NOFO-FY 26 NOFO-US_R Readiness 8.12.2026-FINAL (003).pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Application due: July 22, 2026

FY 26 NOFO Template FEMA Version 26-04 Fiscal Year 2026 National Urban Search and Rescue Response System Assistance Listing Number: 97.025 Funding Opportunity Number: DHS-26-DOD-025-00-99

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Write 4. Learn 5. Award Contacts

Contents

Before you begin 2

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 3

Basic information 4

Eligibility 4

Program Description 6

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 11

Submission Requirements and Application Deadlines 12

Step 3: Write Your Application 15

Application Contents and Format 16

Step 4: Learn About the Award Review Process 17

Application Review Information 18

Intergovernmental Review 20

Step 5: Learn What Happens After Award 21

Award Notices 22

Post-Award Requirements and Administration 22

Other Information 32

Contacts and Appendices 39

Contacts 40

Appendices 42

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Write 4. Learn 5. Award Contacts

Before you begin

If you believe you are a good candidate for this funding opportunity, secure your System for Award Management (SAM.gov) and Grants.gov registrations now. If you are already registered, make sure your registration is active and up-to-date.

SAM.gov registration (this can take several weeks)

You must have an active account with SAM.gov. This includes having a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

See Step 2: Get Ready to Apply

Grants.gov registration (this can take several days)

You must have an active Grants.gov registration. Doing so requires a Login.gov registration as well.

See Step 2: Get Ready to Apply

Fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, and other criminal or noncriminal misconduct related to this program may be reported to the Office of Inspector General (OIG) Hotline. The toll-free numbers to call are 1-(800)-323-8603 and TTY 1-(844)-889-4357

To help you find what you need, this NOFO uses internal links. In Adobe Reader, you can go back to where you were before clicking an internal link by pressing Alt + Left Arrow (Windows) or Command + Left Arrow (Mac) on your keyboard.

https://sam.gov/ https://grants.gov/ https://login.gov/

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Write 4. Learn 5. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity

In this step

Basic information 4

Eligibility 4

Program description 6

Jump to a step

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Write 4. Learn 5. Award Contacts

Basic Information A. Award Facts

Agency Name: U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Office of Response and Recovery, Response Directorate, Operations Division

Assistance Listing Number: 97.025

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Title: Fiscal Year 2026 National Urban Search and Rescue Response System

Funding Opportunity Number: DHS-26-DOD-025-00-99

Announcement Type: Initial

Expected Award Range: $1,700,000 - $2,400,000

Expected Total Funding: $55,593,824

Anticipated Number of Awards: 28

B. Executive Summary The National Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Response System (“the System”) is a mission critical element of FEMA’s emergency response and readiness capabilities and provides a coordinated, national, all-hazards capability for locating, extricating, and stabilizing survivors of structural collapse and other hazards resulting from natural and man-made causes, including those involving terrorism, contaminated environments, and weapons of mass destruction.

FEMA will prioritize grant applications that contribute to multistate, regional, or national capabilities, including data centers, nuclear power generation, multi-state agriculture or multi-state water supply, or other such infrastructure or services.

Eligibility A. Eligible Entities

Only the following entities or entity types are eligible to apply.

Key Dates

Projected Application Start Date: August 24, 2026

Projected Application End Date: August 31, 2026

Anticipated Funding Selection Date: September 11, 2026

Anticipated Award Date:

September 25, 2026

Projected Period of Performance Start Date:

September 1, 2026

Projected Period of Performance End Date: August 31, 2029

Budget Period: September 1, 2026 – August 31, 2029

Have questions? See Contacts and Support

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Write 4. Learn 5. Award Contacts

Applicant Eligibility Must be one of the 28 FEMA-designated Urban Search and Rescue Task Force Sponsoring Agencies

Subapplicant Eligibility Subapplicants and subawards are not allowed.

B. Project Type Eligibility Allowable Project Types Not Applicable

Unallowable Project Types Not Applicable

C. Requirements for Personnel, Partners, and Other Parties

D. Maximum Number of Applications 28 - One (1) per eligible Task Force Sponsoring Agency

E. Additional Restrictions Recipients/subrecipients, and if applicable, applicants/subapplicants, are required to certify their compliance with federal statues, DHS directives, policies, and procedures.

F. References to Other Eligibility Factors Please see the following references provided below:

1. “Threshold Review Criteria” subsection

2. “Financial Integrity Criteria” subsection

3. “Supplemental Financial Integrity Criteria and Review” subsection

4. FEMA may request financial information such as the Employer Identification Number (EIN) and bank information as part of the potential award selection. This will apply to everyone who benefits from the award, including subrecipients.

