FEMA Updates Hazard Mitigation Assistance Guide
FEMA has released the 2024 Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Program and Policy Guide (HMA Guide). The 2024 HMA Guide update incorporates existing policies and guidance materials issued since March 23, 2023 and makes other policy updates and clarifications based on feedback received from applicants, subapplicants and FEMA regions nationwide. These insights and recommendations help make the guidance as clear and user-friendly as possible by:
- Clarifying and consolidating guidance to reduce redundancy and unnecessary language.
- Making corrections.
- Providing new and expanded content by incorporating new policies, clarifications, administrative updates, and updated project specific information.
State, local, tribal and territorial governments may use the guide to navigate the application process and manage the grant lifecycle to receive critical resilience dollars. Information in the guide includes policies and processes to enable effective and consistent implementation across all HMA programs.
The HMA Guide covers four mitigation grant programs: Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC), Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA), Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Post Fire (HMGP Post Fire). The effective date of the new HMA Guide is July 30, 2024.
Notable 2024 changes include updating the eligibility for projects addressing extreme temperature, incorporating air quality considerations in the wildfire section, integrating drought content from the Drought Mitigation Policy Aid and consolidating application guidance for early warning systems.
Other key updates include clarifications and updated policies in strategic funds management, phased projects, benefit-cost analysis, building codes, capability and capacity building and mitigation planning.
A full list of changes made since the 2023 version can be found in part 15 of the HMA Guide and in the 2024 Summary of Changes document.
FEMA is offering two Office Hours sessions which provides an overview of the recent updates. Registration is now open.
- Session #1: Aug. 15, 2-3 p.m. ET
- Session #2: Sept. 12, 2-3 p.m. ET
Visit FEMA.gov to download the guide.
