Program objective

The Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Swift Current 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) following a flood-related disaster event, and to enhance community flood resilience within NFIP-participating communities. It does so with a recognition of the growing flood hazards associated with climate change, anticipated growth of damage and repetitive losses due to flood, 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 as well as chronic stressors that have been observed and are expected to increase in the future. Objectives The purpose of FMA Swift Current is to reduce or eliminate the flood risk of repetitive flood damage to structures and buildings insured by the NFIP following a flood-related disaster event, and to enhance community flood resilience within NFIP-participating communities. FMA Swift Current funds Project Scoping and Individual Flood Mitigation Projects for Repetitive Loss (RL), Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL), or properties deemed Substantially Damaged after the applicant’s disaster declaration incident period start date. FMA Swift Current aims to incentivize flood mitigation projects that will advance equity and benefit disadvantaged communities in line with the Administration’s Justice40 Initiative, established in EO 14008 and discussed in subsequent guidance. FMA Swift Current will be identifying a disadvantaged community, also referred to as a Justice40 community, using the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST). FMA Swift Current funds Project Scoping and Individual Flood Mitigation Projects for Repetitive Loss (RL), Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL), or properties deemed Substantially Damaged after the applicant’s disaster declaration incident period start date. Awards made through FMA Swift Current are funded with funds appropriated by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Pub. L. No. 117-58, 135 Stat. 1387–1388 (2021) also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). Goals FY 2024 FMA Swift Current aims to better align the delivery of FMA flood mitigation funding to the disaster survivor experience. In FY 2024, funds will be made available on a rolling basis to states, territories, and federally recognized tribal governments that receive a major disaster declaration for a flood-related disaster event and meet all other eligibility criteria. FMA Swift Current aims to streamline funding through disaster declaration and flood insurance claims based eligibility criteria, minimized application periods, and narrowed project type eligibility to Individual Flood Mitigation Projects that are Severe Repetitive Loss, Repetitive Loss, and Substantially Damaged. This differs from the existing FMA grant opportunity, which has an annual grant cycle that funds a broader range of flood mitigation activities, which includes Capability and Capacity Building Activities, Localized Flood Risk Reduction Projects, and Individual Flood Mitigation Projects through a competitive selection process. FMA Swift Current 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 Swift Current 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 hazard mitigation projects, particularly ones that reduce risk to NFIP-insured structures. Additionally, FMA Swift Current’s tailored pre-application support also contributes to other sub-objectives. It helps improve awareness initiatives to encourage public action to increase preparedness (Sub-Objective 5.1.2), uses lessons from past disasters and exercises to inform community investment decisions and anticipate challenges that may emerge during future disasters (Sub-Objective 5.1.3), and coordinates and guide continuity of operations activities through partnerships with government and non-government stakeholders (Sub-Objective 5.1.5). FMA Swift Current also supports the National Mitigation Investment 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 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) will be funded with funds appropriated by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Pub. L. No. 117-58, 135 Stat. 1387–1388 (2021) also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The BIL is a once-in-a-generation investment in