G. Cost Share Requirements There is no cost share requirement.

H. Cost Share Description, Type, and Restrictions

I. Cost Share Example

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Write 4. Learn 5. Award Contacts

J. Required Information for Verifying Cost Share

Maintenance of Effort

Program Description A. Program Purpose

The National Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Response System (the System) receives federal funding to ensure adequate day-to-day administration, program and grant management, training, exercise, procurement (vehicle and equipment) and storage and maintenance for the 28 national task forces. The funding ensures the 28 task forces can maintain their readiness independent of Sponsoring Agency funding. When deployed, these task forces provide federal support to state, local and tribal territories in response to natural and man-made incidents, conducting mass search and rescue operations in the immediate aftermath of an incident, and assisting with stabilization and restoration of community lifelines immediately following an incident.

For a historical perspective, in FY25, awards were provided to each of the 28 FEMA US&R Sponsoring Agencies. In CY25, 43 US&R resources responded to seven major disasters, rescuing, saving, or assisting 208 persons and searching or assessing 5,075 structures.

B. Goals and Objectives The goal of this program is to provide a national network of standardized search and rescue resources to assist States and local governments in responding to hazards while addressing national-level risk that aligns with EO 14239.

Funding provided in this Cooperative Agreement ensures that all 28 System resources develop and maintain their targeted readiness and can perform independent of the Sponsoring Agency’s ability to fund the required activities.

C. Performance Measures and Targets Performance will be evaluated annually through the FEMA US&R Annual Self-Evaluation; the Self- Evaluation results will be validated triennially through the FEMA US&R Administrative Readiness Evaluation (ARE).

Factors to be evaluated:

Operations

• Complement of Rostered Task Force Members (must be = or >140)

• Complement of Trained Task Force Members (must be = or >140)

• Complement of Deployable Task Force Members (must be = or >140)

• Complement of Deployable Canine Search Specialist Teams (must be = or > 8)

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Write 4. Learn 5. Award Contacts

• Members Participating in Annual Training and Exercises (must be = or > 30)

• Members Participating in Training/Drill Sessions Logistics (must be = or > 130)

Logistics

• Complement of Cache Equipment Items (85% of the complement of equipment identified on the

US&R Cache List)

• Adequacy of Transportation Resources (documentation to support 100% of prime movers, as identified in the US&R Convoy Standard)

• % of Cache Mobilization Doctrine – Training/Exercise (100% of necessary mobilization doctrine, e.g., load plans)

• Adequacy of Cache Management Inventory System (system in a database, spreadsheet, etc. must contain 100% of all cache items tracked to its origin, cache list #, and Cooperative Agreement #)

• Adequacy of Warehouse Resources (see FY2025 US&R Readiness Cooperative Agreement

Statement of Work

Administrative / Management

• Complement of Cooperative Agreement Staffing and Resources (management staff to perform the functions of program management, grants management, logistics management and property accountability, administrative support, training coordination and instruction.

• Validation of Complete, Accurate, Timely Cooperative Agreement Reports (Refer to Appendix H of the Statement of Work, Summary of Deliverables)

• Validation of Cooperative Agreement Plans and Memoranda of Agreement (confirm current documentation)

• Validation of Financial and Accounting Processes and Records (confirming integration of the 5 business systems)

• Adequacy of Sponsoring Agency Support Functions (feedback on Sponsoring Agency support)

D. Federal Assistance Type Cooperative Agreement

FEMA, through the US&R Branch, maintains substantial involvement in the requirements contemplated by the award. Substantial involvement exists when: 1) Responsibility for project management, control, direction, or performance is shared by the assisting agency and the recipient.; 2) The assisting agency has the right to intervene, including interrupting or modifying project activities.

The purpose of this Readiness Cooperative Agreement is to support the continued development and maintenance of a national urban search and rescue capability and to ensure such work addresses national-level risk that aligns with EO 14239.

Specifically, this agreement provides a mechanism for distribution of Cooperative Agreement funding for certain purposes in preparation of a federal and local US&R capability for disaster response. This Cooperative Agreement allows each Sponsoring Agency of a System US&R task force the opportunity to maintain a high standard and condition of operational readiness and includes guidance on key areas for task force management to focus on continued preparedness efforts.

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Write 4. Learn 5. Award Contacts

E. Program-Specific Unallowable Costs Allowability is determined by 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Subpart E and 44 C.F.R. § 208.23. Any costs not allowable in accordance with these regulations, are not allowable under this award.

Note: The above may not be exhaustive. Please consult the applicable terms and conditions and with FEMA for more information.

F. General Funding Requirements Costs charged to federal awards (including federal and non-federal cost share funds) must comply with applicable statutes, rules and regulations, policies, this NOFO, and the terms and conditions of the federal award. This includes, among other requirements, that costs must be incurred, and products and services must be delivered within the budget period (see 2 C.F.R. § 200.403(h)).

Recipients may not use federal funds or any cost share funds for the following activities:

1. Matching or cost sharing requirements for other federal grants and cooperative agreements (see 2 C.F.R. § 200.306).

2. Lobbying or other prohibited activities under 18 U.S.C. § 1913 or 2 C.F.R. § 200.450.

3. Prosecuting claims against the federal government or any other government entity (see 2 C.F.R. §

200.435).

