Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Program

Eligible Uses

Applicants must have received a major disaster declaration within seven years prior to the annual grant application period start date. Funds may be used for capability and capacity building activities, mitigation projects, and management costs. Projects must: (1) be cost effective, (2) reduce or eliminate risk and damage from future natural hazards, (3) meet either of the two latest published editions of relevant consensus-based codes, specifications and standards, (4) align with the applicable hazard mitigation plan, and (5) meet all environmental and historic preservation requirements. See project examples in the BRIC Mitigation Action Portfolio (MAP). See more examples in Building Community Resilience with Nature-Based Solutions.

Eligible Recipients

Eligible applicants include states, territories, and federally recognized Tribal governments, and each applicant must designate one agency to serve as the BRIC applicant and may only submit one BRIC grant application with an unlimited number of sub-applications.

Applicants must have a FEMA-approved State or Tribal Hazard Mitigation Plan. Eligible states and territories must have received a major disaster declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act) within the seven years prior to the annual application period start date. Eligible federally recognized tribes must have received a major disaster declaration under the Stafford Act, including: (1) within the seven years prior to the annual application period start date or (2) if the tribe is entirely or partially located in a state or territory that had a major disaster declaration within seven years prior to the application period start date.

Entities interested in creating BRIC sub-applications may contact local (e.g., town/city/county) managers, planning, and/or emergency management offices within local governments, cities, townships, counties, special district governments, and federally recognized tribal governments. Sub-applicants are required to have a FEMA-approved Local or Tribal Hazard Mitigation Plan.

Approx Annual Funding Amount

BRIC is funded by a 6% set-aside from federal post-disaster grant funding. BRIC can also receive separate appropriations from Congress on top of the set-aside amount, as was the case in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. As a result, amounts will vary annually.

In FY2020, FEMA distributed $500 million. In FY2021, FEMA distributed approximately $1 billion, and in FY2022, FEMA is set to distribute $2.3 billion. The funding is allocated into three buckets: one for states/territories, one for tribes, and the remaining funding for the BRIC national competition. Eligible applicants for the state/territory or tribal set-aside may apply for up to $1 million per applicant. Applicants applying to the national competition may apply for an unlimited number of projects, each valued up to $50 million federal share.

Cost Share Requirements

Generally 75% federal share with a 25% non-federal match. Economically disadvantaged rural communities (small impoverished communities) are eligible for a federal/non-federal cost-share of 90%/10%.  FEMA provides 100% federal funding for applicant and sub applicant management costs. In-kind contributions are accepted.

Application Cycle

Generally:

• Summer: NOFO published
• Fall: Application Period Opens
• Winter: Application Period Closes
• Winter/Spring: Application Review
• Summer: Project selection

Contact

State Hazard Mitigation Officers

Other Info

This program is covered under the Justice40 Initiative.