Grant Spotlight: FEMA BRIC Grants

Occasionally on Rural Resurrection, we spotlight a few grants that are available to rural communities throughout the Midwest. Usually, we are talking about a specific project and mention how a grant has helped that project become a reality. But sometimes the grants themselves need attention.

FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) provides funds and technical assistance to states, local governments, tribes, and territories to create projects aimed at reducing each entity’s hazard risk. The BRIC grant funds nearly $1 billion in projects each year to support communities as they build capability and capacity to deal with hazards as they arise. 

What kinds of projects will the FEMA BRIC Grants fund?

There are three main categories that BRIC funds may be used for:

• Capability- and capacity-building activities
• Mitigation projects
• Management costs

A list of project types within the Hazard Mitigation Assistance Guidance provides more clarity on what specific projects are eligible for funding through the program. Additionally, the HMA Mitigation Action Portfolio (MAP) provides some case studies on previously funded projects. Some of the previously approved projects include building code improvements, hazard mitigation planning, building retrofits, emergency shelters, and flood mitigation projects.

What’s the Process?

Eligible applicants and subapplicants must apply for funding using the grants management system: 

FEMA GO

This year’s grant cycle will open up in mid-October and will close in February. But don’t wait until the new year to look at submitting a grant application. Federal grants typically require a significant amount of forms to fill out and sometimes additional approvals to acquire. Check out the webpage for the BRIC grants to find out more and start your application process.

Grants featured in Grant Spotlight posts are also on the Rural Resurrection Tool Kit page. For more grant opportunities, check out the Tool Kit page.