G. Prohibition on Covered Equipment or Services FEMA provides additional resources regarding the prohibition on covered telecommunications equipment and services in its policy titled Prohibitions on Expending FEMA Award Funds for Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services (FEMA Policy #405-143-1). This policy outlines specific requirements related to the prohibition. Additionally, FEMA's Contract Provisions Guide offers sample language for the required contract provisions.

Recipients, subrecipients, and their contractors or subcontractors must comply with the prohibitions set forth in Section 889 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, which restrict the purchase of covered telecommunications and surveillance equipment and services. See 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.216, 200.327, 200.471, and Appendix II to 2 C.F.R. Part 200 for more information.

Prohibition on Covered Foreign Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Recipients, subrecipients, and their contractors or subcontractors must also comply with Section 1825 of the American Security Drone Act of 2023, enacted as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Pub. L. No. 118-31 §§ 1821-33, 41 U.S.C. 3901 note prec.). This provision mandates that, beginning December 22, 2025, no federal funds awarded through a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement, or otherwise made available may be used to procure a covered unmanned aircraft system (UAS) that is manufactured or assembled by a covered foreign entity. Significantly, no funds may be used in connection with the operation of such a drone or UAS. For more information, refer to Public Law 118-31 and OMB Memorandum M-26-02, Ensuring Government Use of Secure Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Supporting United States Producers.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRea20080eff2ea53/section-200.403 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/section-200.306 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:18%20section:1913%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section1913)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.450 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.435 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.435 https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_policy-405-143-1-prohibition-covered-services-equipment-gpd.pdf https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_policy-405-143-1-prohibition-covered-services-equipment-gpd.pdf https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_contract-provisions-guide_fy24.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/link/plaw/115/public/232 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.216 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.216 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.327 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.471 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/appendix-Appendix%20II%20to%20Part%20200 https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/2670 https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/2670 https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/2670 https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/M-26-02-Ensuring-Government-Use-of-Secure-Unmanned-Aircraft-Systems-and-Supporting-United-States-Producers.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/M-26-02-Ensuring-Government-Use-of-Secure-Unmanned-Aircraft-Systems-and-Supporting-United-States-Producers.pdf

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Write 4. Learn 5. Award Contacts

Note: P.L 118-31 (Sec. 1832) Federal wildfire management operations, federal search and rescue operations, authorized intelligence activities, tribal law enforcement agencies, and tribal emergency service agencies may be excepted from the provisions of this subtitle to the extent that procurement or operation of UAS is necessary for such operations, in consultation with the DHS Secretary. US&R will comply with the Prohibition on Covered Foreign Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) while it seeks excepted status from DHS.

H. Beneficiary and Participant Eligibility Beneficiary There are no program eligibility requirements for beneficiaries. This NOFO and any subsequent federal awards create no rights or causes of action for any beneficiary.

Participant There are no program eligibility requirements for participants. This NOFO and any subsequent federal awards create no rights or causes of action for any participant.

This NOFO and any subsequent federal awards create no rights or causes of action for any beneficiary or participant. Please consult the DHS Standard Terms and Conditions, your awarding agency’s terms and conditions, and your awarding documents for more details.

I. Indirect Costs Indirect costs (IDC) are costs incurred for a common or joint purpose benefiting more than one cost objective and not readily assignable to specific cost objectives without disproportionate effort.

Applicants with a current negotiated IDC rate agreement who desire to charge indirect costs to a federal award must provide a copy of their IDC rate agreement with their applications. Not all applicants are required to have a current negotiated IDC rate agreement. Applicants that are not required to have a negotiated IDC rate agreement, but are required to develop an IDC rate proposal, must provide a copy of their proposal with their applications. Applicants without a current negotiated IDC rate agreement (including a provisional rate) and wish to charge the de minimis rate must reach out to FEMA for further instructions prior to charging said indirect costs. Applicants who wish to use a cost allocation plan in lieu of an IDC rate proposal must reach out to FEMA for further instructions prior to charging additional costs in accordance with their cost allocation plan..

Indirect costs are allowed for applicants with a current negotiated IDC and are one of the 28 Sponsoring Agencies within the National US&R Response System.

J. Budget Period There will be only a single budget period with the same start and end dates as the period of performance.

K. Pre-Award Costs The following pre-award costs are allowable:

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Write 4. Learn 5. Award Contacts

1. Grant Programs Directorate approved costs for recipient.

Per 2 C.F.R. § 200.458, pre-award costs are those incurred before the effective date of the federal award directly pursuant to the negotiation and in anticipation of the federal award where such costs are necessary for efficient and timely performance of the scope of work. Such costs are allowable only to the extent that they would have been allowable if incurred after the date of the federal award and only with the written approval from FEMA.

To apply for the approval of pre-award costs (i.e., costs incurred prior to the beginning of the Period of Performance for this Cooperative Agreement) the recipient shall submit a justification as to why the pre-award cost approval is necessary, along with a detailed estimate of costs, in the application. The US&R Branch will review and forward the application to the Grant Programs Directorate for approval. The recipient will then be instructed to include their request and the approval with their application package submission.

