FEMA Hazard Mitigation Funding Opportunity – Build Resilience!
- Details
Following the July 2023 flooding, an unprecedented amount of FEMA hazard mitigation funding is available to Vermont towns and other eligible applicants for projects that reduce the risk of flooding or other hazards. Entities interested in applying do not need to have damages from that event. Towns and other eligible applicants seeking funding for hazard mitigation projects must complete the Pre-Application Form by June 21, 2024. Pre-Applications will be evaluated for eligibility, feasibility, and cost-effectiveness. Projects found to meet these requirements will then be invited to apply, provided technical assistance (if requested), and submitted to FEMA once completed, by late 2024.
The best use of this funding is implementation projects, such as property buyouts and elevations, floodproofing, floodplain restoration, and upsizing bridges and culverts. To be eligible, feasible, and cost-effective your town must have a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) in place or currently be working on one. Having a record of sustained damage is very helpful, as most projects require passing a ‘Benefit Cost Analysis’ to be eligible – buyouts up to a certain cost threshold being the exception to that. Grants typically require a 25% local match, though Vermont Emergency Management currently has a General Fund allocation that will cover the match for property buyouts, and likely all projects selected for award. Learn more by watching the discussion WRC had with Vermont’s State Hazard Mitigation Officer, Stephanie Smith on May 20, 2024: https://youtu.be/BPtMHaX4Pm0
If your town has a project that you’re wondering about eligibility, either contact Alyssa or fill out the VEM Pre-Application Form. Take some time to consider possibilities and mitigation needs in your town, and don’t miss this unprecedented opportunity!
