Emergency Management Grant Source Guide

Emergency Management Grants | Homeland Security Grants | Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grants | Public Health & Healthcare Coalitions Emergency Preparedness | Other FEMA Grants

Introduction

In today’s tumultuous world, emergency managers are being asked to do more with less. They know the importance of securing grant funding to supplement operational budgets. However, with everything on a preparedness professional’s plate, it’s easy to overlook available funding, or worse – miss requirements or deadlines that make their agency ineligible.

To help with the situation, BOLDplanning, a division of Preparis, has developed this Grant Source Guide. The resource is designed to provide an overview of key grants available to various agencies and provide valuable links to more detailed information.

We hope this document will be used to help secure the funds your agency and your community deserve. From grant writing to preparedness planning to online software, we at BOLDplanning are proud to help agencies across the country secure resources and create a culture of preparedness.

Emergency Management Grants

Emergency Management Performance Grant Program

The Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) Program plays an important role in the implementation of the National Preparedness System by supporting the building, sustainment, and delivery of core capabilities essential to achieving the National Preparedness Goal of a secure and resilient nation. Delivering core capabilities requires the combined effort of the whole community, rather than the exclusive effort of any single organization or level of government. The EMPG program’s allowable costs support efforts to build and sustain core capabilities across the prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery mission areas. All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico each receive a base amount of 0.75 percent of the total available grant funding. Four territories (American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) each receive a base amount of 0.25 percent of the total available grant funding. The balance of EMPG program funds is distributed based on population.

The EMPG program focuses on planning, operations, equipment acquisitions, training, exercises, construction, and renovation to enhance and sustain the all-hazards core capabilities of state, local, tribal and territorial governments. The period of performance for the EMPG program is 24 months. A cost match is required under this program. The federal share shall not exceed 50 percent of the total budget. The state must equally match (cash or in-kind) the federal contribution. Additionally, up to five percent of the funding awarded can be used for management and administration purposes associated with the grant award.

Homeland Security Grants

Homeland Security Grant Program

FEMA’s Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) provides funding to states, territories, urban areas, and other local and tribal governments to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from potential terrorist attacks and other hazards. HSGP plays an important role in the implementation of the National Preparedness System by supporting the building, sustainment, and delivery of core capabilities essential to achieving the National Preparedness Goal (the Goal) of a secure and resilient nation. Delivering core capabilities requires the combined effort of the whole community, rather than the exclusive effort of any single organization or level of government. Among the five basic homeland security missions noted in the DHS Quadrennial Homeland Security Review, HSGP supports the goal to strengthen national preparedness and resilience.

HSGP is composed of three grant programs (NOFO Number DHS-18-GPD-067-00-01):

• State Homeland Security Program (SHSP)
• Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI)
• Operation StoneGarden (OPSG)

Together, these grant programs fund a range of activities, including planning, organization, equipment purchase, training, exercises, and management and administration across all core capabilities and mission areas. Per section 2006 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended (6 U.S.C. § 607), DHS/FEMA is required to ensure that at least 25 percent (25%) of grant funding appropriated for grants awarded under HSGP’s authorizing statute is used for law enforcement terrorism prevention activities (LETPA). DHS/FEMA meets this requirement, in part, by requiring all SHSP and UASI recipients to ensure that at least 25 percent of the combined HSGP funds allocated under SHSP and UASI are dedicated toward law enforcement terrorism prevention activities, as defined in 6 U.S.C. § 607, and linked to one or more core capabilities within the Goal.

Activities implemented with HSGP funds must support terrorism preparedness by building or enhancing capabilities that relate to the prevention of, protection from, mitigation of, response to, or recovery from terrorism in order to be considered eligible. However, many capabilities which support terrorism preparedness simultaneously support preparedness for other hazards. Grantees must demonstrate the dual-use quality for any activities implemented that are not explicitly focused on terrorism preparedness.

The State Administrative Agency (SAA) is the only entity eligible to submit HSGP applications to DHS/FEMA, including those applications submitted on behalf of UASI and OPSG applicants. Tribal governments may not apply directly for HSGP funding; however, funding may be available to tribes under the SHSP and OPSG through the SAA.

Recipients must update their emergency operation plan (EOP) at least once every two years to comply with Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG) 101 Version 2.0, Developing and Maintaining Emergency Operations Plans. Recipients will use the Unified Reporting Tool (URT) to report their compliance with this reporting requirement. Recipients are required to submit a Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) and Stakeholder Preparedness Review (SPR) using an updated methodology that assesses only the response, recovery, and cross-cutting capabilities. In FY 2019, all core capabilities will be required and the SPR will still be submitted annually. However, the THIRA requirement will be reduced to every three years. Also beginning with the FY 2018 award cycle, the State Preparedness Report will be known as the Stakeholder Preparedness Review. The acronym SPR will continue to be used. States, territories, and urban areas will be required to submit an SPR annually.

