Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Program

The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program is administered through the Virginia Department of Emergency Management as part of a broader federal hazard mitigation framework led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This program represents a continuation and expansion of FEMA’s pre-disaster mitigation efforts, replacing the former Pre-Disaster Mitigation program. It is designed to support proactive investments in infrastructure resilience before disasters occur. Through this program, state agencies, local governments, tribal governments, and regional planning entities are encouraged to develop and implement projects that reduce long-term risk to people and property from natural hazards. The primary purpose of the program is to enhance community resilience by funding infrastructure-based mitigation activities. These include projects that reduce damage from hazards such as floods, wildfires, droughts, earthquakes, and severe weather events. The program emphasizes long-term, cost-effective solutions that protect critical infrastructure, public safety, and essential services. In addition to direct infrastructure improvements, the program also supports certain capability- and capacity-building activities, provided they are directly tied to infrastructure outcomes, such as building code adoption and enforcement tied to resilience goals. Funding under this opportunity is restricted to projects that meet strict eligibility and design requirements. Hazard mitigation projects must involve infrastructure or construction elements and must have at least a conceptual design at the time of application. Phased projects are not eligible, indicating that submissions must represent complete and actionable proposals rather than preliminary or multi-stage concepts. Capability-building efforts are eligible only when they directly support infrastructure resilience, excluding general planning efforts such as hazard mitigation plan updates unless tied to a specific infrastructure project. Eligible applicants include cities, counties, towns, planning district commissions, state agencies, and tribal governments within Virginia. These entities must submit their applications through the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, which serves as the intermediary between applicants and FEMA. VDEM reviews all submitted applications, requests additional information as needed, and ultimately submits selected sub-applications through FEMA’s grants system. This layered submission process ensures that all applications meet both state and federal requirements prior to final consideration. The application process opens on March 25, 2026, and closes on May 25, 2026. Applicants must adhere to the state-level deadline to allow sufficient time for review and submission to FEMA. Supporting materials such as the Notice of Funding Opportunity, evaluation criteria, fact sheets, and informational webinar recordings are provided to guide applicants in preparing competitive proposals. While specific application components are not explicitly detailed in the provided material, applicants can reasonably expect to submit technical project descriptions, cost estimates, and documentation demonstrating cost-effectiveness and resilience outcomes. Evaluation of applications is based on criteria outlined in the program materials, which typically include project effectiveness, cost-benefit analysis, technical feasibility, and alignment with hazard mitigation priorities. The program places strong emphasis on infrastructure resilience and public safety outcomes, ensuring that funded projects deliver measurable reductions in disaster risk. While award timelines and funding amounts are not specified in the provided information, applicants should anticipate a competitive selection process aligned with federal mitigation priorities. The program operates on a recurring basis as part of FEMA’s annual hazard mitigation funding cycle. Applicants are encouraged to monitor future funding rounds and maintain readiness for submission. Additional resources, including webinars and technical guidance documents, are made available to support applicants throughout the process. Questions and technical assistance can be directed to the Virginia Department of Emergency Management through their official website and contact channels.

Ensure projects have conceptual design ready; focus on cost-effective infrastructure resilience outcomes; align with hazard mitigation priorities