HMA Program Guidance

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) HMA grant programs provide funding for eligible mitigation activities that reduce disaster losses and protect life and property from future disaster damages. These programs include the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM), and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA). Also, a new FEMA mitigation program, Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC), is to be launched in 2020. FEMA Fiscal Year 2015 Hazard Mitigation Assistance Guidance is the current HMA guidance. This document is applicable for disasters declared on or after February 27, 2015.

FEMA added the following technical review job aids to FEMA.gov in April 2022:

• Acquisition and Relocation: Information Required for Environmental Review
• Acquisition-Demolition: Information Required for Environmental Review
• Acquisition Technical Review
• Dry Floodproofing Technical Review
• Dry Floodproofing: Information Required for Environmental Review
• Elevation Technical Review
• Elevation: Information Required for Environmental Review
• Flood Risk Reduction Technical Review
• Flood Risk Reduction: Information Required for Environmental Review
• Generator Technical Review
• Hurricane Wind Retrofit Technical Review
• Hurricane Wind Retrofit: Information Required for Environmental Review
• Infrastructure Retrofit Technical Review
• Soil Stabilization: Information Required for Environmental Review
• Soil Stabilization Technical Review

Please note these documents current can be found on pages 2 and 3 of the job aid section.

FEMA is encouraging communities to incorporate methods to mitigate the impacts of climate change into eligible Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) funded risk reduction activities by providing guidance on Climate Resilient Mitigation Activities.

FEMA has developed Fact Sheets and Job Aids on Climate Resilient Mitigation Activities including green infrastructure methods, expanded ecosystem service benefits, and three flood reduction and drought mitigation activities:

• Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR)
• Floodplain and Stream Restoration (FSR), and
• Flood Diversion and Storage (FDS)

FEMA encourages communities to use this information in developing eligible HMA project applications that leverage risk reduction actions and increase resilience to the impacts of climate change.

FEMA Building Community Resilience with Nature-Based Solutions – A Guide For Local Communities (RiskMAP, 2020)

As a Federal agency, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) / Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is required to consider the effects of its actions on the environment and/or historic properties to ensure that all activities and programs funded by the agency, including grants-funded projects, comply with Federal Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation (EHP) regulations, laws and Executive Orders as applicable. Job aids and supplements are provided below, under additional resources.

Bioengineering stabilization methods use living and nonliving plant materials together with natural and synthetic construction materials to reduce erosion, establish vegetation, and stabilize streambanks, coastal shorelines, and landscapes. Bioengineering brings together engineering, ecology, and landscape architecture for long-term solutions to reduce risk from natural hazards.

All spending under FEMA hazard mitigation grants must comply with the federal procurement standards described in 2 CFR 200.317 through 2 CFR 200.326. Funds must be expended under official, documented procurement procedures, and ensure that you comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. All services provided by a vendor (including engineering, planning, survey, design, etc.) must be procured and contracted in a manner that follows the Federal regulations. This also includes any pre-award costs done by a vendor including assistance with sub-application development, and there are additional considerations if that vendor will also be assisting with the project post-award. Please take specific care in reviewing how you procure your engineering consultant because the federal regulations are more stringent than the Massachusetts State Procurement rules in that area. Documentation and compliance with these regulations will be required in order to reimburse federal funds.