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Mitigation Programs

2023 Building Resilient Infrastructure (BRIC) and Communities and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Programs’ Webinar Series

2023 BRIC and FMA Programs’ Webinar Series will bring FEMA subject-matter experts and partners together to provide technical information, best practices, tools and resources regarding these grant programs. There will also be a review of the fiscal year 2023 Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) for BRIC and FMA. For more information please e-mail ema.mitigation@illinois.gov.

The Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security has many different funding options for the type of project you have planned. Previous projects include but are not limited to: designing and updating plans, home buyouts, elevating or relocating structures, and hardening facilities against earthquakes, to name a few. Whatever your project is, we will work to help fund your mitigation effort. Guided by the Federal Emergency Management ​Agency, the following programs are available to aid your mitigation plans and projects.

Some additional information on mitigation programs can be viewed by clicking on the links below:

FEMA has designed a table that breaks down the differences in each program. To view this table click here.

In order to begin the grant process, an application is needed. To begin the process, click here.

Flood Mitigation Assistance Program

The Flood Mitigation Assistance program (FMA) is a cost-share program (75% federal, 25% local match) through which communities can receive grants for the development of a comprehensive flood mitigation plan and the implementation of flood mitigation projects.

Funding Guidelines:

  • Communities must belong to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to receive FMA funds.
  • To receive an FMA project grant a community must have an approved flood mitigation plan. Typically, funded FMA projects are for the acquisition and demolition of repetitively flooded structures insured by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Goals of the Programs:

  • The overall goal of FMA is to fund cost-effective measures that reduce or eliminate the long-term risk of flood damage to NFIP-insured buildings, manufactured homes and other structures.
  • Reduce the number of repetitively or substantially damaged structures and the associated claims on the NFIP
  • Encourage long-term, comprehensive mitigation planning
  • Respond to the needs of communities participating in the NFIP
  • Complement other federal and state mitigation programs with similar goals

There are two types of FMA grants available: planning grants and project grants. The funds allocated to the state are based on the number of flood insurance policies in place statewide as well as the number of identified repetitive loss properties. A repetitive loss property is any insured structure that has two or more flood insurance claims of at least $1,000 each.

For more information on FMA, click here.

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Hazard Mitigation Grant Program

The Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security administers the HMGP and makes grants available to state and local governments as well as eligible private, non-profit organizations to implement cost-effective and long-term mitigation measures following a major disaster declaration.

Funding Guidelines:

  • The amount of funding made available is a percentage of total disaster costs and therefore will vary with each disaster.
  • A project does not have to be in a declared county to be eligible for HMGP funding. Therefore, every community that is vulnerable to natural hazards should consider applying for HMGP funds.

Program Regulations:

  • In order to receive HMGP funds, the community must be participating and in good standing with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
  • Eligible projects must be environmentally sound, cost-effective, solve a problem and prevent future disaster damages.
  • Projects can protect either public or private property.
  • Approved projects receive 75% federal funding. The applicant is responsible for 25% of the project costs.
  • As of November 1, 2004, communities are required to have an approved all hazards mitigation plan to be eligible for HMGP grant funds.

For more information on the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, click here.

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Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program

The Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Program makes funding available to local governments and state governments to implement cost-effective hazard mitigation activities that complement a comprehensive mitigation program.

Funding Guidelines:

  • Funding may be awarded for development of an all-hazards mitigation plan or for a cost-effective hazard mitigation project.

Program Regulations:

  • The first priority is to complete an approvable plan. As of November 1, 2004, local governments applying for PDM funds for local mitigation projects must first have an approved local mitigation plan.
  • Approved projects receive 75% federal funding for total project costs. The applicant is responsible for 25% of project costs.
  • The local share may be in the form of in-kind services as well as dollars; however, no other federal source of money may be used to fund the local share.
  • All Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Program applicants must be participating in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) if they have been identified through the NFIP as having a Special Flood Hazard Area (a Flood Hazard Boundary Map (FHBM) or Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) has been issued).
  • In addition, the community must not be suspended or on probation from the NFIP.

For more information on PDM funds, click here.

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Severe Repetitive Loss Program

FEMA’s Severe Repetitive Loss Program is no longer a stand-alone funding source, but remains available under the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Program for mitigating properties determined to satisfy NFIP criteria as Repetitive Loss (RL) or Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL).

For more information about this program, see details of the Flood Mitigation Assistance Program above, or contact Sam Al-Basha, State Hazard Mitigation Officer at Sam.m.Al-Basha@illinois.gov

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Funding

Acquisition Information

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Illinois Mitigation Planning Report