FY_2023_Swift Current_NOFO_Amendment 1 Summary of Changes_clean_rev_508.pdf

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Fiscal Year 2023 Flood Mitigation Assistance Swift Current Amendment #1, March 8, 2024

Summary of Changes

The purpose of this amendment is to edit the Fiscal Year 2023 Flood Mitigation Assistance Swift Current Notice of Funding Opportunity to reflect change language and additional language based on feedback and questions from FEMA Regions and eligible applicants activated for Swift Current. The announcement type, Section. A.8, has been designated to reflect this a modification.

This amendment revises the text of the NOFO in the section identified below.

• Deleted text is shown in strikethrough and also noted with [Deleted Text Start] and

[Deleted Text End] at the beginning and end of the deleted sections.

• Added text is the color red and bolded and denoted with an * (asterisk) at the beginning and end of the added text.

If a section or paragraph is not listed below, no text changes apply to that section or paragraph as a result of this amendment.

Change 1 – Structures deemed Substantially Damage after the major flood related disaster declaration incident period start date will be eligible for Swift Current. This change allows structures deemed Substantially Damaged prior to the disaster declaration date but during and after the associated flood event to be eligible for Swift Current.

Section A. Program Description

10. c. Priorities

FMA Swift Current funds Individual Flood Mitigation Projects for Repetitive Loss (RL), Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL), or properties deemed Substantially Damaged after the applicant’s disaster declaration * incident period start * date. * The incident period start date refers to the first date of the incident period associated with the applicant’s flood related major disaster declaration eligible for Swift Current. The incident period start date is usually prior to the associated disaster declaration date. Disaster declaration information can be found on FEMA’s disaster declaration website Disasters and Other Declarations | FEMA.gov. * (Definitions for these terms can be found in Section C Eligibility Information, Cost Share and Match of this funding opportunity).

Section A. Program Description

11. Performance Measures

The following key performance indicators provide strategic and relevant information to decisionmakers and stakeholders about FMA Swift Current’s progress and success toward https://www.fema.gov/disaster/declarations https://www.fema.gov/disaster/declarations achieving goals and objectives, and are based on measurable data that are available or could be feasibly collected:

• Total number of NFIP-insured properties selected that are FMA and/or NFIP defined Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL), Repetitive Loss (RL), and properties deemed Substantially Damaged after the applicant’s disaster declaration * incident period start * date.

• Total federal cost share funding invested in or benefiting Justice40 Communities identified using version 1.0 of the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool

(CEJST).

• Number of State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Governments (SLTTs) that attended tailored pre-application support and outreach activities hosted by FEMA.

• Timeliness of obligation from the disaster declaration date.

• Total dollar amount of flood losses avoided in projects or communities funded by

FMA Swift Current subapplications.

Section B. Federal Award Information

1. Available Funding

a. Application Allocation The applicant allocation may be used for Individual Flood Mitigation Projects that mitigate the risk of flooding to NFIP-insured structures that are NFIP defined or FMA defined SRL or RL structures or are structures that have been deemed Substantially Damaged after the applicant’s disaster declaration * incident period start * date.

Section C. Eligibility Information

1. Other Eligibility Criteria

a. Properties included in Individual Flood Mitigation Project subapplications must be FMA and/or NFIP defined SRL properties, RL properties, or properties that were deemed Substantially Damaged after the applicant’s disaster declaration * incident period start * date.

Section D. Application and Submission Information

8. Submitting the Application in MT eGrants

Applicants must review and approve subapplications submitted by their subapplicants.

Applicants must ensure that accurate NFIP policy numbers and RL numbers are included in the Properties section of project subapplications in MT eGrants to be considered for competitive property flood mitigation project funding. For structures that are deemed Substantially Damaged after the * first date of the * applicant’s disaster declaration * incident period * date, applicants must include a certification that the structures meet these conditions.

Section E. Application Review Information

2. Review and Selection Process

a. Selection All identified properties in a subapplication must be NFIP defined or FMA defined SRL, RL, or deemed Substantially Damaged after the applicant’s disaster declaration * incident period start * date, as referenced in Section C.3 Other Eligibility Criteria. If a https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en/#3/33.47/-97.5 https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en/#3/33.47/-97.5 subapplication includes a property that is not SRL, RL, or deemed Substantially Damaged as of the applicant’s disaster declaration * incident period start * date, FEMA will remove the property from the subapplication prior to selection.

Change 2 – U.S. Territories and federally recognized Tribal governments applying directly to FEMA for assistance will be eligible for a 150 calendar day application submittal period. This change recognizes processes unique to U.S. Territories and Tribal governments when considering participating in Swift Current.

Section B. Federal Award Information

1. Available Funding for the NOFO: $300 million

FEMA will accept FY 2023 FMA Swift Current applications from November 15, 2023 until January 15, 2025 for applicants that receive a major disaster declaration for a flood-related disaster event between June 1, 2023 (backdated) and May 31, 2024 and meets the specified claims criterion. This is called the FMA Swift Current availability window.

During the FMA Swift Current availability window, the applicant’s eligibility period begins 30 days after the applicant both receives a major disaster declaration for a flood-related disaster event between June 1, 2023 (backdated) and May 31, 2024 and meets the specified claims criterion. The eligibility period refers to the time that the applicant may submit subapplications to FMA Swift Current. The eligibility period start date will vary by applicant. Generally, the eligibility period is 120 calendar days. Upon FMA Swift Current activation, the application deadline date will be provided to the applicant. However, if the applicant has more than $1 million prior flood insurance claims in the previous year and the declared disaster results in 500 or more flood insurance claims for the applicant, their eligibility period is 150 calendar days. * If the applicant is a U.S. Territory or federally recognized Tribal government applying directly to FEMA for assistance, their eligibility period deadline is 150 calendar days. * At the start of an applicant’s eligibility period, FEMA will determine an allocation for that applicant (see Section B.1.a. Applicant Allocation below) Applicants must meet all other eligibility criteria to be eligible for FMA Swift Current funds.

