BUILDING RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE & COMMUNITIES
BRIC
Authorized by Section 203 of the Stafford Act, the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) fund was created to support states, local communities, tribes and territories as they undertake hazard mitigation projects, reducing the risks they face from disasters and natural hazards.
FEMA recognizes the growing hazards associated with climate change, and the need for natural hazard risk mitigation activities that promote climate adaptation and resilience. A few of FEMA’s priorities under BRIC include natural hazard risk reduction activities that mitigate risk to public infrastructure and disadvantaged communities, incorporate nature-based solutions, and increase funding for the adoption and enforcement of the latest published editions of building codes.
The annual BRIC Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) will set priorities and assign point values for the evaluation criteria. FEMA will make selections based on the highest composite score until the funding amount available is reached. The benefits of these projects often extend to disadvantaged or underserved populations of larger communities where access to health and human services, transportation, and communications are a priority. In addition, the incorporation of nature-based solutions, local/state building codes, and previous awards of Advanced Assistance/Direct Technical Assistance contribute to the competitiveness of your project.
BRIC Subapplication Process
- Eligible Subapplicants
- Completing a Notice of Interest (NOI)
- Subapplication Development
- Accessing FEMA GO
- Resources & Technical Assistance
Eligible subapplicants include state agencies, federally recognized tribes, local governments, and special districts. Entities are required to have or be a recognized annex of a federally approved, locally adopted Hazard Mitigation Plan at the time of application and award. If your entity does not currently participate in a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP), please visit our Local Mitigation Planning page for information about the process.Â
If you are considering applying for Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities, please visit our Subapplication Development page to learn about the subapplication components or request a call with the Technical Assistance team.
When ready to apply, please complete an NOI, due to Cal OES via the CalOES Engage Portal. Access the portal to log in and complete your Notice of Interest. You must create an account if you do not already have one.
Please utilize the NOI User Guide for help creating an account and for a preview of the NOI questions.Â
Subapplicants interested in BRIC must submit a Notice of Interest (NOI) via the Cal OES Engage Portal before submitting a subapplication. All NOIs must be submitted by the posted deadline. NOIs submitted after this date will not be considered.Â
Cal OES will review NOIs for eligibility, competitiveness, and feasibility. Subapplicants with eligible projects will be invited to submit full grant subapplications, via FEMA’s Grants Outcomes (FEMA GO) program. Cal OES will review all subapplications and submit projects to FEMA per State and Federal priorities. FEMA will then review the submitted applications for programmatic, environmental and historic preservation (EHP) compliance, and technical criteria before obligating funds. Follow the Grant Opportunities link to view open funding opportunities.
If your NOI is approved in the Cal OES Engage system, it will progress to the subapplication development process. FEMA Grants Outcomes (FEMA GO) is the grants management system that supports several FEMA grant programs. The system allows users to apply, track, and manage grants. Access the FEMA GO grants management system to apply for the BRIC annual competitive programs.
Please utilize the FEMA GO Startup Guide which can assist with registering in FEMA GO, logging into the system, and managing your organization. The FEMA GO Application and Subapplication Process Guide provides a step-by-step guide to completing a subapplication. In addition, FEMA has a series of FEMA Go Guides on YouTube.
The Hazard Mitigation Resource Library contains Job Aids, templates, and links to external resources to guide you through the NOI and subapplication process. To contact the Technical Assistance team, please book a meeting here. We can discuss funding availability, project eligibility, and potential mitigation actions.
FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program and Policy Guide provides information for prospective subapplicants from state, local, tribal, and territorial governments on the application and grant processes for hazard mitigation assistance programs.
FAQ
Are there match fund requirements?
Federal funding is available to reimburse 75% of costs. Subapplicants who qualify for lower cost share percentages are given special consideration. The cost share for the BRIC program may be adjusted to 90% federal and 10% non-federal for the projects located in the Community Disaster Resilience Zones (CDRZ) or Economically Disadvantaged Rural Communities (calculated by population).
When is funding made available?Â
BRIC is not dependent on disaster impact and is available through a national competitive process, usually held concurrently with the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) program. The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is available annually, typically in August. Please navigate to our Grant Opportunities page to view open funding opportunities.Â
What activities are eligible under BRIC?Â
BRIC funds a broad range of hazard mitigation activities, which includes Capability and Capacity Building Activities, Building Code related activities, Project Scoping, and both phased and non-phased construction projects through a competitive selection process.
How much funding is made available? Is there a ceiling for project costs?
During the 2023 grant cycle, $1 billion was available for BRIC. States and territories were each allocated $2 million. In addition, California had $2 million set aside for Building Code Plus-Up activities. The nationally competitive subtotal was $701,000,000. There is a $50 million federal share activity cap per Construction Project subapplication.
What is BRIC Direct Technical Assistance?
BRIC Direct Technical Assistance (BRIC DTA) provides non-financial direct technical assistance to federally recognized tribal governments and any local government entities. Non-financial assistance can include climate risk assessments, community engagement, partnership building, and mitigation and climate adaptation planning. This opportunity is facilitated by FEMA; eligible entities can request BRIC DTA support via a Letter of Interest (LOI) at BRIC Direct Technical Assistance.Â
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