Did you submit an application for FMA or PDM mitigation funds?

Intergovernmental Affairs Advisory

FEMA Announces Fiscal Year 2017 Pre-Disaster Mitigation and
Flood Mitigation Assistance Status of Submissions

March 22, 2018
FEMA will announce on March 22 the pre-award eligibility of sub-applications submitted for the Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant applications for Fiscal Year 2017. HMA’s two competitive grants programs are the Flood Mitigation Assistance and Pre-Disaster Mitigation. These programs provide funding to states, tribes, territories and local governments for eligible mitigation activities to strengthen our nation’s ability to reduce disaster losses and protect life and property from future disaster damage.

As authorized under the Robert T. Stafford Act, the PDM Program is designed to implement a sustained pre-disaster natural hazard mitigation program with the goal of reducing overall risk to the population and structures from future hazard events. FEMA selects eligible planning and project sub-applications for the PDM program, as provided in the agency’s predetermined priorities for funding, which fulfill statutory requirements and competitive mitigation activities that limit duplication of other HMA grant programs.

During the open application period, the Notice of Funding Opportunities listed the funding priorities for both programs. For the FMA program, the agency’s predetermined funding priorities included flood mitigation planning and efforts for repetitive as well as severe repetitive loss properties. The National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 establishes the goal of reducing or eliminating claims under the National Flood Insurance Program through long-term mitigation actions. The NFIP provides the funding for the FMA program.

Based on external stakeholder feedback, FEMA introduced Community Flood Mitigation for FY17 within FMA with a goal to provide competitive grants to communities for funding design and implementation of flood mitigation projects that address flood risk on a community level. This prioritized $70 million to projects that integrate cost effective natural floodplain restoration solutions and improvements to critical infrastructure that benefit communities with high participation and favorable standing in the NFIP. Of the $70 million, up to $2 million of this funding is prioritized for Advance Assistance, which can be used to develop mitigation strategies and obtain data to prioritize, select and develop community flood hazard project for future funding.

For the PDM program, the agency’s predetermined funding priorities include mitigation planning, non-flood hazard mitigation projects and non-acquisition/elevation/mitigation reconstruction flood mitigation activities, acquisition, elevation and mitigation reconstruction projects; and generators for critical facilities.

Also, as part of the PDM program, FEMA set aside $10 million for allocations of up to $575,000 federal share for eligible planning and project sub-applications from federally-recognized tribes.

Over the last few weeks, FEMA reviewed each application to ensure it is eligible, long-term, cost-effective and technically feasible in reducing hazard impacts. There are three categories that a sub-application can be determined. These are: “Identified for Further Review,” “Not Selected” or “Does not Meet HMA Requirements.” FEMA regions will work with applicants to conduct programmatic reviews of the selected sub-applications before making a final decision for funding.

For the FMA and PDM programs in FY17, the selection of sub-applications identified for further review include the following:

Flood Mitigation Assistance: $160 million
147 FMA sub-applications from 27 applicants:
This includes 6 planning, 114 projects, 4 technical assistance and 23 applicant management costs
Included in the 114 selected projects are 12 Community Flood Mitigation Advance Assistance and 8 Community Flood Mitigation Projects that were slated as Priority 1 for FY17.

Pre-Disaster Mitigation: $88.8 million
346 PDM sub-applications from 76 applicants:
This includes 204 planning, 87 projects and 55 associated management costs

Set-aside for federally-recognized tribes: $7.8 million
This includes 21 planning, 9 project and 13 management costs from 27 tribes

FEMA will not send initial notification letters to each applicant regarding their application status. For the status of FY17 sub-applications, applicants can review grant allocations online March 22, 2018.

Flood Mitigation Assistance: www.fema.gov/flood-mitigation-assistance-fy-2017-subapplication-status
Pre-Disaster Mitigation: www.fema.gov/pre-disaster-mitigation-program-fy-2017-subapplication-status

FEMA will work with applicants to conduct programmatic reviews of the selected sub-applications identified for further review before making a final decision. For additional information or any questions, grant applicants can contact their FEMA Regional Office. More information about Hazard Mitigation Assistance is available at www.fema.gov/hazard-mitigation-assistance.