develop Flood Mitigation Plans to reduce the risks. Project grants are used to implement mitigation activities that reduce flood losses to NFIP-insured properties by elevating, acquiring, and demolishing or relocating NFIP-insured buildings. Project grants are available to NFIP-participating communities that have a Flood Mitigation or All Hazard Mitigation Plan in place. The funds allocated to the state are based on the number of flood insurance policies in place statewide as well as the number of identified repetitive loss properties. A repetitive loss property is any insured structure that has two or more flood insurance claims of at least $1,000 each in a 10-year period.

For more information visit http://www.fema.gov/government/grant/fma/index.

The RFC grant program assists states and communities in reducing flood damages to insured properties that have one or more claims to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The RFC grant program can assist in the acquisition of properties, and either demolition or relocation of flood-prone structures, where the property is deed restricted for open space uses in perpetuity. The RFC grants are awarded to applicants on a nationwide basis without reference to State allocations, quotas, or other formula-based allocations. All grants are eligible for up to 100% federal assistance.

Awards will be prioritized to fund acquisitions that create the greatest amount of savings to the National Flood Insurance Fund based on a benefit-cost analysis. A FEMA-approved State/Tribal standard or enhanced hazard mitigation plan is required for eligibility; however, a local plan is not required. All properties must be insured at the time of application.

FEMA may contribute up to 100% of the total amount approved under the RFC grant award to implement an approved project, if the applicant has demonstrated that the proposed activities can not be funded under the FMA program due to lack of state or local capacity, which includes either the inability to manage the subgrant or lack of the 25% match.

For more information visit http://www.fema.gov/government/grant/rfc/index.

The SRL grant program provides funding to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk of flood damage to SRL structures insured under the NFIP. An SRL property is defined as a residential property that is covered under an NFIP flood insurance policy and (1) has at least four NFIP claims payments over $5,000 each, with at least 2 payments occurring within a 10-year period, (2) or has at least two separate claims payments that have been made with the cumulative amount of the building portion of such claims exceeding the market value of the building.

SRL funds will be allocated annually to States, Territories, and Tribe based on the number of Severe Repetitive Loss properties in their respective jurisdictions. Eligible SRL activities include: elevation, relocation, or demolition of existing residential properties; floodproofing measures for historical properties; minor physical localized flood control projects; and demolition and rebuilding of properties to at least the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) plus two feet.

Grants are eligible for up to 90% federal cost share. The State Mitigation Plan addresses how the State has and will continue to reduce the number of severe repetitive loss properties.

For more information visit http://www.fema.gov/government/grant/srl/index.

In a federal disaster declaration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may consider funding mitigation measures to a public facility damaged by the event that enhance the facility's ability to resist similar damage in future events. This is often referred to as 406 Mitigation as it is authorized under Section 406 of The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. Section 406 provides discretionary authority to fund mitigation measures in conjunction with the repair of the disaster-damaged facilities. These opportunities usually present themselves during the repair efforts. The mitigation measures must be related to eligible disaster-related damages and must directly reduce the potential for future, similar disaster damages to the eligible facility. This work is performed on the parts of the facility that were actually damaged by the disaster and the mitigation provides protection from subsequent events. Mitigation measures must be determined to be cost-effective, technically feasible, and in compliance with statutory, regulatory and executive order requirements. In addition, the measure cannot cause a negative impact to the facility's operation, surrounding areas, or susceptibility to damage from another hazard.

Section 406 hazard mitigation funding and Section 404-Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding are distinct. Section 406 mitigation funding is applied on the parts of the facility that were actually damaged by the disaster the mitigation measure provides protection from subsequent events.

For more information visit http://www.fema.gov/government/grant/pa/9526_1.shtm.