L. Management and Administration Costs M&A costs are allowed.

Management and Administration costs are allowed under this program, as outlined in 44 C.F.R. § 208.23.

Management and Administration costs are activities directly related to implementing the award. M&A costs are not operational costs. They are the necessary costs incurred in direct support of the grant or because of the grant and should be allocated across the entire lifecycle of the grant. Funding levels for M&A costs, if proposed, will be negotiated on a per applicant basis.

M&A are not overhead costs but are necessary direct costs incurred in direct support of the federal award or as a consequence of it, such as travel, meeting-related expenses, and salaries of full/part-time staff in direct support of the program. As such, M&A costs can be itemized in financial reports.

M. Authorizing Authority Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Pub. L. No. 93-288, Sec. 327 (1974), (codified as amended at 42 U.S.C § 5165f).

N. Appropriation Authority Homeland Security and Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026, Pub. L. No. 119-86.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.458 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-44/section-208.23

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Write 4. Learn 5. Award Contacts

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply

Submission Requirements and Application Deadlines 12

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Write 4. Learn 5. Award Contacts

Submission Requirements and Application Deadlines A. Registration

You must have an active SAM.gov account which includes having a UEI. SAM.gov registration can take several weeks. Begin that process today.

For more detailed instructions for obtaining a UEI number or to register, go to SAM.gov Entity Registration and click “Get Started.” From the same page, you can also click on the Entity Registration Checklist for the information you will need to register.

You must also have an active account with Grants.gov. You can see step-by step instructions see the Quick Start Guide for Applicants.

B. Requesting the Application Package The application package is accessible in the FEMA Grants Outcomes (FEMA GO) system. To access the system, go to https://go.fema.gov/.

C. Application and Submission Instructions To apply for an award under this program, all applicants must:

1. Apply for, update, or verify their UEI number and EIN from the Internal Revenue Service;

2. Provide their UEI number in the application;

3. Have an account with login.gov;

4. Register for, update, or verify their SAM.gov account and ensure the account is active before submitting the application;

5. Register in FEMA GO, add the organization to the system, and establish the Authorized

Organizational Representative (AOR). The organization’s electronic business point of contact (eBiz POC) from the SAM registration may need to be involved in this step. For step-by-step instructions, see the FEMA GO Startup Guide;

6. Submit the complete application in FEMA GO; and

7. Always maintain an active SAM registration with current information during which the applicant has an active federal award, an application, or plan under consideration by a federal awarding agency. As part of this, applicants must also provide information on an applicant’s immediate and highest-level owner and subsidiaries, as well as on all predecessors that have been awarded federal contracts or federal financial assistance within the last three years, if applicable.

Per 2 C.F.R. 25.110(a)(2)(iv), if an applicant is experiencing exigent circumstances that prevents it from obtaining an UEI number and completing SAM registration prior to receiving a federal award, the applicant must notify FEMA as soon as possible. Contact fema-grants-news@fema.dhs.gov and provide the details of the exigent circumstances.

https://sam.gov/ https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration https://grants.gov/help/get-started/ https://go.fema.gov/ https://login.gov/ https://sam.gov/ https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_gpd_startup_guide_051325.pdf https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-25/section-25.110#p-25.110(a)(2)(iv) mailto:fema-grants-news@fema.dhs.gov

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Write 4. Learn 5. Award Contacts

D. How to Register to Apply General Instructions Registering and applying for an award under this program is a multi-step process and requires time to complete. Below are instructions for registering to apply for FEMA funds. Read the instructions carefully and prepare the requested information before beginning the registration process. Gathering the required information before starting the process will alleviate last-minute searches for required information.

The registration process can take up to four weeks to complete. To ensure an application meets the deadline, applicants are advised to start the required steps well in advance of their submission.

Organizations must have a UEI number, EIN, and an active SAM registration.

Obtain a UEI Number All entities applying for funding, including renewal funding, must have a UEI number.

Obtain Employer Identification Number In addition to having a UEI number, all entities applying for funding must provide an EIN. The EIN can be obtained from the IRS at Get an employer identification number.

Create a login.gov account Applicants must have a login.gov account to register with SAM or update their SAM registration. Applicants can create a login.gov account at Create an account.

Applicants only have to create a login.gov account once. For existing SAM users, use the same email address for both login.gov and SAM.gov so that the two accounts can be linked.

For more information on the login.gov requirements for SAM registration, refer to SAM.gov.

Register with SAM.gov In addition to having a UEI number, all organizations must register with SAM.gov. Failure to register with SAM.gov will prevent your organization from applying through FEMA GO. SAM.gov registration must be renewed annually and must remain active throughout the entire grant life cycle.

For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM.gov, refer to Register with SAM.gov.

