FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation is the effort to reduce loss of life and property by lessening the impact of disasters. There are three Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grant programs available to address these needs: Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC), Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA), and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). The BRIC Program is competitive and was developed to support communities as they build mitigation capacity, develop innovative solutions, and establish partnerships. The HMGP assists in implementing long-term hazard mitigation planning and projects following a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration. The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) FMA Program is a nationally competitive flood mitigation grant program that supports states, local communities, tribes, and territories (SLTT) by providing funding to reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damages to buildings insured by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Hagerty’s subject matter experts and practitioners are experienced in all mitigation grant programs. Our support can include:

  • Developing a detailed Scope of Work (SOW) including the location, purpose, objectives, approach, feasibility, expected outcomes, and benefits of the activity;
  • Drafting a work schedule for all tasks identified in the SOW;
  • Composing a cost estimate and narrative that describes all anticipated costs associated with the SOW; 
  • Completing a well-documented Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA); 
  • Gathering and assessing sufficient information about potential impacts on environmental resources and/or historic properties in the project area; and 
  • Accounting for other project considerations, including shovel readiness and duplication of funds.

Federal mitigation grant assistance is ever evolving, and our experts continuously monitor legislation and policy to enhance the resilience outcomes for our clients. For example, Section 1204 of the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 (DRRA) amended Section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act) to allow FEMA to provide HMGP grants in any area that received a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) declaration, even if no Presidential Major Disaster Declaration was declared. HMGP-Post Fire is an important tool for communities impacted by fires, and our team stands ready to help your community navigate these evolving programs.