FEMA is resuming a major grant program

FEMA Reopens $1 Billion Resilience Grant Program Following Court Order

The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Wednesday it has reopened applications for its Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, making $1 billion available for disaster preparedness projects across the nation. The decision comes less than three weeks after a federal judge ordered the agency to restore the program that was abruptly canceled last year.

“When done correctly, mitigation activities save lives and reduce the cost of future disasters,” said Karen S. Evans, FEMA’s acting leader, in a statement announcing the program’s resumption.

The BRIC program provides critical funding to states, local governments, territories and tribes for projects designed to strengthen resilience against natural hazards including fires, floods, earthquakes and hurricanes. The program’s cancellation in April 2023 by then-acting FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton, who called it “wasteful and ineffective,” halted approximately $3.6 billion in planned projects nationwide.

The cancellation sparked bipartisan criticism from lawmakers concerned about communities losing access to funds for vital infrastructure protection. In response, a coalition of 22 Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. Last December, U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns ruled FEMA could not eliminate the program and ordered its restoration. Earlier this month, the judge mandated additional steps to fully reinstate BRIC.

FEMA’s revival of the program signals a potential shift in the administration’s approach to disaster preparedness. The agency’s announcement highlighted that “BRIC aims to shift the focus of federal investments away from reactive post-disaster spending towards proactive infrastructure-focused hazard mitigation.”

However, the restored program comes with significant modifications that align with the Trump administration’s broader goal of transferring more disaster management responsibility to state and local governments. The new rules eliminate funding for hazard mitigation planning and non-financial technical assistance, changes that could disproportionately impact smaller communities with limited resources and expertise.

“The program now maximizes state and local responsibility for resilience and risk reduction rather than federal investing in a wide range of activities,” FEMA stated in its announcement.

Additional changes include a new emphasis on major infrastructure projects that are “ready to implement,” potentially creating higher barriers for small communities that lack the capacity to develop shovel-ready projects. However, FEMA has also introduced caps on how much any single recipient can receive and added scoring advantages for new applicants and “impoverished communities,” potentially addressing previous criticisms that the program favored coastal states and was difficult for rural areas to access.

States will have 120 days to apply for the funding, which covers fiscal years 2024 and 2025. The compressed timeline accommodates the fact that FEMA rescinded last year’s funding opportunity.

The timing of the program’s restoration is particularly critical as climate-related disasters increase in both frequency and severity. Over the past decade, the United States has experienced nearly as many weather- and climate-related disasters causing $1 billion or more in damages as it did in the preceding 35 years, according to Climate Central data.

Rep. Rick Larsen, a Washington Democrat and ranking member on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, highlighted the real-world impact of the program’s cancellation. “Slowing states’ ability to prepare for disasters was shortsighted, and communities like Aberdeen paid the price,” Larsen said, noting that the cancellation delayed construction of a flood wall in his district.

The economic case for preventative investments in disaster resilience is compelling. A 2024 study funded by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce found that every dollar invested in disaster preparation saves $13 in economic impact, damage, and cleanup costs.

The future of FEMA’s disaster mitigation efforts may be influenced by newly sworn-in Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who has expressed support for FEMA’s mission. During his Senate confirmation hearing last week, Mullin endorsed efforts to make the agency more effective, expedite payments to state and local jurisdictions, and better serve rural communities.

For communities across the country facing increasing threats from natural disasters, the restoration of BRIC funding represents a critical opportunity to strengthen resilience before the next catastrophe strikes.