Fiscal Year 2026 Emergency Management Performance Grant Program

The Emergency Management Performance Grant Program is administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This program represents a core federal investment in building and sustaining emergency management capabilities across the United States and its territories. It is structured as a noncompetitive grant program distributed to states and territories based on a population driven allocation formula. The program is rooted in federal statutes including the Stafford Act and the Post Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act, and it plays a central role in supporting national preparedness and resilience efforts across all hazards including natural disasters and evolving threats. The primary purpose of the program is to assist state, local, tribal, and territorial emergency management agencies in enhancing their operational readiness and preparedness capabilities. Funding is intended to support planning, organization, equipment acquisition, training, and exercises. The program emphasizes strengthening core capabilities identified through national preparedness frameworks such as the Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment and the Stakeholder Preparedness Review. Recipients are expected to focus on closing capability gaps, sustaining operational readiness, and building continuity of government functions. Funding under this program can be used for a wide range of allowable activities including emergency planning, personnel costs for emergency management staff, training initiatives, exercise development, and equipment purchases aligned with FEMA guidance. However, there are explicit restrictions on the use of funds, including prohibitions on weapons purchases, law enforcement staffing for traditional duties, and unrelated activities. The program also permits indirect costs and limited management and administration expenses. Recipients must ensure all expenditures comply with federal cost principles and fall within approved work plans. A key requirement of the program is a cost share obligation. Recipients must provide a non federal match equal to at least fifty percent of the total project cost, which may be met through cash contributions or in kind support. This requirement ensures shared responsibility between federal and state or territorial governments in maintaining preparedness capabilities. Certain insular territories may be exempt from the cost share requirement under federal law. Eligibility for the program is limited to state and territorial governments, specifically the State Administrative Agency or the state Emergency Management Agency. Only one application is permitted per state or territory, though subawards to local entities are allowed. Applicants must meet several administrative prerequisites including maintaining active registrations in federal systems such as SAM.gov and Grants.gov, and submitting applications through the FEMA Grants Outcomes system. Required application components include standard federal forms and a detailed program work plan outlining priorities, projects, and alignment with national and regional preparedness goals. Applications are reviewed primarily based on the quality and alignment of the submitted work plan with identified priorities and capability gaps. FEMA regional offices conduct the review process, and awards are determined using statutory allocation formulas rather than competitive scoring. Successful applicants must comply with ongoing reporting requirements, including quarterly financial and performance reports, and must participate in program evaluation activities if selected. The application timeline for this funding opportunity includes an opening in mid June and a submission deadline in mid July. Awards are anticipated to be announced by early September, with the period of performance beginning in October and extending for approximately three years. The program is issued annually, and applicants are expected to coordinate closely with FEMA regional offices throughout the application and implementation process. For assistance, applicants may contact FEMA Grants News via email or phone during standard business hours.

Align work plan with THIRA SPR identified capability gaps and coordinate closely with FEMA regional priorities to ensure approval