Emergency Management Performance Grant

The Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) is a federally funded preparedness program administered at the state level in North Carolina by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety through its Emergency Management division. While the funding originates from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the State of North Carolina serves as the direct grantor to local applicants. The program is designed to strengthen the nation’s ability to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from emergencies by supporting state, local, and tribal emergency management programs. Its primary objective is to help jurisdictions implement the National Preparedness System and advance the National Preparedness Goal of a secure and resilient nation. In North Carolina, EMPG funding is distributed through a structured, state-managed process that prioritizes local emergency management capacity. All 100 counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians are eligible to apply, reflecting the state’s emphasis on locally driven emergency management programs. The state allocates funding using a tiered system based on population, and although federal funds are awarded to the state, North Carolina has committed to passing through a substantial portion to local jurisdictions. Each applicant is responsible for defining its own emergency management priorities while aligning with federal and state preparedness objectives. The scope of EMPG funding focuses on sustaining and enhancing all-hazards emergency management capabilities. Allowable costs include activities related to planning, operations, equipment, training, and exercises. Applicants must develop a detailed annual workplan that outlines how funds will be used to maintain baseline program capabilities and, if desired, to build additional capabilities that address identified gaps. Workplans must include clearly defined deliverables tied to either sustainment or capability-building efforts, and all funded activities must support core capabilities across the five mission areas of emergency management. A central requirement of the EMPG program is its cost-sharing structure. Recipients must provide non-federal contributions equal to at least 50 percent of the total project cost. This match may be met through cash or in-kind contributions, but all contributions must be verifiable, allowable, and compliant with federal regulations. The matching requirement ensures that local jurisdictions maintain financial investment in their emergency management programs and share responsibility for achieving preparedness outcomes. Failure to meet match requirements or properly document expenditures can result in reduced reimbursement or noncompliance. The application process is conducted annually through the state’s online grants management system, Salesforce. Applicants must submit a comprehensive application that includes a workplan narrative, budget details, and required documentation demonstrating compliance with program requirements. Applications are developed in coordination with regional emergency management staff and undergo review and approval before a Memorandum of Agreement is executed between the state and the applicant. Required deliverables include maintaining trained personnel, updating emergency operations plans, participating in exercises, and completing annual reporting and training requirements. The EMPG program operates on a recurring annual cycle. In North Carolina, the application period typically opens on October 1 and closes on December 31 preceding the performance year. Following submission, the federal Notice of Funding Opportunity is released in the spring, and the state finalizes agreements with local jurisdictions. The period of performance runs from July 1 through June 30 of the following year, aligning with most local fiscal years. Reimbursement requests must be submitted within 90 days after the end of the performance period, and all programmatic and financial closeout requirements must be completed to finalize the grant. This recurring structure requires applicants to reapply each year and continuously demonstrate compliance and progress in sustaining emergency management capabilities.

Ensure workplan clearly aligns with sustainment and capability goals document all match contributions and complete baseline deliverables to secure funding