Fiscal Year 2026 Cooperating Technical Partners (CTP) Program - Region 7

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 the National Flood Insurance Program. This program is designed to strengthen collaboration between FEMA and qualified partners to improve the quality, availability, and usability of flood hazard data. By working with state, local, tribal, and other eligible entities, FEMA seeks to expand national capacity for identifying flood-prone areas and supporting informed decision-making related to flood risk management. The program operates through cooperative agreements, reflecting FEMA’s substantial involvement in guiding project execution, reviewing deliverables, and ensuring compliance with national standards. The primary purpose of the program is to develop and maintain flood hazard data and maps that help communities understand and reduce flood risk. These efforts support planning, zoning, infrastructure investment, and insurance decisions across both public and private sectors. In the current funding cycle, the program emphasizes completing existing flood mapping projects rather than initiating new studies. Eligible project types are limited to Flood Risk Projects, Letter of Map Revision activities, and Project Management functions. This narrowed scope reflects a strategic focus on finalizing ongoing work and improving the timeliness and quality of deliverables. Funding under this opportunity is provided through cooperative agreements with a total program allocation of forty one million dollars across multiple regions, including Region 7. Individual awards may range up to five million dollars, with no defined minimum award level. The program does not require cost sharing or matching contributions, although FEMA prioritizes applicants that demonstrate the ability to leverage additional resources or partnerships. Funds must be used in accordance with federal cost principles and are restricted from supporting construction, equipment purchases, lobbying, or certain administrative activities outside approved scopes of work. Eligibility for the program 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, nonprofit organizations with appropriate tax status, and special district governments. Applicants must submit their signed Partnership Agreement along with a defined scope of work or mapping activity statement outlining proposed activities. Subawards are permitted, but recipients remain responsible for oversight and compliance with all federal requirements. The application process requires registration in federal systems including SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and FEMA’s Grants Outcomes system. Applicants must submit standard federal forms, including budget and assurance documents, along with program specific materials such as resumes of key personnel and detailed project plans. Applications are evaluated through a structured review process that includes threshold eligibility checks followed by scoring based on past performance, technical capability, and partner contributions. Each criterion is assessed on a scale, and total scores are used to rank applications for funding decisions. Key dates for the program include an application opening around early July and a submission deadline in mid August. Awards are anticipated to be announced in early September, with final awards issued by the end of that month. The period of performance is expected to run for three years, beginning October first and ending September thirtieth of the third year. Throughout the award period, recipients must meet strict reporting requirements, including quarterly financial and performance reports, and comply with federal oversight and audit standards. FEMA maintains active involvement throughout the lifecycle of each award, providing technical assistance, reviewing deliverables, and coordinating with recipients to ensure alignment with national flood mapping priorities. The program also includes defined performance measures, such as completion timelines for mapping activities and review processes, which recipients must meet. Contact support is available through FEMA program offices and help desks, ensuring applicants and recipients can access assistance throughout both the application and implementation phases.

Strong past performance and demonstrated technical capability are critical selection factors align proposed activities with FEMA priorities and ensure clear measurable outcomes demonstrate ability to coordinate with FEMA and stakeholders