Note: per 2 C.F.R. § 25.200 applicants must also provide the applicant’s immediate and highest-level owner, subsidiaries, and predecessors that have been awarded federal contracts or federal financial assistance, applicants must also provide the applicant’s immediate and highest-level owner, subsidiaries, and predecessors that have been awarded federal contracts or federal financial assistance within the past three years, if applicable.

Register in FEMA GO, Add the Organization to the System, and Establish the AOR Applicants must register in FEMA GO and add their organization to the system. The organization’s electronic business point of contact (eBiz POC) from the SAM.gov registration may need to be involved in https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online https://login.gov/create-an-account/ https://login.gov/create-an-account/ https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/loginFAQ.jsf https://sam.gov/ https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-25.200 https://go.fema.gov/ this step. For step-by-step instructions, see the FEMA GO Startup Guide.

Note: FEMA GO will support only the most recent major release of the following browsers:

• Google Chrome;

• Mozilla Firefox;

• Apple Safari; and

• Microsoft Edge.

Applicants using tablet type devices or other browsers may encounter issues with using FEMA GO.

E. Submitting the Final Application Applicants will be prompted to submit the standard application information, and any program-specific information required in FEMA GO.

After submitting the final application, FEMA GO will provide either an error message or send an email to the submitting AOR confirming the transmission was successfully received.

F. Application Deadline August 31, 2026 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time

G.Pre-Application Requirements Deadline Not Applicable

H.Post Application Requirements Deadline Not Applicable

I. Effects of Missing Deadlines All applications must be completed in FEMA GO by the application deadline. FEMA GO automatically records proof of submission and generates an electronic date/time stamp when FEMA GO successfully receives an application. The submitting AOR will receive an email with an official date/time stamp and a FEMA GO tracking number to serve as proof of timely submission prior to the application deadline.

Applicants experiencing system-related issues have until 3 p.m. ET on the date applications are due to notify FEMA. No new system-related issues will be addressed after this deadline. Applications not received by the application submission deadline will not be accepted.

https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_gpd_startup_guide_051325.pdf

Step 3: Write Your Application

Application contents and format 16

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Write 4. Learn 5. Award Contacts

Application Contents and Format A. Application Requirements

The following forms or information are integrated into the application package in FEMA GO. Applicants should review these forms at SF-424 Family | Grants.gov before applying to ensure they are providing all required information.

1. SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance

2. Grants.gov Lobbying Form, Certification Regarding Lobbying

3. SF-424A, Budget Information (Non-Construction)

• If construction is permitted under the program, submit SF-424C, Budget Information (Construction), instead of SF-424A

4. SF-424B, Standard Assurances (Non-Construction)

• If construction is permitted under the program, submit SF-424D, Standard Assurances

(Construction), instead of SF-424B

5. SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

B. Required Documents, Content, and Formatting

C. Program-Specific Required Documents and Information The following program-specific forms or information are required to be submitted in FEMA GO:

• Completed US&R Budget Narrative Workbook, FEMA Form 089-0-101; and

• Requests for pre-award costs (if applicable) must be made in writing on Sponsoring Agency letterhead and include detailed information on the need for pre-award funding; and

• If one or more vehicle purchases is/are included in the budget narrative, include the following:

o Vehicle (rolling or floating) specifications of the vehicle(s) the applicant intends to purchase;

and o A completed Vehicle Support Unit Purchase Replacement/Disposal Justification Form, FEMA Form 089-0-26

• A description of how the work being done will address national level risk as specified in EO 14239.

D. Post-Application Requirements for Successful Applicants https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Write 4. Learn 5. Award Contacts

Step 4: Learn about the Award Review Process

Application Review Information 18

Intergovernmental Review 20

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Write 4. Learn 5. Award Contacts

Application Review Information A. Threshold Criteria

Applications will be reviewed to ensure the applicant is one of the 28 FEMA-designated Urban Search and Rescue Task Force Sponsoring Agencies. Eligibility factor is binary.

B. Application Criteria US&R awards are not competitive, the applications are not rated. The award is available to all 28 FEMA-designated Urban Search and Rescue Task Force Sponsoring Agencies.

C. Financial Integrity Criteria Before making an award, the awarding agency is required to review OMB-designated databases for applicants’ eligibility and financial integrity information. This is required by the Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019 (Pub. L. No. 116-117, § 2 (2020), 41 U.S.C. § 2313, and the “Do Not Pay Initiative” (31 U.S.C. 3354). For more details, please see 2 C.F.R. § 200.206.

Thus, the Financial Integrity Criteria may include the following risk-based considerations of the applicant:

1. Financial stability.

2. Quality of management systems and ability to meet management standards.

3. History of performance in managing federal award.

4. Reports and findings from audits.

5. Ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements.

D. Supplemental Financial Integrity Criteria and Risk Review Before making an award expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold, defined at 41 U.S.C. § 134, over the period of performance:

1. The awarding agency is required by 41 U.S.C. § 2313 to review or consider certain information found in SAM.gov. For details, please see 2 C.F.R. § 200.206(a)(2).

