Flood Mitigation Assistance Program
The Program
The average 100-year flood 24-hour rainfall amounts have increased by 1 to 2 inches in southern New England since the 1960s. This heightened intensity of rainstorm events has led to an increase in property damage, particularly in coastal areas and along waterways. In an effort to reduce the vulnerability of communities to these climate change effects, federal funding programs offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have been expanded to support flood resilience and mitigation. However, resource limitations at the local, regional and state levels can hinder or prevent grant funding from reaching communities in need.
As a service to our member municipalities, WestCOG has established the Regional Flood Mitigation Assistance Program. The program is supported by a consultant team (Dewberry Engineers and Resilient Land & Water) who have extensive experience in the field and with these programs. With their partnership, WestCOG provides technical assistance to municipalities and property owners within participating communities to pursue these funding opportunities.
Services
- Assist municipalities and property owners with determining grant eligibility
- Provide grant application, management, reporting and closeout assistance related to flood mitigation and disaster recovery projects for submittal to the CT Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA);
- Represent WestCOG and its members to FEMA, DEMHS, and other agencies as may be necessary;
- Develop and implement strategies to maximize federal and state assistance;
- Support implementation of WestCOG’s Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan by prioritizing strategies with the greatest benefit to flood hazard risks unique to WestCOG region municipalities.
Resources
About the Federal Grant Programs
The grant programs WestCOG aids with are offered by FEMA and include annual and post-disaster grant programs. Grants are available for both municipal and individual mitigation projects. However, property owners cannot directly apply to these grants; they must work with their respective municipality (the subapplicant) to submit a subapplication to DEMHS (the applicant). Please visit FEMA’s website below to learn more.
Active Grants: There are several grant programs that are currently active including the following: Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA), FMA Swift Current, Building Resilient Infrastructure & Communities (BRIC) and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). Please refer to the following link for more detailed information on each grant: https://westcog.org/westcog-flood-mitigation-assistance-program/
Information Sessions
WestCOG typically hosts one or more public workshops on an annual basis to notify property owners of these grant opportunities. On February 11th and February 27th, WestCOG and its consultant team hosted public information sessions to educate property owners on available flood mitigation grants. Sessions provided an overview of relevant grant information and conducted one-on-one meetings with property owners to discuss individual projects. Please view the presentation slides below for more information.
The recording of the virtual February 27th information session may also be viewed below.
How to get Started
WestCOG administers this program in close cooperation with its member communities. If a municipality or property owner is interested in discussing a project and/or would like to pursue a grant opportunity, please contact WestCOG Program Manager Jaclyn Reelick by phone at (475) 323-2067 or by email at jreelick@westcog.org.