State Homeland Security Program (SHSP)

The State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) is a core assistance program that provides funds to build capabilities at the state, local, tribal, and territorial levels, to enhance our national resilience to absorb disruptions and rapidly recover from incidents both natural and manmade as well as to implement the goals and objectives included in state homeland security strategies and initiatives in their State Preparedness Report (SPR). SHSP also provides funding to implement initiatives in the State Preparedness Report.

Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI)

The Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) Program assists high-threat, high-density urban areas in efforts to build and sustain the capabilities necessary to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism using the whole community approach. The UASI program is intended to provide financial assistance to address the unique multi-discipline planning, organization, equipment, training, and exercise needs of high-threat, high-density urban areas.

Operation Stonegarden

The Operation Stonegarden (OPSG) Program supports enhanced cooperation and coordination among Customs and Border Protection (CBP), United States Border Patrol (USBP), and local, tribal, territorial, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. The OPSG Program funds investments in joint efforts to secure the United States borders along routes of ingress from international borders to include travel corridors in states bordering Mexico and Canada, as well as states and territories with international water borders. OPSG funds must be used to increase operational capabilities of federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement, promoting a layered, coordinated approach to law enforcement within United States border states and territories.

Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THSGP)

The Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THSGP) provides funding to eligible tribes to strengthen their capacity to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from potential terrorist attacks and other hazards. THSGP plays an important role in the implementation of the National Preparedness System by supporting the building, sustainment, and delivery of core capabilities essential to achieving the National Preparedness Goal (the Goal) of a secure and resilient nation. Delivering core capabilities requires the combined effort of the whole community, rather than the exclusive effort of any single organization or level of government. The THSGP’s allowable costs support efforts to build and sustain core capabilities across the prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery mission areas. THSGP funds are allocated based on self-certified tribal eligibility, and the effectiveness of the applicant’s THSGP investment justification, as determined through a federal review process. In order to be eligible to receive THSGP funding, recipients must be considered “directly eligible tribes.”

Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP)

Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) provides funding support for target hardening and other physical security enhancements to nonprofit organizations. In FY 2018, multiple funding allocations have been appropriated for nonprofit organizations located inside or outside of FY 2018 Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) designated urban areas. Under the Nonprofit Security Grant Program - State (NSGP-S), eligible states will receive an allocation for nonprofit organizations located outside of FY 2018 Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) designated urban areas. As in previous fiscal years, the Nonprofit Security Grant Program - Urban Area (NSGP-UA) will be a competitive grant program. The NSGP promotes emergency preparedness coordination and collaboration activities between public and private community representatives as well as state and local government agencies.

Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP)

The Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) directly supports transportation infrastructure security activities. TSGP provides funds to owners and operators of transit systems (which include intra-city buses, commuter buses, ferries, and all forms of passenger rail) to protect and increase the resilience of critical surface transportation and infrastructure and the traveling public from acts of terrorism TSGP’s allowable costs support efforts to build and sustain core capabilities across the prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery mission areas. TSGP funds are awarded to support the creation of sustainable, risk-based efforts to protect critical surface transportation infrastructure and the traveling public from acts of terrorism, major disasters, and other emergencies. Eligible transit agencies are determined based on daily unlinked passenger trips (ridership) and transit systems that serve historically eligible Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) jurisdictions. TSGP focuses on operational activities, operational packages, and capital projects including Top Transit Asset List (TTAL) and critical infrastructure vulnerability remediation. The period of performance for the TSGP is 36 months.

Port Security Grant Program (PSGP)

The Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) directly supports maritime transportation infrastructure security activities. PSGP’s allowable costs support efforts to build and sustain core capabilities across the prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery mission areas. The FY 2018 PSGP provides funds for transportation infrastructure security activities to implement Area Maritime Security Plans and facility security plans among port authorities, facility operators, and state and local government agencies required to provide port security services. PSGP’s allowable costs support efforts to build and sustain core capabilities across the prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery mission areas. It is focused on supporting increased port-wide maritime security risk management, enhancing maritime domain awareness, supporting maritime security training and exercises, and maintaining or reestablishing maritime security mitigation protocols that support port recovery and resiliency capabilities. PSGP investments must address U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and Area Maritime Security Committee (AMSC) identified vulnerabilities in port security. PSGP focuses on enhancing Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA); port resilience and recovery capabilities; training and exercises; cybersecurity; enhancing Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive (CBRNE) prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery capabilities; and Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) Implementation. The period of performance for the PSGP is 36 months.

