Non-Disaster Based Funding

Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Grant Program

April 10, 2025 UPDATE: FEMA has cancelled the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Program and the FY2024 Funding Round. Additional guidance from FEMA on the impact to prior BRIC awards is anticipated soon.

The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program is an annual FEMA funding program for hazard mitigation. BRIC will support states, local communities, and territories, as they undertake hazard mitigation projects to reduce the risk from natural hazards.

Program Details:

State application deadline: Friday, February 28, 2025. All applications must be submitted in FEMA GO, which requires entering a Unique Entity ID (sign up through SAM.GOV)
Eligible Applicants: State agencies, Regional Planning Commissions, municipalities, and other government entities. The project area must have an approved Local Hazard Mitigation Plan at the time of application submittal and application award.
Funding Available for FY24: There are 3 relevant funding pots for Vermont:
- $2 million (federal share) set-aside for Vermont applications for planning and scoping.
- $2 million (federal share) set-aside for Vermont applications for "building code plus-ups" (see below).
- $451 million (federal share) is available for the national competition for scoping applications (up to $45.1 million of the total) and mitigation projects.
Eligible Projects:
- Project Scoping: this funding can be used for a specific structure, like a bridge or culvert, or for a larger area (e.g. floodplain restoration). Scoping projects typically include an analysis of alternatives, public outreach, designs (up to 100% bid documents), environmental and historic preservation analysis (EHP), cost estimate, scope for final design and construction, and Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) for the preferred alternative.
- Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) Development/Updates: each year under this program, VEM submits one application for all interested towns to update their LHMPs or develop new LHMPs. If you are interested in being included in this application, please email dps.hazardmitigation@vermont.gov. In addition to LHMPs, you can apply for other planning activities related to mitigation risk in your communities/regions.
- Construction Projects: such as floodplain restoration, culvert upsizing, dam or bridge removal, road relocations, streambank and soil stabilization, utility or municipal floodproofing projects.
- Building Code Plus-Ups: mitigation activities that carry out eligible building code adoption and enforcement activities, such as: evaluating adoption and/or implementation of codes that reduce risk; enhancing existing adopted codes to incorporate more current requirements or higher standards; and developing professional workforce capabilities relating to building codes through technical assistance and training.
Management Costs: 5% of total project costs will be available to sub-applicants for managing the grant award. This portion is 100% federal funded.
Cost Share: 75% federal, 25% local non-federal (cash and/or in-kind); 90% federal share is available for Economically Disadvantaged Rural Communities (EDRCs) and Community Disaster Resilience Zones (CDRZs). If you have questions on whether your community would qualify for 90% cost share, please contact DPS.HazardMitigation@vermont.gov.

For more information visit FY24 Notice of Funding Page, the more detailed Notice of Funding Opportunity, or visit the BRIC Resources Page.

If you have questions or you would like to discuss a project idea, reach out to DPS.HazardMitigation@vermont.gov.

Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA)

The Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant program funds states, local communities, and territories to reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings and structures insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Program Details:

State application deadline: Friday, February 28, 2025. All applications must be submitted in FEMA GO, which requires entering a Unique Entity ID (sign up through SAM.GOV)
Funding Available for FY24: Total available in national competition is $600 million, broken down as follows:
- $60 million for applications like scoping and planning
- $480 million for localized flood risk reduction projects
- $120 million for individual flood mitigation projects
Cost Share: Generally, 75% federal, 25% local non-federal (cash and/or in-kind) for NFIP-insured properties; however, FEMA may contribute up to 100% federal cost share for NFIP-defined severe repetitive loss (SRL) properties, up to 90% federal cost share for NFIP-defined repetitive loss (RL) properties, and up to 90% federal cost share for NFIP-insured properties with high social vulnerability. To confirm your project's cost share, please contact dps.hazardmitigation@vermont.gov.
Management Costs: 5% of total project costs will be available to sub-applicants for managing the grant award. This portion is 100% federal funded."
Management Costs: 5% of total project costs will be available to sub-applicants for managing the grant award. This portion is 100% federal funded."
Individual Flood Mitigation Projects: buyout, elevation, mitigation reconstruction, dry floodproofing, etc. Note, structures must be NFIP-insured to be eligible. To confirm eligibility, please contact dps.hazardmitigation@vermont.gov.
Eligible Projects (must benefit properties insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)):
- Project Scoping: this funding can be used for a specific structure, like a bridge or culvert, or for a larger area (e.g. floodplain restoration). Scoping projects typically include an analysis of alternatives, public outreach, designs (up to 100% bid documents), environmental and historic preservation analysis (EHP), cost estimate, scope for final design and construction, and Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) for the preferred alternative.
- Individual Flood Mitigation Projects: buyout, elevation, mitigation reconstruction, dry floodproofing, etc. Note, minimum of 75% included properties must be Repetitive Loss (RL) and/or Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL). To confirm eligibility, please contact dps.hazardmitigation@vermont.gov.
- Localized Flood Risk Reduction Construction Projects: Construction projects that benefit properties insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), such as floodplain restoration, stormwater improvements, nature-based infrastructure solutions, floodwater storage and diversion, and localized flood control projects.

For more information see the Fact Sheet, the more detailed Notice of Funding Opportunity, the FY24 Notice of Funding Page, or visit the FMA Resources Page.

Information for Subgrantees with Approved Projects

If your agency, municipality, RPC or private non-profit has received an award under any of the Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grant programs, please consider the following information.

Quarterly Reports are due January 15th, April 15th, July 15th and October 15th. Failure to submit quarterly reports may result in delayed or halted reimbursement.
Upon project completion, and after all final reimbursement requests have been submitted, please contact dps.hazardmitigation@vermont.gov to request a closeout visit.
Should your project require unanticipated cost overruns (potentially available, but only under HMGP) and/or scope of work alterations please contact dps.hazardmitigation@vermont.gov and fill out a Grant Modification Request Form.

Eligible Applicants and/or Subapplicants

State
Local governments
Other quasigovernmental organizations such as Regional Planning Commissions (RPC) or Conservation Districts

Individual homeowners and businesses may not apply directly to the program; however an eligible Applicant or Subapplicant may apply on their behalf.

To better understand how applications are reviewed by the State Hazard Mitigation Project Review Committee, please see the HMA Project Review Form.

If you have any questions regarding BRIC or FMA please contact DPS.HazardMitigation@vermont.gov.