FEMA Flood Mitigation Assistance Program

If you live in a flood-prone area, you know the cycle: water rises, your home floods, you file an insurance claim, you repair, and then it happens again. Maybe your house has flooded three times in five years. Maybe you’re spending thousands on flood insurance premiums. Maybe you’re tired of living with the anxiety every time it rains hard. FEMA’s Flood Mitigation Assistance program exists to break that cycle by funding permanent solutions—elevating your home, buying out repetitive-loss properties, or flood-proofing critical infrastructure.

This isn’t disaster relief that helps you rebuild after a flood. It’s mitigation funding that prevents flood damage before it happens. The program can cover up to 100% of costs for severe repetitive loss properties and 75% for others, with community projects eligible for up to $50 million. But here’s the catch: you can’t apply directly as a homeowner. Your local government, state, tribe, or territory has to apply on your behalf, which means you need to engage early and work through your local floodplain administrator.

For communities that participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and have FEMA-approved hazard mitigation plans, this program provides the capital to protect homes and infrastructure before the next flood. The application process is competitive and technical, but for communities that get it right, FMA funding can transform flood risk management from reactive disaster response to proactive protection.

What makes FMA different from other FEMA programs is its focus on flood-specific mitigation and its prioritization of repetitive loss properties—the homes and buildings that flood over and over, driving up insurance costs for everyone. If your community has properties like this, FMA is probably your best funding option.

At a Glance

What This Program Funds

FMA supports several types of flood mitigation projects:

Home Elevation: Raising houses above the base flood elevation is one of the most effective mitigation strategies. The funding covers engineering assessments, structural modifications to elevate the home, utility reconnections, and compliance with local building codes. Elevated homes can see flood insurance premiums drop dramatically and avoid future flood damage entirely. This is often the best option for homeowners who want to stay in their homes but eliminate flood risk.

Property Acquisition and Demolition: For properties that flood repeatedly, sometimes the best solution is to buy them out, demolish the structures, and return the land to open space. FMA funds fair market value acquisition, demolition and debris removal, deed restrictions ensuring the land remains open space forever, and conversion to parks, wetlands, or stormwater management areas. This permanently removes people and property from harm’s way and can reduce community flood risk by creating natural flood storage.

Floodproofing: For certain non-residential structures, floodproofing can be more practical than elevation. This includes installing flood barriers, shields, and closures, waterproofing walls and foundations, relocating utilities and equipment above flood levels, and installing backflow preventers and sump pumps. Floodproofing works best for structures that don’t have basements and where flooding is relatively shallow.

Infrastructure Protection: Critical facilities like fire stations, water treatment plants, and emergency operations centers need to remain functional during floods. FMA funds elevation or floodproofing of critical infrastructure, backup power systems, flood barriers protecting essential facilities, and stormwater management improvements. Protecting infrastructure ensures communities can respond to floods effectively.

Planning: FMA also funds flood mitigation planning activities, including updating local hazard mitigation plans, conducting benefit-cost analyses for proposed projects, developing flood risk assessments, and community outreach and education. Good planning is essential for competitive project applications.

Who Should Apply

Since individuals can’t apply directly, here’s who should engage with this program:

Local Governments: If you’re a city, county, or town with flood-prone properties, you should be applying annually. Build a pipeline of interested property owners, maintain updated benefit-cost analyses, and submit applications every cycle. Even if you don’t win the first time, repeated applications show persistence and build relationships with your state mitigation office.

State and Tribal Governments: States and tribes can apply for their own properties or on behalf of local governments. If you have state-owned facilities in flood zones or want to support local communities that lack capacity to apply, FMA is a good fit.

Property Owners: While you can’t apply directly, you should contact your local floodplain administrator or emergency management office to express interest. Provide documentation of your flood history, insurance claims, and willingness to participate. Communities need interested property owners to build their applications around.

Floodplain Administrators: If you manage NFIP compliance for your community, FMA should be a core part of your strategy. Use it to address your most problematic repetitive loss properties and reduce community flood risk.

Insider Tips for Competitive Applications

Prioritize Repetitive Loss and Severe Repetitive Loss Properties: FEMA gives these the highest priority because they’ve already demonstrated vulnerability and generated insurance claims. If you have SRL properties, lead with them. They’re eligible for 100% federal cost share and score highest in FEMA’s evaluation.

Get Your Benefit-Cost Analysis Right: Every project must have a benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of at least 1.0, meaning the benefits of avoiding future flood damage must exceed the project costs. Use FEMA’s Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) Toolkit, include sensitivity analyses to address data gaps, and document your assumptions clearly. A weak BCA will sink your application even if the project makes intuitive sense.

Maintain NFIP Compliance: Your community must be in good standing with NFIP. This means enforcing floodplain regulations, maintaining accurate flood maps, and ensuring properties have required insurance. If you’re on FEMA’s probation or suspension list, you’re not eligible. Fix compliance issues before applying.