2. An applicant may review and comment on any information in the responsibility/qualification records available in SAM.gov.

3. Before making decisions in the risk review required by 2 C.F.R. § 200.206, the awarding agency will consider any comments by the applicant.

E. Reviewer Selection The first review will be performed by a FEMA US&R Branch staff member with subject matter expertise in the US&R program requirements, budget spend plan, and grant management experience. The second review is performed by the FEMA Grants Program Directorate (GPD) by a Grant Specialist or Assistance Officer with subject matter expertise in grant management and assistance.

F. Merit Review Process US&R awards are not competitive; the applications are not rated. The award is available to all 28 FEMA-https://www.congress.gov/116/statute/STATUTE-134/STATUTE-134-Pg113.pdf https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title41-section2313&num=0&edition=prelim https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?hl=false&edition=prelim&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title31-section3354&f=treesort&num=0&saved=%7CKHRpdGxlOjMxIHNlY3Rpb246MzM1MSBlZGl0aW9uOnByZWxpbSkgT1IgKGdyYW51bGVpZDpVU0MtcHJlbGltLXRpdGxlMzEtc2VjdGlvbjMzNTEp%7CdHJlZXNvcnQ%3D%7C%7C0%7Cfalse%7Cprelim https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?hl=false&edition=prelim&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title31-section3354&f=treesort&num=0&saved=%7CKHRpdGxlOjMxIHNlY3Rpb246MzM1MSBlZGl0aW9uOnByZWxpbSkgT1IgKGdyYW51bGVpZDpVU0MtcHJlbGltLXRpdGxlMzEtc2VjdGlvbjMzNTEp%7CdHJlZXNvcnQ%3D%7C%7C0%7Cfalse%7Cprelim https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-C/section-200.206 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title41-section2313&num=0&edition=prelim https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-C/section-200.206 https://sam.gov/ https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-C/section-200.206

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Write 4. Learn 5. Award Contacts

FEMA will prioritize applications that contribute to multi-state, regional, or national capabilities, including data centers, nuclear power generation, multi-state agriculture or multi-state water supply, or other such infrastructure or services. FEMA will prioritize applications that and address at least one national level risk that aligns with EO 14239.

G. Final Selection US&R awards are not competitive; the applications are not rated. The award is available to all 28 FEMA-

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Write 4. Learn 5. Award Contacts

Intergovernmental Review A. Requirement Description and State Single Point of Contact

An intergovernmental review may be required. Applicants must contact their state’s Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to comply with the state’s process under Executive Order 12372. No further action is needed if you do not find a contact for your state in the latest version of the SPOC list.

Note: This requirement does not apply to tribal governments.

https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=43cc1c138155325b42a3a955d345e1e7860474a2770290d46abb1fd8ae77d8f4JmltdHM9MTc1OTE5MDQwMA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=4&fclid=294b42f1-0982-65d0-0900-572608a06432&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cub2pwLmdvdi9JbnRlcmdvdmVybm1lbnRhbFJldmlld1NQT0NMaXN0LnBkZg&ntb=1

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Write 4. Learn 5. Award Contacts

Step 5: Learn What Happens After Award

Award Notices 22

Post-award requirements and administration 22

Other 32

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Write 4. Learn 5. Award Contacts

Award Notices A. Notice of Award

The AOR should carefully read the federal award package before accepting the federal award. The federal award package includes instructions on administering the federal award as well as terms and conditions for the award.

By applying, applicants agree to comply with the prerequisites stated in this NOFO and the material terms and conditions of the federal award, should they receive an award.

FEMA will provide the federal award package to the applicant electronically in FEMA GO. Award packages include an Award Letter, Summary Award Memo, Agreement Articles, and Obligating Document. An award package notification email is sent by the grant application system to the submitting AOR.

Recipients must accept their awards no later than 90 days from the award date. Recipients shall notify FEMA of their intent to accept the award and proceed with work in the FEMA GO system.

Funds will remain on hold until the recipient accepts the award in FEMA GO and all other conditions of the award have been satisfied, or until the award is otherwise rescinded. Failure to accept a grant award within the specified timeframe may result in a loss of funds.

B. Pass-Through Requirements

C. Note Regarding Pre-Award Costs Even if pre-award costs are allowed, beginning performance prior to award is at the applicant or sub-applicant’s own risk.

D. Obligation of Funds The grant funds are obligated in accordance with applicable laws, and no later than upon award.

E. Notification to Unsuccessful Applicants This is a non-competitive award. Each of the 28 FEMA-designated Urban Search and Rescue Task Force Sponsoring Agencies will receive funding under this award. Applicants that are not one of the 28 FEMA-designated Urban Search and Rescue Task Force Sponsoring Agencies will be disqualified with no notification provided.

Post-Award Requirements and Administration A. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Presidential Executive Orders Recipients must comply with the requirements of Presidential Executive Orders related to grants (also

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Write 4. Learn 5. Award Contacts known as federal assistance and financial assistance), the full text of which are incorporated by reference.