Homeland Security National Training Program (HSNTP)/Continuing Training Grants (CTG)

CTG provides funding via cooperative agreements to partners to develop and deliver training to prepare communities to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recovery from acts of terrorism and natural, man-made, and technological hazards. Applicants may include state, local, tribal, and territorial entities; nonprofit national associations and organizations; nonprofit higher education institutions; and nonprofits including community and faith-based organizations. CTG has four focus areas: cybersecurity; economic recovery; housing; and rural and tribal preparedness.

Program to Prepare Communities for Complex Coordinated Terrorist Attacks (CCTA Program)

The CCTA Program provides funding to selected recipients to improve their ability to prepare for, prevent, and respond to complex coordinated terrorist attacks in collaboration with the whole community. Funding is specifically to develop and implement effective, sustainable, and regional approaches for enhancing preparedness for complex coordinated terrorist attacks, which include the following components: identifying capability gaps, developing and/or updating plans, training to implement plans and procedures, and conducting exercises to validate capabilities.

Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Grant Program

The CVE Grant Program supports programs, projects, and activities that prevent recruitment or radicalization to violence by interrupting those efforts, building community-level resilience to them, and identifying the early signs of radicalization to violence and providing appropriate interventions through civic organizations, law enforcement, or other entities. The CVE Grant Program has five focus areas for eligible activities that current research has shown to likely be the most effective in countering violent extremism: developing resilience, training and engaging with community members, managing intervention activities, challenging the narrative, and building the capacity of community-level nonprofit organizations active in CVE.

Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grants

FEMA administers three hazard mitigation assistance (HMA) grant programs that provide funding for eligible mitigation planning and projects that reduces disaster losses and protect life and property from future disaster damages:

• Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)
• Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA)
• Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM)

The primary guidance document for these three programs is the HMA Guidance. FEMA requires state, tribal, and local governments to develop and adopt hazard mitigation plans as a condition for receiving certain types of non-emergency disaster assistance, including funding for HMA mitigation projects. See FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Plan Requirement page for more information.

Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)

Hazard mitigation measures are any sustainable action taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property from future disasters. The HMGP supports cost-effective post-disaster projects and is the longest-running mitigation program among FEMA’s three grant programs. Studies have shown that every $1 spent equals $6 of future damages mitigated. The purpose of HMGP is to help communities implement hazard mitigation measures following a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration in the areas of the state, tribe, or territory requested by the governor or tribal executive. The key purpose of this grant program is to enact mitigation measures that reduce the risk of loss of life and property from future disasters. HMGP is authorized under Section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. Mitigation projects that can be funded through HMGP include hazard mitigation plans (HMPs). HMGP funding can also be used for related mitigation planning activities.

Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA)

The FMA program is authorized by Section 1366 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, as amended with the goal of reducing or eliminating claims under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). FMA provides funding to states, territories, federally recognized tribes, and local communities for projects and planning that reduce or eliminate the long-term risk of flood damage to structures insured under the NFIP. FMA funding is also available for management costs. Funding is appropriated by Congress annually. Generally, local communities will sponsor applications on behalf of homeowners and then submit the applications to their state. All FMA grant applications must be submitted to FEMA by a state, U.S. territory, or federally-recognized tribe. Projects submitted for consideration for FMA funding must be consistent with the goals and objectives identified in the current, FEMA-approved state or tribal (standard or enhanced) hazard mitigation plan along with the local or tribal hazard mitigation plan for the jurisdiction in which the activity is located.

Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM)

(NOFO Number DHS-18-MT-047-000-99)

The PDM Program, authorized by Section 203 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, is designed to assist states, U.S. territories, federally recognized tribes, and local communities in implementing a sustained pre-disaster natural hazard mitigation program. The goal is to reduce the overall risk to the population and structures from future hazard events, while also reducing reliance on Federal funding in future disasters. This program awards planning and project grants and provides opportunities for raising public awareness about reducing future losses before disaster strikes. Mitigation planning is a key process used to break the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage. PDM grants are funded annually by Congressional appropriations and are awarded on a nationally competitive basis. Project sub-applications submitted for consideration for PDM funding must be consistent with the goals and objectives identified in the current, FEMA-approved state or tribal (standard or enhanced) hazard mitigation plan along with the local or tribal hazard mitigation plan for the jurisdiction in which the activity is located. Planning sub-applications submitted for consideration for PDM funding must result in a mitigation plan adopted by the jurisdiction(s) and approved by FEMA. PDM funds mitigation planning to help states, U.S. territories, federally recognized tribes, and local governments engage in a planning process that meets the requirements outlined in 44 CFR Part 201 Mitigation Planning.

