HAZARD MITIGATION UNIT

Eligibility & Applying for Funding

To be eligible for Hazard Mitigation Assistance funds, local and Indian Tribal government applicants must have participated and adopted an approved Local or Tribal Hazard Mitigation Plan. Additionally, grant applicants must be able to provide the local cost share of the proposed mitigation project.

Individuals and businesses are not eligible to apply for HMA funds; however, an eligible sub applicant may apply for funding on their behalf.

To apply for funding, please fill out a HMA Notice of Interest Form and email it to nema.hazardmitigation@nebraska.gov.

NOIs are reviewed and prioritized for available grant funding based on eligibility and feasibility. If a NOI is not selected for funding, the application will be kept on file and reviewed during the next grant opportunity.

HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT PROGRAM (HMGP)

The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) is authorized by Section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. This program follows the Hazard Mitigation Assistance Guidance and Addendum (2015), as well as 2 CFR and 44 CFR. HMGP is available after a presidentially declared disaster. This funding opportunity assists communities in implementing long-term mitigation strategies to reduce future disaster losses to life and property. 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 participate and adopt their local hazard mitigation plan to be eligible for HMGP funding. Private non-profits are eligible for HMGP and are exempt from the hazard mitigation plan requirement, as per 44 CFR Sections 206.221(e) and 206.434(a)(2). Grant subapplicants must be able to provide the local cost share of the proposed mitigation project.

NEMA HMGP Application Webinar

Duplication of Benefits Training

When determining the amount of federal disaster assistance an applicant may be eligible for, FEMA must check for and avoid any “Duplication of Benefits.” By law, FEMA cannot provide financial assistance when any other source – such as Insurance - has already provided such assistance or when such assistance is available from any other source. For more information about Duplication of Benefits, please visit the FEMA webpage.

The BRIC program recognizes the growing hazards associated with climate change, and the need for natural hazard risk mitigation activities that promote climate adaptation and resilience with respect to those hazards. The guiding principles of BRIC are:

• Capability - and capacity-building
• Encouraging and enabling innovation
• Promoting partnerships
• Enabling large projects
• Maintaining flexibility
• Providing consistency.

Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant

The Nebraska Department of Natural Resources facilitates the Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant (FMA). The FMA grant goal is to reduce or eliminate repetitive flood damage to properties insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). For more information about FMA and how to apply, please visit the NeDNR Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant Website.

NeDNR FMA 2023 Announcement

BRIC and FMA 2023 Funding Notice Briefing

On April 21, 2021, the Road 702 Fire began near Norton, KS, and moved rapidly northward through Furnas, Frontier, and Red Willow counties. This fire would eventually burn 45,000 acres. As the fire quickly spread and necessitated evacuations in several communities, the decision was made to request a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG). The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Post Fire was awarded following the FMAG to help communities implement hazard mitigation measures after the wildfire.

Currently, the application period for the HMGP-Post Fire assistance is open. Jurisdictions applying for this grant will be prioritized based on:

• Activities that benefit the declared counties or tribal lands, with wildfire hazard mitigation projects such as defensible space measures, ignition resistant construction, hazardous fuels reduction, erosion control measures, slope failure prevention measures, or flash flood reduction measures.
• Activities unrelated to wildfire hazard mitigation, such as generally allowable HMGP projects within the declared counties or tribal lands.
• Activities related to wildfire hazard mitigation, such as generally allowable HMGP projects, outside of the declared counties or burned tribal lands.
• Activities unrelated to wildfire hazard mitigation, such as generally allowable HMGP projects outside of the declared counties or burned tribal lands.