Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Grant

The Nebraska Department of Natural Resources is looking to pursue an application for FEMA's 2024 Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant. The FMA grant goal is to reduce or eliminate repetitive flood damage to properties insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). FEMA's FMA grant is nationally competitive with $600 million available for the following project types:

1. Capability and Capacity Building (C&CB) Activities (up to $60 million) which enhance the knowledge, skills, expertise, etc., of the current workforce to expand or improve the administration of Flood Mitigation Assistance. These activities may be used to develop future Localized Flood Risk Reduction Projects and/or Individual Flood Mitigation Projects that will subsequently reduce flood National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims. C&CB Activities include:

• Hazard Mitigation Plans
• ​Technical Assistance by States to Communities
• Project Scoping to develop Localized Flood Risk Reduction Projects and/or Individual Flood Mitigation Projects
• Additional C&CB Activities including Partnership Development, Enhancing Local Floodplain Management, Severe Repetitive Loss /Repetitive Loss Strategy Plan Development, and other eligible C&CB activities

2. Localized Flood Risk Reduction Projects (up to $420 million) to address community flood risk for the purpose of reducing National Flood Insurance Program flood claim payments.

3. Individual Flood Mitigation Projects (at least $120 million) that mitigate the risk of flooding to individual NFIP-insured structures such as:

• Property Acquisition and Structure Demolition/Relocation
• Structure Elevation
• Floodproofing
• NOTE:
  • This is a competitive grant.
  • Repetitive Loss and Severe Repetitive Loss insured structures are at the greatest risk and are a priority for mitigation. Coordinate with your local Floodplain Administrator, State NFIP Coordinator, and your FEMA Regional Flood Insurance Liaison to understand the SRL and RL risk in your community.
  • Social vulnerability factors, per the CDC Social Vulnerability Index, carry a high priority and may garner a significant federal cost share in FY24.
  • Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA) pre-calculated benefits are available for elevation and acquisitions.
• For more information on requirements, eligibility, and costing sharing amounts see the FY2024 FMA Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Fact Sheet under the Resources section to the right.

The State of Nebraska is the Applicant. Eligible sub applicants must meet the eligibility criteria listed below:

• Sub applicants must have a FEMA-approved Local or Tribal Hazard Mitigation Plan by the application deadline and at the time the grant funds are obligated. Sub applicants are exempt from the hazard mitigation plan requirement for the following C&CB Activity types: hazard mitigation plan development and hazard mitigation plan updates.
• Sub applicants must be participating and in good standing in the National Flood Insurance Program.
• Structures identified in the subapplication must have an NFIP policy in effect at the application start date (January 6, 2025) and must maintain it through completion of the flood hazard mitigation activity and for the life of the structure.
• All subapplications submitted under the C&CB Activities priority must demonstrate that the activity will reduce flood claims against the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
• All subapplications submitted under the Localized Flood Risk Reduction Project category must demonstrate that the proposed project benefits NFIP insured properties by submitting a map and associated geospatial file(s) (See Geospatial Eligibility Criteria Requirement under the Resources section to the right.)
• Sub applicants must demonstrate that they can provide the non-federal cost share. 
• Sub applicants must submit a Notice of Interest (NOI) to NEMA/NeDNR by February 24, 2025. Late NOI’s will be accepted but prioritized separately.
• For more information on requirements, eligibility, and costing sharing amounts see the FY2024 FMA Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Fact Sheet under the Resources section to the right.

NeDNR and NEMA will offer a virtual briefing on the BRIC and FMA Grants for interested subapplicants on:

• Monday, January 13, 2025 1:00p.m. – 2:00p.m. CT:     JOIN    Meeting # 2495 088 5444  Password: tiQH4S9Hu4P    ​
• Thursday, January 16, 2025 9:00a.m. - 10:00a.m. CT:   JOIN   Meeting # 2495 074 1528  Password: 36KCkW8Ksbd

Important FMA Dates:

• Application Start Date:  January 6, 2025
• NOIs due to NeDNR/NEMA:  February 24, 2025
• Last date subapplications can be submitted to NEMA/NeDNR for review:  March 17, 2025
• State of Nebraska application submission deadline:  April 18, 2025

FMA Resources:

• FEMA FMA Grant Website
• NEMA Website with BRIC/FMA NOI Form and NEMA/NeDNR Virtual Applicant Briefings
• FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance Guidance
• CDC Social Vulnerability Index
• Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool
• FEMA Nature Based Solutions Guide

If your community is interested in applying for the FMA grant, please submit a Notice of Interest (NOI) to NEMA/NeDNR by February 24, 2025.

FEMA has also released the Notice of Funding Opportunities for the Building Resilient Infrastructure Communities Program (BRIC). This grant is administered by our partners at the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).  Please visit the NEMA or FEMA websites for more information.