Flood Mitigation Assistance Grants (National Flood Insurance Act Sec 1366)
97.029
Objectives The Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant program makes federal funds available to states, U.S. territories, Federally Recognized Tribal governments, and local governments to reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings and structures insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). It does so with a recognition of the growing flood hazards associated with climate change, and of the need for flood hazard risk mitigation activities that promote climate adaptation, equity, and resilience with respect to flooding. These include both acute extreme weather events and chronic stressors which have been observed and are expected to increase in intensity and frequency in the future. From Fiscal Year (FY) 1996 to FY 2019, FMA obligated over $1.5 billion in federal share mitigating over 8,000 properties insured by the National Flood Insurance Program. Performance Measures The following key performance indicators provide strategic and relevant information to decisionmakers and stakeholders about FMA’s progress and success toward achieving goals and objectives, and are based on measurable data that are available or could be feasibly collected: • Total number of NFIP-insured properties selected that are FMA and/or NFIP defined Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL), Repetitive Loss (RL), and Substantially Damaged. • Total federal cost share funding invested in Justice40 Communities identified using version 1.0 of the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST). • Total dollar amount of flood losses avoided in projects or communities funded by FMA subapplications. FEMA will further assess the recipient’s performance against the program objective during the award closeout process as outlined in Section F.3.c of this funding opportunity. Goals The FMA program aligns with the 2020-2024 DHS Strategic Plan through pursuing Goal 5: Strengthen Preparedness and Resilience. Specifically, Objective 5.1: Build a National Culture of Preparedness has several sub-objectives that the FMA program supports. FMA serves primarily to bolster Sub-Objective 5.1.1: Incentivize investments that reduce risk and increase pre-disaster mitigation, including expanding the use of insurance to manage risk through funding flood mitigation projects. The FMA program addresses Presidential Policy Directive 21, Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience. FMA also supports the National Mitigation Investment Strategy and the FIMA FY 2021-2023 Mitigation Strategy by advancing mitigation investment to reduce risks posed by natural hazards and increasing the nation’s resilience to natural hazards. Awards made under this NOFO will be funded, in whole or in part, with funds appropriated by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also more commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The BIL is a once-in-a-generation investment in infrastructure, which will grow a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable economy by enhancing U.S. competitiveness, driving the creation of quality jobs, and ensuring stronger access to economic and environmental benefits for disadvantaged communities. The BIL appropriates billions of dollars to FEMA to promote resilient infrastructure, respond to the impacts of climate change, and equip our nation with the resources to combat its most pressing threats. Objectives FMA aims to implement projects that reduce flood risks posed to repetitively flooded properties insured under the NFIP. The FMA program also aims to promote equity in the delivery of funds in line with the Administration’s Justice40 Initiative, established by Executive Order (EO) 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, which has made it the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal climate, clean energy, and other investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized and overburdened by pollution and underinvestment. In implementing the Justice40 Initiative, the FMA program is prioritizing assistance that benefits disadvantaged communities as referenced in EO 14008 and subsequent guidance. FMA funds are sourced from congressionally appropriated funding from the National Flood Insurance Fund (NFIF) as well as funding made available for FY 23 Flood Mitigation Assistance via the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The BIL funding allows increased federal cost share for a property: located within a census tract with a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Social Vulnerability Index score of not less than 0.5001. (Refer to Section C.4, Cost Share or Match).
This chart shows obligations for the program by fiscal year. All data for this chart was provided by the
administering agency and sourced from SAM.gov, USASpending.gov, and Treasury.gov.
For more information on each of these data sources, please see the
About the data page.
$120 Million in losses avoided. $275 Million in losses avoided.
$150 Million in losses avoided.
$150 Million in losses avoided.
Cutover to Pivot as new NFIP System of Record • Leveraged remote claims adjusting techniques to protect the health and safety of policyholders and insurance professionals during COVID-19. • Delivered an enhanced data analytics tool set. • Published updated claims and underwriting manuals. • Delivered targeted messages to consumers to encourage flood insurance purchase. • Implemented the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 (DRRA), Section 1212 for Group Flood Insurance Policy (GFIP) which doubled the maximum coverage limit. • Increased oversight of WYO claims and underwriting processes from triennial operation reviews to annual operation reviews. • Launched customer service surveys through the NFIP Direct for improved policyholder claims experience. • Strengthened partnerships with industry partners (insurance adjusters, WYO companies, vendors) through increased engagement.
For FY20, FEMA selected 117 subapplications totaling $199,947,302 federal share in projects that will reduce future flood claims to the National Flood Insurance Fund (NFIF).
Fiscal Year 2020: $900 Million in losses avoided
FMA aims to implement projects that reduce flood risks posed to repetitively flooded properties insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), by funding priority projects and activities.
Fiscal Year 2023: FY 23 FMA is prioritizing the following types of projects: Capability and Capacity Building (C&CB), Localized Flood Risk Reduction Projects, and Individual Flood Mitigation Projects that mitigate flood risks to NFIP participating communities and active policyholders. FEMA will assess input and output indicators of each federal award by measuring the total properties mitigated that carry a Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL) and Repetitive Loss (RL) definition pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 4104c(h)(2) and (3), that are included in a final mitigation action. FEMA will also assess each award output by measuring project capability to positively influence the government’s goal of mitigating SRL and RL designated properties and thereby the reduction of future losses to the NFIP under this award. FEMA will also assess each award output by measuring the total NFIP insured structures within sub applications within socially vulnerable communities as defined by Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Social Vulnerability Index (SVI ) score at the census tract not less than 0.5001. FEMA will determine the CDC SVI score using the following three SVI themes: Socioeconomic Status, Household Characteristics, and Housing Type and Transportation.”
Single Audit Applies (2 CFR Part 200 Subpart F):
For additional information on single audit requirements for this program, review the current Compliance Supplement.
OMB is working with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and agency offices of inspectors general to include links to relevant oversight reports. This section will be updated once this information is made available.