WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a significant expansion of its disaster preparedness efforts, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced on August 1 the release of funding opportunities totaling nearly $1 billion across 15 distinct grant programs. These federal dollars are intended to help states and local jurisdictions fortify their readiness for a wide range of emergencies—from natural disasters like hurricanes and wildfires to threats such as terrorism and cyberattacks.
This funding marks the latest in a series of federal investments. Since July 25, FEMA has made available more than $2.2 billion in total through various grant programs, a move that underscores the agency’s broader push to shift responsibility and readiness to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments.
“FEMA is shifting from bloated, DC-centric dead weight to a lean, deployable disaster force that empowers states to provide relief for their citizens,” said David Richardson, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the FEMA Administrator. He emphasized that increasing resilience at the community level is essential to national preparedness. “The more we build resilience directly in our communities, the more prepared our nation will be when disasters strike,” Richardson stated.
The newly published Notices of Funding Opportunity come on the heels of an internal evaluation of FEMA’s grant programs, aimed at eliminating misuse and restoring public trust. According to agency leadership, this reform effort seeks to end what they described as past abuses—such as using federal grant funds to support projects deemed unrelated to core emergency management functions, including temporary accommodations for undocumented migrants and climate-centric initiatives lacking direct disaster ties.
As part of the updated strategy for fiscal year 2025, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has also issued revised National Priority Areas to guide how preparedness funds should be allocated. These include:
- Protecting soft targets and crowded places, including election infrastructure;
- Supporting Homeland Security Task Forces and fusion centers;
- Strengthening cybersecurity defenses;
- Securing elections, including verifying poll worker citizenship; and
- Enhancing border crisis response and enforcement efforts.
Under the Homeland Security Grant Program, recipients—particularly those receiving Urban Area Security Initiative funding—will be required to dedicate at least 30% of their awards to these five focus areas. Notably, election security requires a minimum spend of 3%, while border enforcement initiatives must receive at least 10%.
FEMA officials maintain that these priorities reflect a renewed emphasis on national security, operational integrity, and community-level resilience. “We are enabling all of our partners—especially state, local, tribal, and territorial governments—to plan for and manage their own disaster response and recovery,” said Richardson.
The 15 grant programs made available include high-impact initiatives such as the Homeland Security Grant Program, Transit and Port Security programs, cybersecurity-specific funds for both state and tribal entities, as well as grants aimed at earthquake hazards, emergency shelter, and unmanned aerial system safety research.
Eligible applicants are urged to review the Notices of Funding Opportunity in detail to ensure compliance with eligibility criteria, application timelines, and program objectives. All funding notices are accessible through the federal Grants.gov portal.
This latest funding round reflects a broader transformation of FEMA’s role—from a centralized bureaucracy to a strategic enabler of local resilience—while aligning federal resources with evolving threats and national security imperatives.
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