Hazard Mitigation Grant Program-Post Fire (HMGP-PF)

What is HMGP-PF?

The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program-Post Fire is awarded to a State or Tribal Nation following a major wildfire that meets the criteria for a Fire Management Assistance Grant. This grant includes federal prioritization requirements though each state determines how funds are prioritized further through a Hazard Mitigation Administrative Plan. In New Mexico, the prioritization for projects is such:

1.  Projects in the communities impacted by the FMAG
2.  Projects that will provide risk reduction benefits to the FMAG impacted communities (even if the activity is not implemented in the impacted community)
3.  Projects in communities that could be impacted by FMAG post-wildfire damages (downstream debris or flood flows)
4.  Post-wildfire debris or flood flow anywhere in the state
5.  Wildfire mitigation anywhere in the state
6.  Any natural hazard mitigation project anywhere in the state

HMGP-PF funds can be used to create hazard mitigation plans, conduct outreach and education, or construct mitigation projects associated with any identified natural hazard, and any eligible applicant throughout the state can apply. The key purpose of this grant program is to enact mitigation measures that reduce the risk of loss of life and property from future disasters. Please direct any questions regarding HMGP-PF in New Mexico to the DHSEM Mitigation Unit at DHSEM.Mitigation@state.nm.us

What are “natural hazards”?

A natural hazard is a natural phenomenon that might have a negative effect on humans or the environment. A few New Mexico specific examples include flash flooding, wildfires, droughts, thunderstorms, and earthquakes. There are 14 natural hazards identified in the State’s Hazard Mitigation Plan. These hazards are distinct from human-caused hazards, which are not eligible for natural hazard mitigation funding.

What can I do with this grant?

Funding is prioritized for wildfire, post-fire flooding, and stream bank stabilization. However, the following represents some other project types that have awarded in New Mexico. Please direct any questions regarding HMGP-PF eligibility to the DHSEM Mitigation Unit at DHSEM.Mitigation@state.nm.us.

• Local, tribal, or multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan
• Risk assessments associated with a hazard mitigation plan or plan update
• Stream work, bank stabilization, erosion control
• Green Infrastructure
• Flood risk reduction – stormwater management, drainage, and channelization
• Wildfire mitigation – thinning, defensible space, retrofit of non-combustible materials
• Generators for critical facilities
• Emergency communication and warning systems
• Debris Flow Barriers
• Outreach/community education campaigns
• Phased projects – two-part project awards for 1) design, environmental clearance, cost-benefit analysis, etc., and 2) awards for project implementation

Check out FEMA’s website for more information here.

Who can apply?

Applications are submitted to the DHSEM Mitigation Unit, which administers the HMGP-PF grant funds awarded by FEMA. Local and municipal governments, Tribal Nations, state agencies, quasi-governmental agencies, and non-profit organizations can apply for sub-grants. Individuals and businesses may not apply directly for HMGP-PF funding but may be sponsored through an appropriate sub-applicant.

Assistance is prioritized for counties that receive FMAG declarations. If the county does not submit an eligible application, funding may be available statewide. Please see What is HMGP-PF? For information on the project prioritization strategy.

FEMA requires state, territorial, tribal, and local governments to develop and adopt hazard mitigation plans as a condition of receiving project funding. Through effective mitigation planning and the implementation of mitigation strategies greater risk reduction can be achieved. State, tribal, and local governments undertake hazard mitigation planning to identify risks and vulnerabilities related to natural disasters. Through planning, they develop long-term strategies for protecting people and property from future events. Mitigation plans are key to breaking the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage. Hazard mitigation plans must be updated and receive FEMA approval every 5 years.

How much money is available?

HMGP is only available following a Presidential Disaster Declaration in which the state requests HMGP funding. The amount awarded to HMGP is a small percentage of the disaster assistance provided under the Public Assistance Program. HMGP funding is broken into three categories: cost-effective projects, non-cost-effective projects, and planning activities.

The vast majority of HMGP funds are typically directed to projects where the projected benefits of the project outweigh the likely costs. For more information, see FEMA’s Benefit-Cost Analysis tool.

5% of the total award amount is limited to projects that cannot prove they are cost effective, like outreach programs, warning sirens, or, in some cases, generators. Typically, these applications request far more funding than what is available, resulting in a competitive selection process.

7% of funding is limited to planning activities. Planning sub-applications help states, territories, tribal nations, and local governments engage in a planning process that meets the requirements outlined in the Title 44 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 201 Mitigation Planning. Most planning applications result in a mitigation plan adopted by the jurisdiction(s) and approved by FEMA. However, planning funds have also been used to conduct risk assessments and collect data for use in the planning process.  

What are the cost-share requirements?

FEMA provides up to 75% of the funds for mitigation projects. The remaining 25% can come from a variety of sources. Most sub-grants in New Mexico are matched with in-kind time. Staff who are not federally funded track the time they spend working on the project or administering the sub-grant, and they count their regular salary rate toward the 25% requirement. Cash match (payment from the state, local governments, or individuals), is also common. Other funding sources may include donated resources, such as construction labor, Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) funds from a flood insurance policy, or loans from other government agencies, such as the Small Business Administration.

An additional 5% of the total project cost is available at 100% federal share for management of each sub-grant. Management costs are eligible and reasonable indirect costs, direct administrative costs, and other administrative expenses associated with a mitigation project.