disaster_prevention_and_relief · other · DHS-DHS
Fiscal Year 2026 Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program
Department of Homeland Security - FEMA · DHS-26-MT-143-00-01
Total Program Funding
$189.7M
Expected Awards
125
Deadline
July 22, 2026
GRANTQUICK SUMMARYPlain-English Overview
FEMA's Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Grant Program distributes $189.7M (125 awards) for projects that reduce risk from future natural disasters BEFORE they strike. This funds flood mitigation, seismic retrofits, wildfire risk reduction, safe rooms/shelters, and infrastructure hardening. Requires cost-sharing (typically 25%). Open to state/local/tribal governments and certain nonprofits. One of the most impactful FEMA grants — you're preventing disaster losses, not responding to them.
Who Should Apply
State, local, and tribal governments, plus certain nonprofits that own/operate critical facilities. Projects must reduce risk from natural hazards through physical mitigation (not just planning).
Who Should NOT Apply
Federal agencies, private homeowners (though they benefit from community projects), organizations without hazard mitigation projects identified in an approved mitigation plan, or anyone proposing response/recovery activities rather than pre-disaster risk reduction.
Key Requirements (Plain English)
- •Must reduce risk from natural disasters through mitigation activities
- •Must be identified in FEMA-approved State/Local/Tribal Hazard Mitigation Plan
- •Cost-sharing IS required (typically 25%)
- •125 awards totaling $189.7M
- •Must demonstrate cost-effectiveness (benefits exceed costs)
- •Must be a state/local/tribal government or qualifying nonprofit
💡 GrantQuick Tip
125 awards means strong proposals get funded. The secret: your project MUST be in your community's FEMA-approved hazard mitigation plan. If it's not, get it added NOW for next year. The strongest applications show a clear benefit-cost ratio (BCA > 1.0) — every dollar spent prevents multiple dollars in future disaster losses. FEMA's BCA toolkit is free and they want you to use it. Flood buyouts, safe rooms, and seismic retrofits have the highest success rates because the BCA math is straightforward.
Competitiveness: Moderate — 125 awards but very popular program. Applications with strong BCA ratios and projects already in approved mitigation plans succeed at high rates.
What This Grant Funds
The FEMA Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program funds Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) projects for state, local, tribal and territorial (SLTT) governments. These projects are designed to implement cost-effective measures that reduce natural hazard risk to people and property, and decrease reliance on federal funding for future natural disasters. In fiscal year (FY) 2026, the PDM Grant Program will award $189,713,659 to the projects identified in the 2026 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act’s Joint Explanatory Statement (JES). The 125 CDS projects fall under planning, project scoping and hazard mitigation projects. The FY 2026 PDM Grant Program projects come from 40 states and one tribe. Most projects focus on improving infrastructure to reduce flooding risk; some projects address other hazards such as earthquakes and wildfires.
Attachments
Who Can Apply
Eligible Applicant Types
Funding Details
- Total Program Funding
- $189.7M
- Expected Number of Awards
- 125
- Cost Sharing Required?
- Yes
- Funding Instrument
- grant
Key Dates
Agency Contact
FEMA GO Help Desk Phone: 1-877-585-3242 E-mail: femago@fema.dhs.gov
femago@fema.dhs.govReady to apply?
View the full NOFO and submit your application on Grants.gov