Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Swift Current

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

Each state, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, and federally recognized tribal government shall designate one agency to serve as the applicant for FMA Swift Current funding. The designee is strongly encouraged to conduct outreach with disadvantaged communities as referenced in EO 14008 prior to and during the application process. Each applicant’s designated agency may submit only one FMA grant application to FEMA.

Eligibility criteria
The applicant meets the FMA Swift Current activation criteria when:
1. The applicant receives a major disaster declaration for a flood-related disaster event between June 1, 2024, and the disaster declaration deadline of May 31, 2025. A flood-related disaster event includes coastal storms, hurricanes, remnants of hurricanes, and floods; and,
2. The applicant meets at least one of the three conditions or the special consideration:
• The applicant has at least $1 million in prior NFIP flood insurance claims in the twelve months prior to the disaster declaration date; OR
• The applicant has 500 or more NFIP flood insurance claims in the declared flood-related disaster event; OR
• The applicant is a U.S. territory or a federally recognized tribal government applying directly to FEMA.
• Special Consideration: If the applicant receives a major disaster declaration for a flood-related disaster event between June 1, 2024, and May 31, 2025, but does not meet any of the three additional conditions listed above, the applicant may submit a request to their FEMA Regional Administrator (RA) for special consideration for FMA Swift Current within 30 days of the declared disaster. The applicant may submit a request to their FEMA RA by contacting the Regional Office contact listed at https://www.fema.gov/fema-regional-contacts. By submitting a request for special consideration for FMA Swift Current, the applicant certifies that they have not been awarded FMA funding since FY 2019 FMA and that any FMA Swift Current funding will align with the applicant's SRL, RL and SD plans and strategies. The FEMA Regional Administrator will review requests to confirm that the applicant and circumstance aligns with the Region’s flood mitigation goals and will forward their recommendation to the FEMA Administrator for approval. If the request for special consideration for FMA Swift Current is approved, FEMA will provide an allocation of up to $5 million.

All applicants must be participating in the NFIP, and not be withdrawn, on probation, or suspended. NFIP community status can be verified at https://www.fema.gov/flood-insurance/work-with-nfip/community-status-book.

Structures eligible for Individual Flood Mitigation Projects must have an NFIP policy (including a Group Flood Insurance Policy (GFIP)) in effect prior to the opening of the application period and the policy must be maintained throughout the life of the structure. The requirement of maintaining flood insurance shall apply during the life of the property, regardless of transfer of ownership of such property. If the subapplicant does not comply with this requirement, FEMA may take one or more actions as remedies for noncompliance, as appropriate.
This could include disallowing all of the cost, part of the cost of the activity, or the action not in compliance. For additional details on NFIP requirements, see Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) § 77.6.

Applicants are required to have a FEMA-approved State Hazard Mitigation Plan or Tribal Hazard Mitigation Plan in accordance with Title 44 of the (C.F.R.) Part 201 at the time of application and at the time of obligation of the award. More detailed information is provided in Part 4. Eligibility and Requirements, C. Hazard Mitigation Plan Requirements, at https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/hazard-mitigation-assistance-guidance.

To be considered for financial assistance, all applicants must submit their FY 2024 FMA Swift Current grant applications to FEMA via FEMA GO. Refer to the NOFO posted on www.Grants.gov for information on eligibility criteria.

Each state, territory, the District of Columbia, and federally recognized tribal government shall designate one agency to serve as the applicant for FMA funding. The designee is strongly encouraged to conduct outreach with disadvantaged communities as referenced in EO 14008 prior to and during the application process. Each applicant’s designated agency may submit only one FMA grant application to FEMA. Subapplications under which two or more entities would carry out the award are eligible, such as a multi-state or multi-tribal initiative; however, only one entity may be the applicant with primary responsibility for carrying out the award.

Communities, including local governments, cities, townships, counties, special district governments, and tribal governments (including federally recognized tribes who choose to apply as subapplicants), are considered subapplicants and must submit subapplications to their state/territory/tribal applicant agency. Certain political subdivisions (for example, regional flood control districts or county governments) may apply and act as subapplicants if they are part of a community participating in the NFIP where the political subdivision provides zoning and building code enforcement or planning and community development professional services for that community. Contact information for the State Hazard Mitigation Officers (SHMOs) is provided on the FEMA website at https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/state-contacts. Refer to the NOFO posted on www.Grants.gov for information.

2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program.
All applicants must submit an FMA grant application via FEMA GO by the application deadline to be considered for funding. The required format for applications and subapplications is built into FEMA GO:
• FMA applications including Individual Flood Mitigation Project and Management Costs subapplications must be submitted in an FY 2024 FMA Swift Current application.
o Individual Flood Mitigation Project must be submitted in a “project” subapplication type.
• Applicant Management Costs must be submitted in a “management costs” subapplication type.
• Project Scoping activities must be submitted in a “project scoping” application type.

Applications are reviewed by DHS/FEMA program and administrative staff. Any issues or concerns noted in the application will be negotiated with the successful applicant prior to the award being issued. Applicants are responsible for distributing funds to sub-applicants. Upon award the Applicant is subsequently referred to as the Recipient. Recipients are responsible for distributing funds to
subrecipients. For more information view the Notice of Funding Opportunity posted on www.Grants.gov.

Please see the NOFO Announcement posted on www.Grants.gov.