Fiscal Year 2026 Cooperating Technical Partners (CTP) Program - Region 6

The Cooperating Technical Partners Program is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as part of its broader mission to support national resilience and flood risk management. The program operates under the National Flood Insurance Program and is designed to strengthen partnerships between FEMA and state, local, tribal, and other qualified entities that have technical capabilities in floodplain mapping and risk analysis. Through this program, FEMA collaborates with partners to develop, maintain, and enhance flood hazard data and mapping tools that are essential for informed planning and mitigation decisions across communities. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to support activities that improve the identification and understanding of flood risk. Recipients are expected to contribute to the development and maintenance of flood hazard maps, risk analysis data, and related technical outputs. These efforts are intended to increase public awareness of flood risks and enable more effective mitigation strategies. In the current funding cycle, FEMA has emphasized completing ongoing mapping projects rather than initiating new ones, reflecting a strategic focus on finalizing existing work and improving data quality and usability. Funding is provided through cooperative agreements, meaning FEMA maintains substantial involvement in project execution. This includes oversight, technical assistance, quality control, and coordination with recipients. Allowable activities are limited to specific project types, including Flood Risk Projects, Letter of Map Revision review activities, and Project Management. Certain costs are explicitly unallowable, such as construction, equipment purchases, international travel, and outreach-only initiatives. Administrative costs are permitted but capped at a percentage of the award, and all expenditures must comply with federal regulations governing cost allowability and documentation. Eligibility for the program is restricted to entities that have an active Partnership Agreement with FEMA. Eligible applicants include state and local governments, tribal governments, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and special district governments. Applicants must demonstrate technical capability, prior performance, and the ability to collaborate effectively with FEMA and other stakeholders. Subawards are permitted, and applicants may include partners or contractors as part of their project execution strategy, provided all compliance and oversight requirements are met. The application process requires submission through the FEMA Grants Outcomes system and includes standard federal forms, a detailed budget, and program-specific documentation such as a signed Partnership Agreement and a Mapping Activity Statement or Scope of Work. Applicants must maintain active registrations in SAM.gov and Grants.gov and ensure all organizational identifiers are current. The application deadline is mid-August, with anticipated award decisions occurring in early September and project start dates aligned with the federal fiscal year. Applications are evaluated based on criteria including past performance, technical capability, and the extent of partner contributions. FEMA assesses the quality and timeliness of prior work, the applicant’s ability to deliver technically sound outputs, and their capacity to leverage resources effectively. Projects must align with program priorities and demonstrate measurable outcomes tied to flood risk reduction and mapping accuracy. The period of performance for awarded projects spans approximately three years, allowing sufficient time for completion of complex mapping and analysis tasks. Throughout the award lifecycle, recipients are required to submit regular financial and performance reports and comply with all federal oversight, auditing, and monitoring requirements. The program is offered annually, and future funding cycles are expected to follow a similar timeline, subject to federal appropriations and program priorities.

Focus on demonstrating past performance technical capability and strong coordination with FEMA while aligning project activities to existing mapping priorities and completing ongoing work rather than proposing new studies