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) Program

Fire Management Assistance is available to state, local, and tribal governments for the mitigation, management, and control of fires on publicly or privately owned forests or grasslands, which threaten such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. The Fire Management Assistance declaration process is initiated when a state submits a request for assistance to the FEMA regional director at the time a "threat of major disaster" exists. The entire process is accomplished on an expedited basis and a FEMA decision is rendered in a matter of hours. The FMAG Program provides a 75 percent federal cost-share and the state pays the remaining 25 percent for actual costs. Before a grant can be awarded, a state must demonstrate that total eligible costs for the declared fire meet or exceed either the individual fire cost threshold - which is applied to single fires, or the cumulative fire cost threshold, which recognizes numerous smaller fires burning throughout a State. Eligible firefighting costs may include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair, and replacement; tools, materials, and supplies; and mobilization and demobilization activities.

Public Assistance: Local, State, Tribal, and Private Nonprofit

The Public Assistance (PA) grant program provides federal assistance to government organizations and certain private nonprofit (PNP) organizations following a presidential disaster declaration. Through the program, FEMA provides supplemental federal disaster grant assistance for debris removal, life-saving emergency protective measures, and the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged publicly-owned facilities, and the facilities of certain PNP organizations. The PA program also encourages the protection of these damaged facilities from future events by providing assistance for hazard mitigation measures during the recovery process. The federal share of assistance is not less than 75 percent of the eligible cost. The Recipient (usually the state) determines how the non-federal share (up to 25 percent) is split with the sub-recipients (eligible applicants).

Public Health & Healthcare Coalitions Emergency Preparedness

2017-2022 Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) and Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Cooperative Agreements. (Agency Funding Opportunity Number: CDC-RFA-TP17-1701)

The Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) cooperative agreement has provided assistance to public health departments across the nation. This helps health departments build and strengthen their abilities to effectively respond to a range of public health threats, including infectious diseases, natural disasters, and biological, chemical, nuclear, and radiological events. Preparedness activities funded by the PHEP cooperative agreement specifically target the development of emergency-ready public health departments that are flexible and adaptable. PHEP efforts support the National Response Framework (NRF), which guides how the nation responds to all types of hazards including infectious disease outbreaks; natural disasters; biological, chemical, and radiological incidents; and explosions.

There are 62 PHEP cooperative agreement awardees:

• All 50 states
• Four major metropolitan areas (Chicago, Los Angeles County, New York City, and Washington, D.C.)
• Eight U.S. territories and freely associated states (American Samoa, Guam, U.S.Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau)

The grant is for the continued purpose of strengthening and enhancing the capabilities of state, local, and territorial public health and health care systems to respond effectively (mitigate the loss of life and reduce the threats to the community’s health and safety) to evolving threats and other emergencies within the United States and territories and freely associated states. This announcement provides clear expectations and priorities for awardees and health care coalitions (HCCs) to strengthen and enhance the readiness of the public health and the health care delivery system to save lives during emergencies that exceed the day-to-day capacity and capability of the public health and medical emergency response systems. This announcement provides funds to ensure that HPP awardees focus on activities that advance progress toward meeting the goals of the 2017-2022 Health Care Preparedness and Response Capabilities and document progress in establishing or maintaining ready health care systems through strong HCCs and to ensure that PHEP awardees continue to advance the development of effective public health emergency management and response programs as outlined in the Public Health Preparedness Capabilities: National Standards for State and Local Planning. Awardees must develop strategies and activities based on the HPP-PHEP Logic Model and use findings from their jurisdictional risk assessments, capability self-assessments, National Health Security Preparedness Index, and incident after-action reports to inform their strategic priorities and preparedness investments.

Other FEMA Grants - Specific Eligibility

Intercity Passenger Rail (IPR) Program - Amtrak

Amtrak is the only agency eligible to apply for the IPR Program funds. The IPR Program focuses on operational activities, operational packages, and remediation of high-risk/high-consequence intercity passenger rail assets.

Intercity Bus Security Grant Program (IBSGP)

Eligible applicants under the IBSGP are private operators providing transportation by an over-the-road bus that have completed a vulnerability assessment and developed a security plan that the Secretary of Homeland Security has approved as described in Section 1531 of the 9/11 Act. IBSGP allowable costs are focused on intercity bus initiatives that strengthen emergency operations planning and citizen protection capabilities and help address security priorities.

Assistance to Firefighters Grants

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program provides direct financial assistance to eligible fire departments, nonaffiliated emergency medical service (EMS) organizations, and State Fire Training Academies (SFTAs). The funds provide critically needed resources that equip and train emergency personnel to recognized standards, enhance operational efficiencies, foster interoperability, and support community resilience.

Cooperating Technical Partners (CTP)

The CTP program creates partnerships between FEMA and participating communities, regional agencies, and State agencies that have the interest and capability to become more active participants in the FEMA flood hazard mapping program. CTP increases local involvement in, and ownership of, the development and maintenance of flood hazard maps produced for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).