The Current State: One Program in Court, Most Waiting on NOFOs
If you are trying to apply for a FEMA grant in February 2026, the honest answer is that most programs are in a holding pattern. The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, historically the largest competitive pre-disaster mitigation grant, was terminated in April 2025. A federal judge ordered FEMA to restore it in December 2025. As of February 2026, FEMA has not meaningfully complied. There is no open BRIC NOFO. The FY2026 NOFOs for the major preparedness grant programs, including the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP), Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG), Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP), and Port Security Grant Program (PSGP), have not been published. The government has been operating under continuing resolutions, and the administration's FY2026 budget requested nearly a 20 percent decrease in FEMA's non-disaster grant programs. What IS available: the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) activates automatically after presidential disaster declarations. Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) was not cancelled alongside BRIC but has no active FY2026 NOFO. FY2025 cycles for Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) and SAFER have been fully awarded. And two brand-new programs, the Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Grant Program ($250 million) and the FIFA World Cup Grant Program ($625 million), have already been funded. The contrast is striking: $882 million in appropriated BRIC hazard mitigation funding was ordered returned to Treasury, while $875 million in new security programs was created and awarded within months.
BRIC: Terminated, Court-Ordered Restored, Still Frozen
BRIC was created under the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 to fund pre-disaster hazard mitigation projects: flood barriers, wildfire-resistant building upgrades, seismic retrofits, and community resilience infrastructure. It was funded at $750 million for FY2024 through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The timeline of what happened: January 6, 2025: FEMA issued the FY2024 BRIC NOFO with $750 million available. February 2025: The NOFO was retracted as part of a broader pause on IIJA and IRA disbursements. April 4, 2025: FEMA formally terminated the BRIC program, cancelling all pending applications from FY2020 through FY2023 and directing approximately $882 million in IIJA-appropriated funds back to Treasury. July 2025: A coalition of more than 20 state attorneys general sued, arguing the cancellation violated the Disaster Recovery Reform Act, which mandates the program. December 11, 2025: A federal judge declared the termination unlawful and ordered FEMA to restore BRIC. February 2026: FEMA regional offices have received no guidance on program resumption. No new NOFO has been issued. The program is in legal limbo. The House Appropriations Committee has proposed converting BRIC to a mandatory program with new guardrails on eligible project types, but this has not passed both chambers. Do not plan project funding around BRIC unless and until a new NOFO appears on Grants.gov. If you had a pending BRIC application that was cancelled, contact your state hazard mitigation officer to understand the status of the legal proceedings.
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HMGP: The Largest Mitigation Funding Source (But You Cannot Apply for It Directly)
The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program is the largest single source of federal hazard mitigation funding. It is also the most misunderstood because it is not a competitive grant you apply for on Grants.gov. HMGP activates only after a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration. When a disaster declaration is issued, the affected state or tribe receives HMGP funding calculated as a percentage of total estimated federal disaster assistance. States with FEMA-approved Enhanced Hazard Mitigation Plans receive up to 20 percent. States with standard plans receive up to 15 percent. The statutory cap is $35.333 billion per state. The federal cost share is 75 percent. Applicants provide a 25 percent non-federal match. Who can apply: all 50 states, territories, DC, and federally recognized tribes apply directly to FEMA. Local governments, private nonprofits, and individual homeowners apply as subapplicants through their state or tribal government. Private nonprofits are eligible and are exempt from the hazard mitigation plan requirement that applies to government entities. Planning grant limits are $150,000 federal share for single-jurisdiction plans and $250,000 for multi-jurisdiction plans. HMGP Post Fire is a sub-program specifically for communities affected by wildfires after a Fire Management Assistance Grant declaration. Project applications may be submitted until March 31 of the fiscal year following the event. If your community was recently affected by a presidentially declared disaster, contact your state hazard mitigation officer immediately. HMGP funds are time-limited and must be obligated within specific windows after the declaration.
Flood Mitigation Assistance: The Surviving Pre-Disaster Program
With BRIC in legal limbo, Flood Mitigation Assistance is the primary remaining competitive pre-disaster mitigation grant program. FMA funds projects that reduce or eliminate long-term flood risk to buildings insured under the National Flood Insurance Program. Recent funding levels: $800 million in FY2023 and $600 million in FY2024. FMA was not cancelled alongside BRIC. However, no FY2025 or FY2026 NOFO has been publicly announced as of February 2026. Eligible applicants are states, territories, and tribes, which apply directly. Local governments and tribal governments apply as subapplicants. Property owners cannot apply directly; their local government applies on their behalf. The critical eligibility requirement: the property receiving mitigation must be covered by NFIP flood insurance. This effectively targets high-flood-risk properties, particularly Repetitive Loss and Severe Repetitive Loss properties. Eligible activities include property acquisition and demolition, structure elevation, dry and wet floodproofing, minor localized flood control projects, and mitigation reconstruction. Watch fema.gov/grants/mitigation/learn/flood-mitigation-assistance for when the next NOFO is posted. Given the BRIC situation, FMA may receive increased attention as the sole competitive pre-disaster mitigation vehicle.