Align with Your Hazard Mitigation Plan: Projects must appear in your FEMA-approved local or tribal hazard mitigation plan. If your plan is outdated or doesn’t include the projects you want to propose, update it first. FEMA won’t fund projects that aren’t in an approved plan.

Secure Your Non-Federal Match Early: Unless you’re applying for SRL properties, you need to cover 25% of project costs. Identify your match source before applying—local budget, state grants, CDBG-DR funds, or other sources. FEMA wants evidence you can actually deliver the match, not just promises.

Bundle Projects Strategically: Combining multiple similar projects (like elevating several homes in the same neighborhood) into one application can reduce administrative burden and strengthen cost-effectiveness. It also shows you’re thinking strategically about community-wide risk reduction.

Document Everything: Flood history, insurance claims, photos of damage, elevation certificates, structural assessments—gather it all. The more documentation you provide, the stronger your case for urgency and cost-effectiveness.

Engage Property Owners Early: If you’re proposing acquisition or elevation, you need property owner buy-in. Get signed letters of intent showing they’re willing to participate. Projects fall apart when property owners back out mid-process.

Application Timeline

FMA operates on an annual cycle. Here’s what to expect:

Summer (June-August): This is when you should be preparing, not waiting for the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Identify candidate properties, conduct preliminary benefit-cost analyses, gather documentation, and engage property owners. Communities that wait until the NOFO drops don’t have time to build strong applications.

Fall (September-November): FEMA releases the NOFO, typically in late summer or early fall. Your state will announce its internal deadline for subapplications, usually 30-60 days before FEMA’s deadline. This is when you finalize your application, complete BCAs, and submit to your state.

Winter (December-February): States consolidate local applications and submit to FEMA through the FEMA GO (Grants Outcomes) portal. FEMA begins reviewing applications.

Spring/Summer (March-August): FEMA reviews applications, may issue Requests for Information (RFIs) asking for clarification or additional documentation, and announces awards. This process can take several months.

Post-Award (Varies): Once awarded, projects move into environmental and historic preservation review, design, permitting, and construction. Elevation and acquisition projects typically take 2-4 years from award to completion.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can individuals apply directly? No. You must work through your local government, state, tribe, or territory. Contact your local floodplain administrator or emergency management office to express interest.

What if my community doesn’t participate in NFIP? You’re not eligible. Your community must join NFIP and maintain good standing before applying for FMA funds.

Can FMA fund new levees or flood walls? Generally no. FMA focuses on property-level mitigation. However, community flood mitigation projects can include localized improvements that protect NFIP-insured structures.

How long do projects take? Elevation or acquisition projects often take 2-4 years from award to completion due to design, environmental review, permitting, and construction timelines. Be patient and maintain communication with property owners throughout.

What happens to acquired properties? Land acquired with FMA funds must remain open space in perpetuity. Communities can convert them to parks, trails, wetlands, or stormwater management areas, but they can never be redeveloped.

Can I still get FMA if I’ve had previous FEMA grants? Yes, previous grants don’t disqualify you. In fact, having successfully managed past FEMA grants can strengthen your application by demonstrating capacity.

What if my property floods but I don’t have flood insurance? You’re not eligible. Properties must have active NFIP policies at the time of application and maintain them through project completion.

Can FMA fund buyouts of entire neighborhoods? Yes, if the properties meet eligibility criteria and the community can demonstrate cost-effectiveness. Neighborhood-scale acquisitions can be very effective for high-risk areas.

How to Apply

Here’s your step-by-step process:

Step 1 (Property Owners): Contact your local floodplain administrator or emergency management office. Express interest in FMA funding and provide documentation of your flood history, insurance claims, and willingness to participate in elevation or acquisition.

Step 2 (Local Governments): Build your project pipeline. Identify interested property owners, prioritize based on repetitive loss status and cost-effectiveness, and gather required documentation (elevation certificates, insurance data, structural assessments).

Step 3 (Local Governments): Conduct benefit-cost analyses using FEMA’s BCA Toolkit. Ensure your projects have BCR ≥ 1.0 and document your methodology and assumptions.

Step 4 (Local Governments): Ensure projects are included in your FEMA-approved hazard mitigation plan. If not, update your plan.

Step 5 (Local Governments): When your state announces the subapplication deadline, submit your application with all required documentation: project descriptions, BCAs, property owner letters of intent, match commitment, and supporting documentation.

Step 6 (States): Consolidate local applications, conduct state-level review and prioritization, and submit to FEMA through FEMA GO before the federal deadline.

Step 7 (Everyone): If FEMA issues RFIs, respond quickly and thoroughly. If awarded, begin environmental review, design, and permitting immediately.

Visit the official FEMA FMA page for detailed guidance, application materials, and technical resources: https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/floods/flood-mitigation-assistance

Questions about your state’s process or timeline? Contact your state hazard mitigation officer—every state has one, and they’re your primary resource for navigating FMA applications.

For property owners: don’t wait for the next flood. Contact your local government now to get on their radar for the next FMA cycle. The best time to apply for flood mitigation is before you need it.