FEMA- 2023 Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program and Policy Guide (HMA Guide)

Letter from the Assistant Administrator (Acting) for Mitigation
I am pleased to share the 2023 Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program and Policy Guide (HMA Guide)
as FEMA’s updated comprehensive policy handbook to govern mitigation grant programs. This
document replaces the 2015 HMA Guidance and HMA Guidance Addendum.

Since the last update and publication, many developments have impacted our mitigation grant
programs. They include the passage of the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018; the rollout of a
new hazard mitigation grant program—Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC);
significantly increased funding and accessibility to mitigation programs via the Infrastructure
Investments and Jobs Act of 2021; and prioritization of new resilience concepts to accelerate and
advance mitigation investment, such as those outlined in the National Mitigation Investment
Strategy and FEMA’s Building Codes Strategy.

In addition, FEMA recently launched the new Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund program,
which provides capitalization grants to states, eligible tribal nations, territories and the District of
Columbia to establish a revolving loan fund to offer low-cost loans to help local governments fund
additional mitigation measures, including using it as the non-federal cost share for other HMA
programs. This program is not included in this update as it is under development, but more
information can be found on the Safeguarding Tomorrow RLF program webpage.

The HMA Guide update offers an important opportunity for FEMA to integrate these developments
while also supporting the three bold, ambitious goals outlined in the 2022-2026 FEMA Strategic
Plan: instill equity as a foundation of emergency management; lead whole of community in climate
resilience and promote and sustain a ready FEMA and prepared nation.
FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant programs provide funding for actions that address risks
to and reduce disaster suffering from events like wildfires, drought, extreme heat, hurricanes,
earthquakes and flooding. The updated HMA Guide provides helpful information for state, local,
tribal and territorial governments seeking to successfully navigate the application and grant lifecycle
processes. And with the unprecedented funding that has been made available for mitigation over the
past few years, it has never been more important to reduce the barriers to accessing these grant
dollars and get them into the right hands for the most impactful mitigation projects.

The HMA Guide update is the first step in a multi-phase process to better engage stakeholders, shift
to a more agile update process, and increase the accessibility of information for HMA policy and
programs.
With regards,
Eric Letvin
Assistant Administrator (Acting), Mitigation Directorate

Media

Taxonomy

• Risk Mitigation Strategy
• Mitigation
• Grants
• Mitigation