Hazard Mitigation

Flood Mitigation Assistance

Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) provides funds that measures can be taken to reduce or eliminate risk of flood damage to buildings insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Funding is available on an annual basis (as appropriated).

In 2013, the FMA program was reorganized. This process consolidated multiple flood mitgiation programs into a single FMA program which seeks to reduce or eliminate claims under the National Flood Insurance Program. Below are the previously independent programs that have been absorbed into the FMA program:

• Repetitive Flood Claims: Program aimed to reduce flood damages to properties for which one or more flood insurance claim payments had been made.
• Severe Repetitive Loss: Program was designed to reduce flood damages to residential properties that had experienced severe repetitive losses under flood insurance coverage.

Cost Share

• 75% (Federal) / 25% (Non-Federal) – insured properties and planning grants
• 90% (Federal) / 10% (Non-Federal) – repetitive loss (RL)* property
• 100% (Federal) – severe repetitive loss (SRL)* property

*Repetitive Loss: A structure that has incurred flood-related damage on two (2) occasions, in which the cost of the repair, on the average, equaled or exceeded 25 percent of the market value of the structure at the time of each such flood event.

*Severe Repetitive Loss: A structure has at least four (4) flood related damages claims payments (including building and contents) over $5,000 each, and the cumulative amount of such claims payments exceeds $20,000.

Eligible Sub-Applicants

• State Agencies
• Local Governments
• Tribal Governments

Successful Rhode Island Sub-Applicants

For additional program specific information, please visit FEMA's FMA website.

Pre-Disaster Mitigation

Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) provides funds for hazard mitigation planning and the implementation of mitigation projects prior to a disaster. The goal of the PDM program is to reduce overall risk to the population and structures, while at the same time, also reducing reliance on Federal funding from actual disaster declarations. Funding is available on an annual basis (as appropriated).

For Rhode Island communities, PDM has traditionally been the most popular way to receive an award to create or update a local hazard mitigation plan. Sub-applicants may also pursue funds through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program for mitigation planning. For more information on the mitigation planning processes, please visit the Mitigation Planning page.

Cost Share

• 75% (Federal) / 25% (Non-Federal)

Eligible Sub-Applicants

• State Agencies
• Local Governments
• Tribal Governments

Successful Rhode Island Sub-Applicants

For more program specific information, please visit FEMA's PDM website.

Hazard Mitigation Grant Program

The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) assists in implementing long-term hazard mitigation measures following Presidential disaster declarations. Funding is available to implement plans or projects in accordance with State, Tribal, and local priorities.

Unlike the FMA or PDM programs, HMGP is the ONLY post-disaster mitigation program.  Following a disaster declaration, States are allotted 15% of total disaster assistance grants provided by FEMA for HMGP.  

Cost Share

• 75% (Federal) / 25% (Non-Federal)

Eligible Sub-Applicants

• State Agencies
• Local Governments
• Tribal Governments
• Private Non-Profit Organizations

Successful Rhode Island Sub-Applicants

For more program specific information, please visit FEMA's HMPG website.