DATE: March 31, 2026
TO: County and Tribe Emergency Management Directors
Wisconsin Regional Planning Commissions
WEM Region Directors
Wisconsin Silver Jackets Hazard Mitigation Team
FROM: Chad Atkinson, Hazard Mitigation Section Supervisor
SUBJECT: Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)
Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2024 & 2025
Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Program
BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has published the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the FFY 2024 & 2025 Building Resilient Infrastructure & Communities (BRIC) grant program.
This NOFO contains a number of changes from previous BRIC NOFOs and Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM) is currently seeking additional guidance and clarification. However, as time is limited before the submission deadline, this memo is provided now to offer potential subapplicants as much time as possible.
TIMELINE
- March 25, 2026
- FEMA application opens
- April 17, 2026
- Notices of Intent (Pre-Application) due to WEM
Please note that all Notices of Intent will undergo a ranking process. Some Notices of Intent may not be selected for further consideration.
- Notices of Intent (Pre-Application) due to WEM
- May 1, 2026
- Potential subapplicants registered in FEMA GO (go.fema.gov)
An active SAM.gov account, Employer Identification Number (EIN), and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) are required for registration. Any registration issues must be resolved by this date. If needed, contact WEM for assistance.
- Potential subapplicants registered in FEMA GO (go.fema.gov)
- June 5, 2026
- Final draft subapplications due to WEM
This allows a review of the final draft by WEM to ensure completeness and maximization of national competition scoring point
- Final draft subapplications due to WEM
- July 17, 2026
- Subapplications due in FEMA GO by 11:59PM CDT
This deadline provides 7 days for WEM to finalize submissions, and report any FEMA GO technical difficulties, prior to the application submission deadline. Subapplications or attachments submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
- Subapplications due in FEMA GO by 11:59PM CDT
FUNDING
The total available funding for the FFY 2024 & 2025 BRIC program is as follows:
State/Territory Allocation: $112,000,000
Tribal Set-Aside: $50,000,000
State/Territory Building Code Plus-Up: $56,000,000
Tribal Building Code Plus-Up: $25,000,000
National Competition: $757,000,000
TOTAL: $1,000,000,000
COST SHARE
The BRIC program cost share is 75% federal and 25% non-federal. Small, impoverished communities1 meeting the following criteria are eligible for a cost share of up to 90% federal and 10% non-federal:
- 3,000 or fewer individuals.
- Economically disadvantaged, with residents having and average per capita annual income not exceeding 80% of the national per capita income, based on the best available data.
BRIC PROGRAM
The BRIC program is an annual, nationally competitive, federal grant program that makes funds available to eligible applicants for the following hazard mitigation activities:
- Capability- and Capacity-Building Activities
Activities that directly support infrastructure resilience, such as the adoption, enforcement, and implementation of hazard resistant building codes. Only capability and capacity-building activities that are directly tied to infrastructure projects such as building code adoption or enforcement, related technical training and project scoping activities for specific infrastructure are eligible. Please note, in this NOFO hazard mitigation planning is not an eligible activity. - Hazard Mitigation Projects
Cost-effective infrastructure and construction projects that are designed to increase resilience and public safety; reduce injuries and loss of life; and reduce damage and destruction to property, critical services, facilities, and infrastructure (including natural systems) from natural hazards. Proposed projects must have a conceptual design to be eligible; phased projects are not eligible. - Management Costs
Financial assistance to reimburse the recipient and subrecipient for eligible and reasonable indirect costs, direct administrative costs, and other administrative expenses associated with a specific mitigation measure or project.
ELIGIBLE SUBAPPLICANTS
WEM serves as the applicant for BRIC program funding. Subapplications must be submitted to WEM. Eligible subapplicants include:
- Federally recognized tribal nations
- Local units of government (i.e., towns, villages, cities, counties)
- Special district governments (e.g., school districts)
Federally recognized tribal nations may apply directly to FEMA as an applicant or as a subapplicant. Tribal nations are encouraged to contact WEM Hazard Mitigation staff to discuss the two options.
STATE/TERRITORY ALLOCATION
Under the State/Territory Allocation the State of Wisconsin may submit subapplications totaling $2,000,000. Eligible subapplications may be for Capability- and Capacity-Building activities or hazard mitigation projects.
