FEMA Reopens $1 Billion Disaster Mitigation Program After Court Order

After a federal court forced its hand, FEMA reopened applications for its $1 billion Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program on March 25, 2026. States, local governments, territories, and tribal nations have 120 days to apply, with a deadline of July 23, 2026.

Cancellation, Lawsuit, and Forced Reinstatement

FEMA canceled the BRIC program in April 2025, calling it "wasteful and ineffective." Environmental and government groups sued, and a federal judge ordered the agency to reverse the cancellation in December 2025. Additional court directives in March 2026 compelled FEMA to fully reopen applications, resulting in this week's announcement.

The program covers fiscal years 2024 and 2025 combined. Research consistently shows that every $1 invested in disaster preparedness saves approximately $13 in economic impact, damage, and cleanup costs.

How the $1 Billion Breaks Down

The funding is distributed across five categories:

• $757 million in a national competition (up to $20 million per subapplication)
• $112 million for state and territory allocations ($2 million cap per applicant)
• $56 million for state/territory building code upgrades ($1 million cap)
• $50 million Tribal set-aside ($2 million cap)
• $25 million for Tribal building code upgrades

No single applicant may receive more than 15 percent of the total available funding.

New Rules That Favor Shovel-Ready Projects

The Trump administration attached new conditions that prioritize "ready to implement" major infrastructure projects and emphasize state responsibility for mitigation planning. Notably, the updated rules eliminated funding for hazard mitigation planning and technical assistance — changes that could disadvantage smaller communities with limited grant-writing capacity.

However, the revised program includes extra scoring consideration for first-time applicants and economically disadvantaged communities, potentially widening access beyond the coastal states that have historically dominated BRIC awards.

Acting FEMA leader Karen S. Evans stated: "When done correctly, mitigation activities save lives and reduce the cost of future disasters."

What Applicants Should Do This Week

State and local emergency management offices should visit Grants.gov to review the Notice of Funding Opportunity and begin coordinating subapplications. Applicants with pre-engineered infrastructure plans will have a significant advantage under the new scoring criteria. Track this and similar federal opportunities on grantedai.com.

For a detailed breakdown of BRIC application strategy, visit the Granted blog.