Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Program

The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program is a federal hazard mitigation initiative administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and implemented at the state level through agencies such as the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management. The program is designed to provide pre disaster funding to reduce long term risks to people and property from natural hazards. Through this funding opportunity, FEMA aims to shift focus toward proactive resilience investments that reduce disaster recovery costs while strengthening infrastructure systems and community preparedness nationwide. The core purpose of the program is to support infrastructure projects and mitigation activities that enhance resilience against natural hazards such as floods, storms, and other environmental risks. The current funding cycle emphasizes construction ready infrastructure projects and the adoption and enforcement of modern building codes. Unlike prior cycles, hazard mitigation planning activities are no longer eligible for funding, and all supported capability and capacity building efforts must directly support infrastructure outcomes. This shift reflects a prioritization of tangible, high impact investments that can demonstrate measurable risk reduction benefits. Funding for this cycle totals one billion dollars nationwide, with allocations divided among state territory set asides, building code enhancement funds, and a large national competition pool. Individual projects in the national competition are subject to a reduced federal funding cap compared to prior years. The program places significant emphasis on project readiness, with scoring criteria heavily rewarding projects that have reached advanced design stages. Additionally, all funded projects must comply with federal procurement regulations and domestic sourcing requirements under the Build America Buy America Act. Eligible applicants include local governments, tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations that meet federal requirements and submit applications through their state emergency management agency. Subapplicants must have a FEMA approved Local Hazard Mitigation Plan in place at the time of application and award obligation unless they qualify for specific extraordinary circumstances exceptions. These exceptions may apply to small impoverished communities, jurisdictions impacted by disasters, or those lacking capacity for plan development. Applicants pursuing certain infrastructure related capacity building activities may be exempt from this requirement. The application process requires submission through the state agency, which reviews and forwards eligible applications to FEMA. In Oklahoma, applicants must submit their materials ahead of the federal deadline to allow for state level review. Applications must include detailed project plans, cost estimates, and documentation demonstrating compliance with procurement standards. Applicants must also ensure that contractors involved in application development do not create conflicts of interest during project implementation unless procurement was handled through a compliant single contract process. Evaluation of applications is based on multiple criteria including project readiness, cost effectiveness, and alignment with resilience goals. Projects that are near construction readiness receive significantly higher scoring weight. Applicants are encouraged to advance designs as much as possible prior to submission. Additional evaluation considerations include compliance with federal requirements, clarity of project scope, and demonstrated ability to execute the project within the proposed timeline. The application window for this funding cycle opens in late March and closes in late July, with earlier internal deadlines established by state agencies. Applicants are advised to coordinate closely with their state emergency management office and adhere to all submission requirements. Questions regarding the program can be directed to the official program email provided by the administering agency. The program is part of an ongoing federal initiative and is expected to continue in future cycles, reflecting a recurring opportunity for communities to invest in resilience and mitigation efforts.

Advance project design to near construction readiness ensure procurement compliance and avoid conflicts of interest