Section D. Application and Submission Information

1. Key Dates and Times

e. Application Submission Deadline

II. APPLICATION SUBMISSION DEADLINE (EXCEPTION)

The application submission deadline varies by applicant. If the applicant has more than $1 million prior flood insurance claims in the previous year and the declared disaster results in 500 or more flood insurance claims for the applicant, the applicant’s application submission deadline is 150 calendar days after the eligibility period start date. * If the applicant is a U.S. Territory or federally recognized Tribal government applying directly to FEMA for assistance, the applicant's application submission deadline is 150 calendar days after the eligibility period start date. *

Change 3. Benefit Cost Analysis pre-calculated benefits section revised to direct users to FEMA’s Benefit Cost Analysis website for the most updated pre-calculated benefits dollar figures.

Section D. Application and Submission Information

11. Other Submission Requirements

a. Benefit-Cost Analysis for Mitigation Projects Applicants and subapplicants applying for an Individual Flood Mitigation Project must provide a Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) or other documentation that validates cost-effectiveness. Management costs subapplications do not require a BCA. Applicants and subapplicants may use one of three standard approaches. In no case will FEMA award a hazard mitigation project that is not cost-effective.

i. Streamlined cost-effectiveness determination method: FEMA has established streamlined cost-effectiveness determination methods for some hazard mitigation projects and project types. Using one of these methods fulfills the cost-effectiveness requirement if the project meets applicable criteria.

• For projects with a total cost of less than $1,000,000, the subapplicant may provide a narrative that includes qualitative and quantitative data demonstrating the benefits and cost-effectiveness of the project. Total project costs include all project costs, not just the federal share. Instructions for completing a cost-effectiveness narrative may be found on the FEMA BCA website. FEMA will validate the cost effectiveness and estimate a benefit cost ratio of the proposed project during its review.

• Pre-calculated benefits are available for some project types, including acquisitions and elevations. Further details, including application submission requirements, may be found in the HMA Policy and Program Guide and on the FEMA BCA website.

ii. Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) Assistance: FEMA will review hazard mitigation project subapplications during the pre-award process that are competitive and otherwise eligible for selection where a small and impoverished communities as defined in 44 C.F.R. 201.2., federally recognized Tribal government, or subapplication for a hazard mitigation project within or primarily benefiting a Community Disaster Resilience Zone (defined at 42 U.S.C. § 5136(a)(1)) is unable to calculate a BCR to demonstrate cost-effectiveness. FEMA may assist such communities with developing a BCA. Projects with a total cost of less than $1,000,000 that qualify for BCA Assistance under this provision are not required to submit a cost-effectiveness narrative. FEMA has additional guidance for this approach for selected subapplications that may qualify for this consideration. For more information see the FEMA BCA website.

iii. Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA): If a streamlined cost-effectiveness determination method does not apply, a BCA is required to validate cost-effectiveness. FEMA has established a set discount rate of 3% to be used in a BCA for hazard mitigation projects for the FY 2023 BRIC and FMA cycles, including FMA Swift Current.

https://www.fema.gov/grants/tools/benefit-cost-analysis https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/hazard-mitigation-assistance-guidance https://www.fema.gov/grants/tools/benefit-cost-analysis https://www.fema.gov/grants/tools/benefit-cost-analysis https://www.fema.gov/grants/tools/benefit-cost-analysis

FEMA’s BCA Toolkit is available on the FEMA website at https://www.fema.gov/grants/tools/benefit-cost-analysis. Version 6.0 or newer are the only versions FEMA will accept as documentation for demonstrating cost-effectiveness. FEMA encourages the use of the BCA Toolkit to calculate the project BCR; however, applicants and subapplicants may also use a non-FEMA BCA methodology if pre-approved by FEMA in writing.

• All projects not using a streamlined cost-effectiveness determination must demonstrate a BCR of 1.0 or greater to be eligible for funding.

• Even if a streamlined cost-effectiveness determination method applies, applicants and subapplicants may use a BCA to show cost-effectiveness of a project.

[Deleted Text Start] Structure acquisitions and elevations located in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) may use pre-calculated benefits to determine cost effectiveness.

The updated values for use of pre-calculated benefits to determine cost effectiveness of elevations and acquisitions in the SFHA are: $323,000 per structure for acquisitions and $205,000 per structure for Elevations (and Mitigation Reconstruction). These pre-calculated benefits for acquisition projects are recognized as helping support BCA eligibility for larger community relocation efforts. More detailed information about pre-calculated benefits and how they can be used is available on the FEMA website at Pre- Calculated Benefits Resources | FEMA.gov.

Additionally, FEMA has determined that the acquisition of a structure designated as RL or SRL,1 regardless of location within or outside of the SFHA, with total project costs less than or equal to $323,000 is considered cost-effective. As such, FEMA has expanded the use of pre-calculated benefits to include acquisition projects of RL and SRL properties outside the SFHA with a project cost less than or equal to the existing calculated threshold of $323,000. [Deleted Text End]

More detailed information is available on the FEMA website at https://www.fema.gov/grants/guidance-tools/benefit-cost-analysis.

[END OF AMENDMENT]

https://www.fema.gov/grants/guidance-tools/benefit-cost-analysis/streamlined-bca%23pre-calculated-benefits https://www.fema.gov/grants/guidance-tools/benefit-cost-analysis/streamlined-bca%23pre-calculated-benefits https://www.fema.gov/grants/guidance-tools/benefit-cost-analysis

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