Pursuant to the preliminary injunction order issued on November 21, 2025, in County of Santa Clara et al.

v. Noem, et al., No. 25-cv-08330-WHO (N.D. Cal.), this requirement does not apply to awards or subawards issued to any of the plaintiffs subject to the preliminary injunction order while the order remains in effect.

If the preliminary injunction is extended to cover additional plaintiffs, this provision will also not apply to any awards or subawards issued to those plaintiffs. If the preliminary injunction is stayed, vacated, or extinguished, this requirement will immediately become effective. Also, pursuant to the preliminary injunction order issued on November 21, 2025, in City of Chicago et al. v. Noem, et al., No. 25-CV-12765 (N.D. Ill.), this requirement does not apply to awards or subawards issued to any of the plaintiffs subject to the preliminary injunction order while the order remains in effect. If the preliminary injunction is extended to cover additional plaintiffs, this provision will also not apply to any awards or subawards issued to those plaintiffs. If the preliminary injunction is stayed, vacated, or extinguished, this requirement will immediately become effective.

Pursuant to the preliminary injunction order issued on July 10, 2026, in the City of Fresno et al. v. Mullin, et al., No. 3:26-cv-01535-WHO (N.D. Cal.), this requirement does not apply to awards or subawards issued to any of the plaintiffs subject to the preliminary injunction order while the order remains in effect. If the preliminary injunction is extended to cover additional plaintiffs, this provision will also not apply to any awards or subawards issued to those plaintiffs. If the preliminary injunction is stayed, vacated, or extinguished, this requirement will immediately become effective.

In accordance with Executive Order 14305, Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty (June 6, 2025), and to the extent allowed by law, eligible state, local, tribal, and territorial grant recipients under this NOFO are permitted to purchase unmanned aircraft systems, otherwise known as drones, or equipment or services for the detection, tracking, or identification of drones and drone signals, consistent with the legal authorities of state, local, tribal, and territorial agencies. Recipients must comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, and adhere to any statutory requirements on the use of federal funds for such unmanned aircraft systems, equipment, or services.

Subrecipient Monitoring and Management Pass-through entities must comply with the requirements for subrecipient monitoring and management as set forth in 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.331-333.

Termination of a Federal Award

1. The termination condition below applies to the grant award and the “Termination of a Federal

Award” term and condition in the FY 2026 DHS Standard Terms and Conditions does not.

2. Termination of the federal award by FEMA FEMA, in its sole discretion, may terminate the federal award in whole or in part for one of the following reasons consistent with 2 C.F.R. § 200.340:

a. If the recipient or subrecipient fails to comply with the terms and conditions of the federal award.

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/06/11/2025-10803/restoring-american-airspace-sovereignty https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR031321e29ac5bbd https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR86b76dde0e1e9dc/section-200.340

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Write 4. Learn 5. Award Contacts

b. With the consent of the recipient, in which case FEMA and the recipient must agree upon the termination conditions. These conditions include the effective date and, in the case of partial termination, the portion to be terminated.

c. If the federal award no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities. Under this provision, FEMA may terminate the award for these purposes if any of the following reasons apply:

i. FEMA determines that a specific award objective is ineffective at achieving program goals as described in this NOFO;

ii. FEMA determines that an objective of the award as described in this NOFO will be ineffective at achieving program goals or agency priorities;

iii. FEMA determines that the design of the grant program is flawed relative to program goals or agency priorities;

iv. FEMA determines that the grant program is not aligned to either the DHS Strategic Plan, the FEMA Strategic Plan, or successor policies or documents;

v. FEMA changes or re-evaluates the goals or priorities of the grant program and determines that the award will be ineffective at achieving the updated program goals or agency priorities; or

vi. For other reasons based on program goals or agency priorities described in the termination notice provided to the recipient pursuant to 2 C.F.R. § 200.341.

d. For convenience, including if the award no longer advances the national interest.

Termination for convenience only applies to discretionary awards, as that term is defined at 2 C.F.R. § 200.1. The term “discretionary award” does not include grants where legislation establishes an entitlement to the funds on the part of the recipient, such as block grants or those awarded based on a statutory formula.

3. Termination of a Subaward by the Pass-Through Entity

a. The pass-through entity may terminate a subaward in whole or in part for one of the following reasons identified in 2 C.F.R. § 200.340:

i. If the subrecipient fails to comply with the terms and conditions of the federal award.

ii. With the consent of the subrecipient, in which case the pass-through entity and the subrecipient must agree upon the termination conditions. These conditions include the effective date and, in the case of partial termination, the portion to be terminated.

b. If the pass-through entity’s award has been terminated the pass-through entity must terminate its subawards.