STATE/TERRITORY BUILDING CODE PLUS-UP
Under the State/Territory Building Code-Plus Up the State of Wisconsin may submit subapplications totaling $1,000,000. Eligible subapplications include building code adoption and enforcement activities such as,
- Evaluate adoption or implementation of codes that reduce risk.
- Enhance existing adopted codes to incorporate more current requirements or higher standards (excluding construction).
- Develop professional workforce capabilities relating to building codes through technical assistance and training.
TRIBAL SET-ASIDE
Under the Tribal Set-Aside an applicant may submit Capability- and Capacity-Building activities not exceeding $2,000,000 federal cost share. In the event more than $50,000,000 in subapplications are submitted under the Tribal Set-Aside, the Capability- and Capacity-Building activities and highest-ranked hazard mitigation project subapplications up to $50,000,000 will be selected. All remaining tribal hazard mitigation project subapplications will be evaluated under the National Competition.
TRIBAL BUILDING CODE PLUS-UP
The maximum total selection for the Tribal Building Code Plus-Up is $25,000,000 to carry out eligible building code adoption and enforcement activities such as,
- Evaluate adoption or implementation of codes that reduce risk.
- Enhance existing adopted codes to incorporate more current requirements or higher standards (excluding construction).
- Develop professional workforce capabilities relating to building codes through technical assistance and training.
NATIONAL COMPETITION
Under the National Competition subapplicants may apply for hazard mitigation projects that have a maximum federal share of $20,000,000.
REQUIREMENTS
- Hazard Mitigation Plan
Subapplicants are required to have a FEMA approved hazard mitigation plan by the application deadline and at the time of obligation of grant funds. Interested subapplicants that have an expired hazard mitigation plan are encouraged to contact the WEM Hazard Mitigation Section to discuss potential options.
Subapplicants are exempt from the hazard mitigation plan requirement for the Capability- and Capacity-Building activity type. - Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA)
Applicants and subapplicants applying for hazard mitigation projects are required to use FEMA-approved methodologies and tools, such as the BCA Toolkit, to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of their project. - Go/No-Go Milestones
The subapplicant, in coordination with the applicant, must identify one or more Go/No-Go Milestones in the work schedule for hazard mitigation projects submitted to the national competition that FEMA will review and approve. Hazard mitigation subapplications submitted under the state/territory allocation or tribal set-aside do not require Go/No-Go Milestones. - National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
Applicants and subapplicants applying for hazard mitigation projects must provide information needed to comply with the NEPA (42 U.S.C. §§ 4321–4370h) and the related Department of Homeland Security and FEMA instructions and directives. - Acquisition Project Requirements
The subrecipient must provide FEMA with a signed copy of the Statement of Voluntary Participation for each property post-award. - Intergovernmental Review
An intergovernmental review may be required. - Funding Restrictions and Allowable Costs
All costs charged to awards covered by this NOFO must comply with the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements at 2 C.F.R. Part 200, unless otherwise indicated in the NOFO, or the terms and conditions of the award.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Please review following resources if considering a BRIC subapplication:
- Department of Homeland Security’s BRIC NOFO announcement
The NOFO is available at: https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/361620 - Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program and Policy Guide, Version 2.1, Effective January 20, 2025
The HMA Program and Policy Guide is available at: https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/learn/hazard-mitigation-assistance-guidance
INQUIRIES AND APPLICATIONS
For additional information or to request a Notice of Intent Pre-Application for FFY 24 & 25 BRIC Program, please email the WEM Hazard Mitigation Section at DMAWEMHazardMitigation@widma.gov
EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR THE NATIONAL COMPETITION
FEMA will score subapplications submitted to the national competition using the following technical criteria:
Evaluation Criteria for the National Competition
1
Topic: Infrastructure Project2 Construction Readiness
Criteria: Projects demonstrating higher readiness can reduce the risk of extended grant periods, cost overruns, and administrative burden. To increase the timeliness of hazard risk reduction, these criteria assess the extent to which the proposed project is sufficiently developed to proceed to award and start construction without significant delay.
