What is FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)?
FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) is a federal grant program which provides funding in the aftermath of presidentially declared disasters to state, local, tribal and territorial governments of affected communities. The hazard mitigation department of FEMA oversees the HMGP, as well as the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant (PDM) and Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant (FMA).
What Can HMGP Funding Be Used For?
HMGP funding is for the development of hazard mitigation plans and for rebuilding from hazard damage in a way that reduces the likelihood of similar damage in future disasters. To receive funding for hazard mitigation projects the government entity applying must develop and adopt hazard mitigation plans.
How Long is a Hazard Mitigation Plan Good For?
For an entity to maintain eligibility, hazard mitigation plans need to be updated and re-submitted to FEMA for approval every five years. Plans must be approved prior to disasters for entities to receive funding and should identify hazards, assess community needs and describe a community-wide strategy for reducing risks associated with natural disasters.
How Can UrbanEcoTech Help Resilience Planners Make a Successful Hazard Mitigation Plan?
Successful mitigation plans should identify hazards, assess community needs and describe a community-wide strategy for reducing risks associated with natural disasters. UrbanEcoTech can help resilience planners identify the hazards facing their communities, understand where those hazards are more prevalent, understand why those areas are being impacted the most severely and plan responses which will target those critical factors using local data.
What Types of Eligible Actions Can UrbanEcotech Help With?
UrbanEcoTech helps resilience planners design and implement nature based solutions using local data to drive an evidence based approach to results. In doing so UrbanEcoTech can help communities implement a diverse set of eligible projects effectively, including: mitigation projects, localized and non-localized flood reduction projects, hazard mitigation planning, planning related activities and miscellaneous projects.
What Are Some Examples of Hazard Mitigation Actions Using UrbanEcoTech?
There is a large diversity of nature based solutions which provide hazard mitigation, including urban forests, rain gardens, green roofs, green streets, tree trenches, land conservation, canopy cover, coastal dunes, stormwater and waterfront parks, living shorelines (i.e. mangroves), and many others. These nature based solutions offer their communities many critical co-benefits as well. Nature based solutions are eligible actions for HMGP projects and should be included in official community hazard mitigation plans.