Fiscal Year 2026 Cooperating Technical Partners (CTP) Program - Region 4

The Cooperating Technical Partners Program is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The program operates as part of the National Flood Insurance Program and is designed to build partnerships with state, local, tribal, and other eligible entities to improve flood hazard data and mapping capabilities. Through this cooperative framework, FEMA works closely with recipients to strengthen local capacity for identifying flood risks, maintaining accurate flood maps, and supporting risk informed planning decisions. The program reflects a long standing federal effort to enhance resilience by ensuring that communities have access to reliable flood information. The primary purpose of the program is to support the development, maintenance, and refinement of flood hazard data and mapping products. These outputs are intended to increase public awareness of flood risks and enable communities to take appropriate mitigation actions. Funding supports activities such as flood risk projects, letter of map revision review processes, and project management functions. The program explicitly excludes certain activities such as construction, equipment purchases, and community outreach mitigation strategies for this fiscal year, reflecting a strategic focus on completing existing mapping efforts rather than initiating new studies. Funding is provided through cooperative agreements, which require substantial involvement from FEMA throughout the lifecycle of the project. FEMA collaborates with recipients on planning, execution, and quality assurance, including reviewing deliverables, coordinating with stakeholders, and ensuring compliance with national mapping standards. The total program funding for the fiscal year is distributed across multiple regions, with a defined ceiling per award. While there is no cost sharing or matching requirement, applicants are encouraged to demonstrate strong partner contributions such as data, resources, or technical capabilities that enhance the value of federal funding. Eligibility is restricted to entities that have an active partnership agreement with FEMA. Eligible applicants include state governments, local governments, tribal governments, institutions of higher education, nonprofits, and special district governments. Applicants must submit a copy of their signed partnership agreement as part of the application. Subawards are permitted, but recipients remain responsible for ensuring compliance with federal regulations and program requirements. Applicants must also demonstrate technical capability, prior performance, and the ability to manage projects effectively. The application process requires registration in federal systems including SAM.gov and FEMA GO, as well as submission of a complete application package through FEMA GO. Required components include standard federal forms, a partnership agreement, and a mapping activity statement or scope of work. Applicants are encouraged to coordinate with FEMA prior to submission to align proposed activities with program priorities. Applications are evaluated based on criteria including past performance, technical capability, and partner contributions, with scoring used to prioritize funding decisions. The application window opens in early July and closes in mid August, with awards anticipated by the end of September. The period of performance spans approximately three years, beginning in October and ending in September three years later. Throughout this period, recipients must meet reporting requirements, including quarterly financial and performance reports. The program is issued annually, and future cycles are expected to follow a similar timeline, supporting ongoing collaboration between FEMA and its partners to enhance flood risk management nationwide.

Emphasize strong past performance with FEMA projects, demonstrate technical capability and mapping expertise, and highlight partner contributions that add value beyond federal funding