Conceptual Design (5): Infrastructure projects with basic conceptualization and design (i.e., at least 30% design) will receive 5 points.
Potential Total Points: 5
OR
Preliminary Design (15): Infrastructure projects with refined and detailed design including major systems, materials, dimensions and draft specifications (i.e., greater than 30% design) will receive 15 points.
Potential Total Points: 15
OR
Detailed Design (30): Infrastructure projects with detailed drawings and specifications for bidding, permitting and actual construction (i.e., 90% design or greater) will receive 30 points. These documents may include completed environmental and historic preservation compliance documentation (e.g. environmental assessment, archeological survey, US Army Corps permit, floodplain development permit, etc.).
Potential Total Points: 30
2
Topic: New Applicant or Subapplicant
Criteria: The subapplication is submitted from a subapplicant that has never been selected in the BRIC National Competition.
Potential Total Points: 15
OR
The subapplication is submitted by a subapplicant from a state, territory or tribal applicant that has never been selected in the BRIC National Competition.
Potential Total Points: 15
3
Topic: Building Code Adoption and Enforcement
Criteria:
Subcriteria 3.1:
Building Code Adoption (5): The subapplication will receive 5 points if the community where the project will be developed has locally adopted current or next most recent hazard-resistant consensus-based model building code such as both the International Building Code (IBC) and the International Residential Code (IRC) model codes published by the International Code Council (ICC) from 2021 or 2024.3
Potential Total Points: 5
AND
Locally Adopted Building codes (5): The subapplication will receive an additional 5 points if the locally adopted building codes by the community are based on the applicant’s mandatory state-, tribal-, territory-wide adoption of current or next most recent hazard-resistant consensus-based model building code such as both the International Building Code (IBC) and the International Residential Code (IRC) model codes published by the International Code Council (ICC) from 2021 or 2024.3
Potential Total Points: 5
AND
Building Code Enforcement (10): Subapplicant has Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS) Rating of 1 to 5.
Potential Total Points: 10
OR
Subcriteria 3.2:
Alternative Higher Standards (5): Any subapplicant that has not received points under Sub-criterion 3.1 could receive 5 points by providing a narrative demonstrating that they hold higher hazard-resistant standards for the primary hazard they have identified in their subapplication.
Potential Total Points: 5
4
Topic: Small, impoverished community
Criteria: Designation as a small impoverished community as referenced in 42 U.S.C. § 5133(a).
Potential Total Points: 5
5
Topic: Risk Reduction
Criteria: A narrative in the Scope of Work section of FEMA GO will be scored based on the sufficiency of the responses (20):
- Effectively reduce risk: Identify the risk(s) being reduced and state what action will reduce the identified risk.
- Increase resilience within the community based on their primary natural hazard risk (including the benefits quantified in the BCA): Detail ability to prepare for anticipated hazards, adapt to changing conditions, and withstand and recover rapidly from disruption for the useful life of the infrastructure asset.
- Realize ancillary benefits: Identify benefits other than the project’s primary risk reduction objective.
Potential Total Points: 20
6
Topic: Implementation Measures
Criteria: A narrative in the Scope of Work section of FEMA GO will be scored based on the sufficiency of the responses to the criteria listed below.
- Cost management: Describe the processes by which project costs will be managed including any identified challenges or obstacles.
- Schedule management: Provide a description of the project schedule and the measures taken to manage the schedule including any identified challenges.
- Successful implementation, and incorporation of any innovative techniques: Detail pre- and post-implementation monitoring strategies being used and how progress will be measured. Describe innovative techniques implemented.
- Technical and managerial staff, and resources availability: Identify technical and managerial staff and resources used to successfully implement the project.
Potential Total Points: 10
1 42 U.S.C. §5133(a) defines a “small, impoverished community” as a community of 3,000 or fewer individuals that is economically disadvantaged, as determined by the State in which the community is located and based on criteria established by the President.
2 Infrastructure is defined as critical physical structures, facilities, and systems that provide support to a community, its population, and economy. This definition includes natural systems.
3 The State of Wisconsin’s building codes do not align with the 2021 or 2024 versions of the IBC or IRC.
