National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) Grant Program
Earthquakes cannot be prevented, but their impacts on life, property and the economy can be managed. Congress first authorized the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 (Public Law 95-124) on Oct. 7, 1977, to “reduce the risks of life and property from future earthquakes in the United States.” The most recent reauthorization was the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-307) signed on Dec. 11, 2018.
The FEMA National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) State Assistance Grant Program was created to increase and enhance the effective implementation of earthquake risk reduction at the local level. FEMA makes federal funds available annually through its NEHRP State Assistance Grant Program. This grant program is made to individual states and territories at high and very high-risk of earthquakes, and nonprofit organizations as defined by Title 2 Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) Section 200.1 and institutions of higher education as defined by Title 2 C.F.R., Section 200.1.
All activities funded by FEMA must be consistent with the following NEHRP vision, mission, and strategic goals.
Vision
A nation that is ready and capable to withstand, respond to, and recover from earthquakes and their consequences.
Mission
Develop, advance, and disseminate knowledge, tools, practices, and polices to enhance the nation’s capabilities to withstand, respond to, and recover from earthquakes and their consequences.
Strategic Goals
The program prioritizes reducing the risks to life and property from future earthquakes in the United States through the establishment and maintenance of an effective earthquake hazards reduction program.
The NEHRP program goals are:
- Advance the understanding of earthquake processes and their consequences.
- Enhance existing and develop new information, tools, and practices for protecting the nation from earthquake consequences.
- Promote the dissemination of knowledge and implementation of tools, practices, and policies that enhance strategies to withstand, respond to, and recover from earthquakes.
- Learn from post-earthquake investigations to enhance the effectiveness of available information, tools, practices, and policies to improve earthquake resilience.
Available Funding
The application period opens on May 1, and the funding notices will be onGrants.gov. The funding opportunities are also available on theFEMA website where there are also technical assistance documents and additional information about upcoming webinars to assist applicants.
Eligibility Information
For Fiscal Year 2024, FEMA will distribute $2,096,364 to individual states and territories determine to have a high to very high-risk of earthquakes and up to $1,312,636 to nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education to reduce seismic risk.
Individual state earthquake assistance
Eligibility is limited to states and territories that have been determined to have a high or very high risk of earthquakes. Eligibility is further limited to those states and territories who can provide the statutory 25% non-federal cost share.
Multi-state and national earthquake assistance
Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organizations as defined by Title 2 C.F.R. Section 200.1 and higher education institutions as defined by 2 C.F.R. Section 200.1 with a demonstrated capability and capacity to develop, promote and deliver national and/or multi-state seismic risk reduction activities.
Determination of Risk
Individual State Earthquake Assistance (ISEA) funding is allocated based on a determination of risk, and not as a competitive grant award process. The risk determination is made and published annually by FEMA as the State Assistance Target Allocation Plan.
The Fiscal Year 2024 plan determination is based on the Seismic Design Category (SDC) per the2020 NEHRP Recommended Seismic Provisions for New Buildings and Other Structures as published in FEMA P-2082, and as outlined by the following:
- ASCE/SEI 7-22 Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures.
- International Code Council (ICC) approved 2024 International Building Code (IBC) SDC map and at-risk population in a state.
- A state or territory of high earthquake risk (with areas in the state boundary designated as SDC D or above per the 2024 IBC SDC map and at-risk population more than 50,000 based on 2020 US Census population. A state that has over 1000 square miles of high seismic area (SDC D or above per 2024 IBC SDC map) will be eligible for a baseline amount plus an additional risk-based award amount.
Applicants should be aware that changes in areas of earthquake hazard within the state or territory and changes in population size affect the determination.
The additional amount is in proportion to the state or territory’s Annualized Earthquake Loss (AEL), which is from theFEMA P-366 HAZUS Estimated Annualized Earthquake Losses for the United States.
Cost Share
A cost share is required for all Individual State Earthquake Assistance grants funded under this program. The non-federal cost share may consist of cash, donated or third-party in-kind services, materials, or any combination thereof. A cost share is not required for Multi-State and National Earthquake Assistance grants funded under this program.
- The cost share for Individual State Earthquake Assistance grants is 75% federal share/25% non-federal cost share.
- FEMA will provide 100% federal funding for management costs.
- For insular areas, including the U.S. Virgin Islands, FEMA automatically waives the non-federal cost share insular areas when the non-federal cost share for the entire aware is under $200,000.
National Panel Review
Multi-State and National Earthquake Assistance grant funding is determined through a competitive process that includes an Initial Eligibility Review and National Panel Review.
Eligibility Review
Prior to application consideration, FEMA will conduct an initial review of all applications to verify applicant eligibility and ensure each application is complete. Incomplete applications and applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered for funding. All eligible and complete applications will progress to the FEMA NEHRP Program Office where it will be evaluated and scored by a National Panel of FEMA subject matter experts.
Panel Review
Applications will be reviewed and scored by a review panel comprised of FEMA subject matter experts. Applications that do not meet eligibility and application submission requirements will be evaluated and scored by the National Panel Review. The panel will evaluate each applicant’s experience level, proposed work plan, deliverable schedule, anticipated outcomes, and proposed budget to determine if the activities are allowable, allocable, and reasonable.
Application and Funding Deadlines
To apply for funding made available for the Fiscal Year 2024 NEHRP State Assistance Grant Program, applicants must adhere to the following application and funding deadlines.
- Application Opening: May 8, 2024 forMulti-State and National Earthquake Assistance (MSNEA) and May 17 for Individual State Earthquake Assistance (ISEA)
- Application Deadline: June 14, 2024 at 5 p.m. ET for MSNEA and June 24, 2024 at 5 p.m. ET for ISEA
- Anticipated Award Date: Aug. 1, 2024
- Period of Performance (POP) Start Date: Sept. 1, 2024
- End Date:Feb. 28, 2026
Eligible applicants must apply for funding usingFEMA GO. Applicants must submit applications in FEMA GO no later than 5 p.m. ET on June 14, 2024 for MSNEA and no later than 5 p.m. ET on June 24, 2024 for ISEA. Applications received by FEMA after this deadline will not be considered for funding.
Additional Resources
The resources below provide additional information about NEHRP State Assistance Grant Programs.
- The National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program
- NEHRP Annual Reports and Plans
- Previous Earthquake Mitigation Activities
- FEMA Regional Earthquake Program Manager Contact Information
- FEMA GO Resources
- Pre-Award Information
- FEMA GO Startup Guide
- Sign-up forFEMA Grants News to stay up to date on the latest news about FEMA GO.
Contact Us
- Interested applicants should contact theirRegional Earthquake Program Manager for more information.
- General questions about the FEMA NEHRP State Assistance Grant Program may be sent toFEMA-NEHRP@fema.dhs.gov.
- Applicants needing technical assistance with FEMA GO should contact the FEMA GO Help Desk Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. ET atfemago@fema.dhs.gov or 877-611-4700.