4. Termination by the Recipient or Subrecipient The recipient or subrecipient may terminate the federal award in whole or in part as identified in 2 C.F.R. § 200.340 upon sending FEMA or pass-through entity a written notification of the reasons for such termination, the effective date, and, in the case of partial termination, the portion to be terminated. However, if FEMA or pass-through entity determines that the remaining portion of the federal award will not accomplish the purposes for which the federal award was made, FEMA or pass-through entity may terminate the federal award in its entirety.

5. Impacts of Termination

a. When FEMA terminates the federal award, in whole or in part, before the end of the period of performance due to the recipient’s or subrecipient’s material failure to comply with the terms https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR86b76dde0e1e9dc/section-200.341 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.340 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.340 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.340

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Write 4. Learn 5. Award Contacts and conditions of the federal award, FEMA will report the termination in SAM.gov in the manner described at 2 C.F.R. § 200.340(c).

b. When the federal award is terminated in part or its entirety, FEMA or pass-through entity and recipient or subrecipient remain responsible for compliance with the requirements in 2 C.F.R.

§§ 200.344 and 200.345.

6. Notification requirements FEMA or the pass-through entity must provide written notice of the termination in a manner consistent with 2 C.F.R. § 200.341. The federal award will be terminated on the date of the notification unless stated otherwise in the notification.

7. Opportunities to Object and Appeals Where applicable, when FEMA terminates the federal award, the written notification of termination will provide the opportunity and describe the process to object and provide information challenging the action, pursuant to 2 C.F.R. § 200.342.

8. Effects of Suspension and Termination

The allowability of costs to the recipient or subrecipient resulting from financial obligations incurred by the recipient or subrecipient during a suspension or after the termination of a federal award are subject to 2 C.F.R. § 200.343.

B. DHS Standard Terms and Conditions A recipient under this funding opportunity must comply with the DHS Standard Terms and Conditions in effect as of the federal award, unless a term and condition specifically indicates otherwise. The DHS Standard Terms and Conditions are available online and can be found at DHS Standard Terms and Conditions | Homeland Security. For continuation awards, the terms and conditions for the initial federal award will apply unless otherwise specified in the terms and conditions of the continuation award. The specific version of the DHS Standard Terms and Conditions applicable to the federal award will be in the federal award package.

A recipient under this funding opportunity must comply with the FY 2026 Department of Homeland Security Standard Terms and Conditions, with the following exceptions. The term titled “Communication and Cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration Officials” and paragraph (2)(a)(ii) of the term titled “Federal Anti-Discrimination Laws Material to the Government’s Payment Decisions Under the False Claims Act” do not apply to any federal award under this funding opportunity.

Pursuant to the preliminary injunction order issued on November 21, 2025, in County of Santa Clara et al.

v. Noem, et al., No. 25-cv-08330-WHO (N.D. Cal.), the following terms and conditions do not apply to awards or subawards issued to any of the plaintiffs subject to the preliminary injunction order while the order remains in effect: (1) The DHS Standard Term and Condition titled " Federal Anti-Discrimination Laws Material to the Government’s Payment Decisions Under the False Claims Act "; and (2) the DHS Standard Term and Condition titled "All Executive Orders Related to Grants". If the preliminary injunction is extended to cover additional plaintiffs, this provision will also not apply to any awards or subawards issued to those plaintiffs. If the preliminary injunction is stayed, vacated, or extinguished, both terms will immediately become effective. As stated above, Paragraph (2)(a)(ii) of the DHS Standard Term and Condition titled “Federal Anti-Discrimination Laws Material to the Government’s Payment Decisions Under https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/subpart-D#p-200.340(c) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.344 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.344 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.345 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.341 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.342 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.343 https://www.dhs.gov/publication/dhs-standard-terms-and-conditions https://www.dhs.gov/publication/dhs-standard-terms-and-conditions

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Write 4. Learn 5. Award Contacts the False Claims Act” will not apply even if the preliminary injunction is stayed, vacated, or extinguished.

Pursuant to the preliminary injunction order issued on November 21, 2025, in City of Chicago et al. v.

Noem, et al., No. 25-CV-12765 (N.D. Ill.), the following terms and conditions do not apply to awards or subawards issued to any of the plaintiffs subject to the preliminary injunction order while the order remains in effect: (1) the DHS Standard Term and Condition titled " Federal Anti-Discrimination Laws Material to the Government’s Payment Decisions Under the False Claims Act"; and (2) the DHS Standard Term and Condition titled " All Executive Orders Related to Grants". If the preliminary injunction is extended to cover additional plaintiffs, this provision will also not apply to any awards or subawards issued to those plaintiffs. If the preliminary injunction is stayed, vacated, or extinguished, both terms will immediately become effective. As stated above, paragraph (2)(a)(ii) of the DHS Standard Term and Condition titled “Federal Anti-Discrimination Laws Material to the Government’s Payment Decisions Under the False Claims Act” will not apply even if the preliminary injunction is stayed, vacated, or extinguished.

Pursuant to the preliminary injunction order issued on October 31, 2025, in City of Seattle v. Trump, et al., No. 2:25-cv-01435-BJR (W.D.