Did you know that a study by the National Institute of Building Sciences Multihazard Mitigation Council shows that each dollar spent on mitigation saves society an average of four dollars?  Hazard mitigation lessens the financial impact on individuals, communities and society as a whole.  It allows individuals to minimize post-disaster disruptions, recover more rapidly, and creates safer communities by reducing loss of life and property damage.  

Federal Hazard Mitigation Assistance Programs

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requires each local government entity to update their hazard mitigation plan every five years to remain eligible for future disaster mitigation grand funding.  Here is a list of some of the grant programs available to government entities with current hazard mitigation plans:

The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)

The HMGP provides grants to states and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures after a major disaster declaration.  The purpose of the HMGP is to reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters and to enable mitigation measures to be implemented during the immediate recovery from a disaster.

The Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program (PDM)

The PDM provides funds to states, territories, Indian tribal governments, communities and universities for hazard mitigation planning and the implementation of mitigation projects prior to a disaster event.  Funding these plans and projects reduces overall risks to the population and structures, while also reducing reliance on funding from actual disaster declarations.

The Flood Mitigation Assistance Program (FMA)

The FMA has the goal of reducing or eliminating claims under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).  FEMA provides FMA funds to assist states and communities in implementing measures that reduce or eliminate the long-term risk of flood damage to buildings, manufactured homes, and other structures insured under the NFIP.

For more information on grants provided for natural hazard mitigation, visit FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Assistance website