Preparedness Grants: FY2025 Numbers, FY2026 NOFOs Pending
FEMA's preparedness grant portfolio totals over $1.8 billion annually across multiple programs. None of the FY2026 NOFOs have been released as of February 2026. Here are the FY2025 award levels for reference. The Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) totaled $1.008 billion in FY2025, split across three sub-programs. The State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) distributed approximately $373.5 million in risk-based formula grants to all 50 states, DC, and territories. The Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) directed approximately $615 million to designated high-risk urban areas. The Operation Stonegarden Program (OPSG) funded border security cooperation. All HSGP funding flows through State Administrative Agencies. Individual organizations and local governments cannot apply directly to FEMA; they must work through their state SAA. The Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) totaled $319.5 million in FY2025, down from $355.1 million in FY2023. EMPG is unique among FEMA grants in requiring a 50 percent non-federal cost share. It funds core emergency management capabilities at the state, local, tribal, and territorial levels. The Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) was $83.7 million for the highest-risk transit agencies. The Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) was $90 million for port authorities and maritime security organizations. Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) awarded $291.6 million across 1,678 grants in FY2025. The SAFER program awarded $324 million across 207 grants. Both FY2025 cycles are closed. FY2026 cycles typically open in fall; contact the AFG Help Desk at 866-274-0960 for timing. The Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) funds physical security enhancements at nonprofit organizations at risk of terrorist attack, particularly houses of worship, community centers, and schools. FY2025 funding was approximately $413 million. Eligible nonprofits apply directly through their state SAA.
New Programs: $875 Million for Security in Months
While BRIC sits frozen, two new FEMA programs were created, funded, and awarded faster than any programs in recent FEMA history. The Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Grant Program (C-UASGP) was established under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act with $500 million over FY2026 and FY2027. The first $250 million has already been awarded. For FY2026, eligibility is restricted to the 11 states hosting FIFA World Cup 2026 matches plus the National Capital Region: Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey, California, Georgia, Missouri, Kansas, Massachusetts, Washington, and Pennsylvania. The remaining $250 million in FY2027 (plus any unused FY2026 funds) will be distributed to all states and territories. The program funds capabilities to detect, identify, track, and monitor unmanned aircraft systems. The FIFA World Cup Grant Program (FWCGP) is a one-time $625 million grant for security and preparedness at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Applications closed December 5, 2025. Funds flow through State Administrative Agencies in nine eligible states to 11 Host City Committee Task Forces and then to local and tribal governments. Allowable costs cover planning, organization, equipment, training, and exercises, including cybersecurity, police and emergency response staffing at venues, hotels, and transportation hubs. These programs underscore a broader shift in FEMA funding priorities toward physical security and counterterrorism and away from climate resilience and hazard mitigation.
Tribal Programs and Policy Changes
Federally recognized tribal governments have dedicated FEMA grant programs that bypass state agencies. The Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THSGP) was funded at $13.5 million in FY2025, enabling tribal nations to prevent, prepare for, and respond to terrorist attacks and natural hazards. Tribes apply directly to FEMA, not through state SAAs. The Tribal Cybersecurity Grant Program (TCGP) was $12.16 million in FY2025 for cybersecurity risk reduction at tribal government information systems. FY2026 NOFOs for both programs have not been announced. Several policy changes under the current administration affect all FEMA grant programs. The Federal Flood Risk Management Standard was rescinded via Executive Order 14148, removing stricter floodplain requirements for federally funded projects. References to climate change have been removed from FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance guidance. DHS grant priority guidance now emphasizes border security, physical terrorism prevention, and has modified environmental justice eligibility factors from prior cycles. A FEMA Review Council was convened in January 2026 to recommend structural changes to the agency. Major structural changes would require congressional approval, but administrative changes to grant programs can be implemented more quickly. The Senate-passed Homeland Security appropriations bill provides $5.7 billion for FEMA, up $873 million from FY2025. However, the specific allocation across grant programs depends on the final FY2026 appropriations deal, which has not been reached.
What to Do Right Now
If you are a state or local government emergency management agency, contact your State Administrative Agency to understand the timeline for FY2026 HSGP, EMPG, and other preparedness grant NOFOs. SAAs typically receive advance notice before public release. If you are in a community that was recently affected by a presidentially declared disaster, contact your state hazard mitigation officer about HMGP immediately. HMGP is the one major mitigation funding source that is functioning normally. If you are a fire department, monitor fema.gov/grants/preparedness/firefighters for the FY2026 AFG and SAFER NOFOs. Start preparing your application now using the FY2025 application guide as a template. If you are a nonprofit concerned about physical security, prepare for the FY2026 Nonprofit Security Grant Program cycle. NSGP has been one of the fastest-growing FEMA programs, and demand consistently exceeds available funding. If you had a pending BRIC application that was cancelled, coordinate with your state emergency management agency and state attorney general's office on the status of the legal proceedings. For all FEMA grants, register in SAM.gov if you have not already. Registration takes 2 to 4 weeks and is required for all federal grants. Apply through Grants.gov or the FEMA Non-Disaster Grants System (ND Grants) depending on the specific program. Search Funding Landscape to see open FEMA opportunities alongside other emergency management and infrastructure funding. Also see our infrastructure and IIJA guide for related programs and our small business grants guide for general federal funding options.