Funding and Grant Opportunities

The Homeland Security Grant includes a suite of risk-based grants to assist state, local, tribal and territorial efforts in preventing, protecting against, mitigating, responding to and recovering from acts of terrorism and other threats. This grant provides grantees with the resources required for implementation of the National Preparedness System and working toward the National Preparedness Goal of a secure and resilient nation.

Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) will support states, local communities, tribes and territories as they undertake hazard mitigation projects, reducing the risks they face from disasters and natural hazards. The BRIC program guiding principles are supporting communities through capability- and capacity-building; encouraging and enabling innovation; promoting partnerships; enabling large projects; maintaining flexibility; and providing consistency.

FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provides funding to state, local, tribal and territorial governments so they can develop hazard mitigation plans and rebuild in a way that reduces, or mitigates, future disaster losses in their communities. When requested by an authorized representative, this grant funding is available after a presidentially declared disaster.

In this program, homeowners and businesses cannot apply for a grant. However, a local community may apply for funding on their behalf. All state, local, tribal and territorial governments must develop and adopt hazard mitigation plans to receive funding for their hazard mitigation projects.

The Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) provides state, local, tribal and territorial emergency management agencies with the resources required for implementation of the National Preparedness System and works toward the National Preparedness Goal of a secure and resilient nation. The EMPG’s allowable costs support efforts to build and sustain core capabilities across the prevention, protection, mitigation, response and recovery mission areas.

The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Grant Program is intended to 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. Fully capable emergency operations facilities at the state and local levels are an essential element of a comprehensive national emergency management system and are necessary to ensure continuity of operations and continuity of government in major disasters or emergencies caused by any hazard.

Flood Mitigation Assistance is a competitive grant program that provides funding to states, local communities, federally recognized tribes and territories. Funds can be used for projects that reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings insured by the flood insurance . FEMA chooses recipients based on the applicant’s ranking of the project and the eligibility and cost-effectiveness of the project. FEMA requires state, local, tribal and territorial governments to develop and adopt emergency mitigation plan as a condition for receiving certain types of non-emergency disaster assistance, including funding for projects.

Wildfires can destroy homes, businesses, infrastructure, natural resources, and agriculture. They can also increase secondary hazards and leave areas prone to floods, erosion, and mudflows for many years. FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) has Post Fire assistance available to help communities implement hazard mitigation measures after wildfire disasters.

The Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) grant program makes federal funds available to state, local, tribal and territorial governments to plan for and implement sustainable cost-effective measures designed to reduce the risk to individuals and property from future natural hazards, while also reducing reliance on federal funding from future disasters. The program is authorized by Section 203 of the Stafford Act .

The State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program provides funding to eligible entities to address cybersecurity risks and cybersecurity threats to information systems owned or operated by, or on behalf of, state, local, or tribal governments.

The Tribal Cybersecurity Grant Program (TCGP) will help tribal governments address cybersecurity risks and threats to their information systems by enabling DHS to provide targeted cybersecurity resources that improve the security of critical infrastructure and resilience of the services that tribal governments provide to their members. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are jointly managing the TCGP. CISA will provide cybersecurity programmatic subject-matter expertise by defining goals and objectives, reviewing and approving cybersecurity plans establishing measures of effectiveness, and organizing Objective Review Panels to review and score applications. FEMA will provide administrative guidance through conducting eligibility reviews and issue and administering the grant awards consistent with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies.  

Eligible tribes must submit their initial application through the portal at www.grants.gov. Applicants needing grants.gov support should contact the customer support hotline at (800) 518-4726. This support service is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week excluding federal holidays. 

The HMEP grant program was established in 1990 by the Hazardous Materials Transportation Uniform Safety Act. In 1993, PHMSA began issuing grants to assist States, Territories, and Native American Tribes to "develop, improve, and carry out emergency plans" within the National Response System and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986. The HMEP grant program is designed to allow grantees the flexibility to implement training and planning programs that address differing needs for each location based on demographics, emergency response capabilities, commodity flow studies, and hazard analysis. Relevant trainings are found in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 472: Standard for Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents publication and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations found in 29 CFR § 1910.120.