Fiscal Year 2026 Cooperating Technical Partners (CTP) Program - Region 3

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 community resilience and flood risk management. This program operates under the National Flood Insurance Program and is designed to build local, state, and regional capacity for flood hazard identification and mapping. By partnering with eligible entities, FEMA seeks to improve the quality, accessibility, and usability of flood risk data that informs public safety decisions, insurance requirements, and long-term planning across the United States. The program is structured as a cooperative agreement, reflecting FEMA’s substantial involvement in guiding, reviewing, and supporting recipient activities. The primary purpose of the program is to enable communities to better understand and mitigate flood risk through the development and maintenance of flood hazard data, maps, and related analytical tools. Recipients are expected to contribute to the completion of ongoing flood mapping projects rather than initiating new studies in this funding cycle. Eligible project types include flood risk projects, letter of map revision review activities, and project management efforts. These activities collectively support the National Flood Insurance Program’s goals of improving floodplain management and encouraging risk-informed development decisions. Funding under this program is substantial, with total program funding of forty one million dollars distributed across multiple FEMA regions. Individual awards can range up to five million dollars, depending on project scope and complexity. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, although applicants are encouraged to demonstrate partner contributions in the form of leveraged data, resources, or technical capabilities. Allowable uses of funds include project management, data development, mapping activities, and certain travel or training costs tied directly to program objectives. However, strict limitations apply, including prohibitions on construction, equipment purchases, lobbying, and other non allowable expenses. Eligibility is limited to entities that already have an active Partnership Agreement with FEMA, which is a prerequisite for participation. Eligible applicants include state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, as well as nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education. Applicants must demonstrate technical capability, prior performance, and the ability to collaborate effectively with FEMA and other stakeholders. Applications must include documentation such as a signed Partnership Agreement and a detailed scope of work or mapping activity statement outlining proposed activities. The application process requires registration with federal systems including SAM.gov and FEMA GO, where all submissions must be completed. Applicants must submit standard federal forms, including the SF 424 series and lobbying disclosures, along with program specific documentation. The deadline for submission is August 17, 2026, at five pm Eastern Time. FEMA evaluates applications based on eligibility, technical capability, past performance, and partner contributions, with scoring used to prioritize funding decisions. Selection is anticipated in early September, with awards issued by the end of the fiscal year. Once awarded, recipients enter a performance period beginning October 1, 2026, and extending through September 30, 2029. During this period, recipients must adhere to detailed reporting requirements, including quarterly financial and performance reports submitted through FEMA GO. FEMA maintains close oversight throughout the lifecycle of the award, providing technical assistance, conducting reviews, and ensuring compliance with federal regulations. The cooperative nature of the program ensures ongoing collaboration between FEMA and recipients to achieve program goals and maintain high standards of data quality and project execution.

Emphasize prior FEMA partnership performance demonstrate strong technical capability and align proposed work with FEMA mapping priorities and existing project completion goals