Homeland Security
Community Project Funding Request

Please read all information before starting your application. Please provide answers to any questions below in your application.

There are two Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant programs within the Subcommittee on Homeland Security’s jurisdiction that are open to CPF requests: Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) grants and Emergency Operations Center (EOC) grants. Please review the purpose and eligibility requirements, including any environmental and historic preservation requirements, for these two grant programs to ensure proper consideration:

• Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) grants
• Emergency Operations Center (EOC) grants

Cost-Share Requirements: The PDM and EOC grant programs have cost-share requirements. Federal funding is available for up to 75 percent of the eligible activity costs. The remaining 25 percent of eligible activity costs must generally be derived from non-federal sources.

The non-federal cost-share contribution is calculated based on the total cost of the proposed activity. For example, if the total cost is $100,000 and the non-federal cost-share is 25 percent, then the non-federal contribution is $25,000. For PDM grants, small, impoverished communities are eligible for up to a 90 percent federal cost-share for their mitigation planning and project sub-applications in accordance with the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. § 5133(a),(h)(2)).

The non-federal cost-share contribution is calculated based on the total cost of the proposed activity.

Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grants

FEMA’s PDM grants assist state, local, tribal, and territorial governments with planning and implementing sustainable, cost-effective measures to provide long-term, permanent risk reduction to individuals and property from future natural hazards, such as floods and wildfires, while reducing reliance on federal funding for future disasters.

• Do you have a letter from the appropriate State or Territorial Administrative Agency, or Tribal government, confirming project eligibility and their willingness to administer the grant?
• Is the proposed project eligible under the most recent Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the PDM grant program?
• Can the requesting jurisdiction provide the required non-federal cost share (25% of total eligible activity costs, or 10% for small, impoverished communities), as detailed in the NOFO?
• If less than the requested amount is provided as the federal share, would additional state, local, or other eligible funding sources be available to support the project?
• Can the requesting jurisdiction provide a Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) or other documentation that validates cost-effectiveness, which is defined by FEMA as having a BCA of 1.0 or greater? A non-FEMA BCA methodology may only be used if preapproved by FEMA in writing.
• Consistent with the NOFO for PDM grants, is the proposed activity consistent with the goals and objectives in both the state or tribal hazard mitigation plan (44 CFR Part 201) and the local hazard mitigation plan of the jurisdiction in which the project is located.
• If so, what is the FEMA approval date and when will the plan expire?
• Can you confirm the funding request does not include unallowable activities for PDM grants (e.g., dredging waterways; the purchase of emergency vehicles and equipment)?
• Describe how the proposed activity expands mitigation capacity rather than repair and maintenance of existing capacity.
• How will the project provide long-term, permanent risk-reduction, as opposed to simply supporting Short-term, temporary emergency protective measures?
• Describe how the activity supports the needs of people disproportionally at risk of harmful impacts of natural disasters?
• Does the recipient specifically encourage the adoption and enforcement of the latest disaster resistant building codes?
• Provide a clear and detailed description of the proposed mitigation activity.
• How will the mitigation activity be implemented?
• Who will manage and complete the mitigation activity?
• What risks will remain from natural hazards after project implementation (i.e., residual risk)?
• How does the activity reduce the risk to individuals and property for future natural hazards, while reducing reliance on federal funding for future disasters?
• Has the project been submitted, selected, or awarded funding in current or previous PreDisaster Mitigation (PDM), Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC), 7 Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA), or Hazard Mitigation Grant Program fiscal year grant cycles?
• If so, what is the subgrant ID, or which grant program and fiscal year was the application submitted, selected, or awarded funding?
• Has your office or the community consulted with state, county, or local emergency management officials, or with FEMA about the proposed project?
• If so, please provide the name of the official, the agency they represent, and their contact information

For PDM grant requests, the database includes specific eligibility questions to ensure the proposed project meets FEMA’s requirements as detailed in the most recent Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

CPF funding in the FY 2024 House bill ranged between $75,000 and $10,000,000 for individual PDM grants.

Emergency Operations Center Grants

FEMA’s EOC grants improve emergency management and preparedness capabilities by supporting flexible, sustainable, secure, strategically located, and fully interoperable EOCs with a focus on addressing identified deficiencies and needs. According to the National Fire Protection Association, an EOC is defined as a “facility or capability from which direction and control is exercised in an emergency. This type of center or capability is designated to ensure that the capacity exists for leadership to direct and control operations from a centralized facility or capability in the event of an emergency.”

• Do you have a letter from the appropriate State or Territorial Administrative Agency, or Tribal government, confirming project eligibility and their willingness to administer the grant?
• Is the proposed project eligible under the most recent Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Grant Program?
• Is the requested federal funding amount limited to a maximum of 75% of the total project cost?
• Can the requesting jurisdiction provide the required 25% non-federal cost share?
• If less than the requested amount is provided as the federal share, would additional state, local, or other eligible funding sources be available to support the project?
• Have you reviewed the funding restrictions and allowable costs section of the NOFO for EOC grants?
• Have you confirmed the funding request does not include unallowable activities for EOC grants (e.g., personnel costs; replacement radios for police, fire, and other response personnel; generators for emergency shelters; any equipment that is portable and does not directly support the functional and operational capabilities of an EOC)?
• Is the proposed project related to a structure or facility that meets the definition of an EOC, to include supporting incident management (on-scene) operations across multiple functional disciplines and/or jurisdictions?
• For EOC projects that involve construction or upgrading of multipurpose facilities, such as public safety facilities, police/fire stations, etc., EOC grants may only be used for those parts of the facility that are directly associated with the EOC. Does the requested federal funding amount reflect the proportionate facility construction cost, which is generally based on the square footage (floor space) of the EOC compared to the square footage of the entire facility?
• Have you or the community consulted with state, county, or local emergency management officials, or with FEMA about the proposed project?
• If so, please provide the name of the official, the agency they represent, and their contact information

CPF funding in the FY 2024 House bill ranged between $89,000 and $3,000,000 for individual EOC grants.

For questions, please contact Sayanna Molina at Sayanna.Molina@maill.house.gov