FY 2026 NEHRP ISEA NOFO - FINAL 508.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Application due: August 14, 2026

Fiscal Year 2026 FEMA National

Earthquake Hazards Reduction

Program Individual State

Earthquake Assistance Assistance Listing Number: 97.153 Funding Opportunity Number: DHS-26-MT-082-02-99

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 5

Program Description 8

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 12

Submission Requirements and Application Deadlines 13

Step 3: Write Your Application 16

Application Contents and Format 17

Step 4: Learn About the Award Review Process 19

Application Review Information 20

Intergovernmental Review 22

Step 5: Learn What Happens After Award 23

Award Notices 24

Post-Award Requirements and Administration 25

Other Information 34

Contacts and Appendices 41

Contacts 42

Appendices 44

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/ https://Grants.gov

Step 1: Review the Opportunity

In this step

Basic information 4

Eligibility 5

Program description 8

Jump to a step

Basic Information A. Award Facts

Agency Name: U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Resilience, Hazard Mitigation Directorate, Earthquake and Wind Sciences Branch

Assistance Listing Number: 97.153

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Title: Fiscal Year 2026 FEMA

National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Individual State

Earthquake Assistance

Funding Opportunity Number: DHS-26-MT-082-02-99

Announcement Type: Initial

Expected Award Range: $50,000 - $963,000

Expected Total Funding: $2,346,900.00

Anticipated Number of Awards: 22

B. Executive Summary The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) is a coordinating program for earthquake monitoring, research, implementation, education and outreach activities developed and conducted by these four agencies:

• Federal Emergency Management Agency;

• National Institute of Standards and Technology;

• National Science Foundation; and

• U.S. Geological Survey.

FEMA awards non-competitive grants to eligible states and territories with high to very high seismic risks to fund one or more of the following allowable activities. The purpose is to support the establishment of earthquake hazards reduction programming and the implementation of earthquake safety, mitigation, and resilience activities at the state and local level.

In accordance with this Individual State Earthquake Assistance (ISEA) NOFO, funds available to eligible states and territories classified as having a high or very high risk of earthquakes. Participation in this funding opportunity is limited to states and territories that can provide a statutory non-federal cost share of 25%. However, the cost share requirement does not apply to territories classified as "Insular Areas," such as the U.S. Virgin Islands, which are still eligible to participate in the program. All activities funded by the ISEA grant program must be consistent with the NEHRP vision, mission, and strategic goals.

Key Dates

Projected Application Start

Date: July 13, 2026

Projected Application End

Date: August 14, 2026

Anticipated Funding Selection

Date: September 30, 2026

Anticipated Award Date:

September 30, 2026

Projected Period of

Performance Start Date:

October 1, 2026

Projected Period of Performance End Date: March 31, 2028

Budget Period: October 1, 2026 to March 31, 2028

Eligibility

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

Applicant Eligibility This funding opportunity is available to states and territories classified as having a high or very high risk of earthquakes For more information, see Appendix 3 – Programmatic Information. FEMA determines and publishes this classification annually in the State Assistance Target Allocation Plan. The Fiscal Year 2026 plan determination is based on the Seismic Design Category (SDC) per the 2020 NEHRP Recommended

Seismic Provisions for New Buildings and Other Structures FEMA P-2082, American Society of Civil Engineers and Structural Engineering Institute ASCE/SEI 7-22 Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures, as shown in the International Code Council (ICC) approved

2024 International Building Codes Seismic Design Category map and at-risk population in a state.

A state or territory is classified as having a high risk of earthquakes if it meets one of the following criteria:

• It has areas designated as SDC-D or above on the 2024 IBC SDC map and an at-risk population exceeding 50,000 based on the 2020 U.S. Census population; OR

• It covers over 1,000 square miles of high seismic risk area (SDC-D or above as per the 2024 IBC SDC map).

Such states will be eligible for baseline funding plus an additional risk-based award. Applicants should note that changes in earthquake hazard areas and population size within the state can impact this determination. The additional amount is based on the state's Annualized Earthquake Loss as outlined in FEMA P-366, which details HAZUS Estimated Annualized Earthquake Losses for the United States.

Participation in this funding opportunity is limited to states and territories that can provide a statutory non-federal cost share of 25%. However, the cost share requirement does not apply to territories classified as "Insular Areas," such as the U.S. Virgin Islands, which are still eligible to participate in the program. For more details, please refer to Eligibility Information below.

Subapplicant Eligibility Subapplicants and subawards are allowed.

Per 2 C.F.R., Section 200.1, “Subaward.” Subaward means an award provided by a pass-through entity to a subrecipient for the subrecipient to carry out part of a Federal award received by the pass-through entity.

It does not include payments to a contractor or payments to an individual that is a beneficiary of a Federal program. A subaward may be provided through any form of legal agreement, including an agreement that the pass-through entity considers a contract.

Tribes and Tribal Nations are an example of a subrecipient. Subaward recipients are subject to the same conditions of the award as the pass-through entity, including project type and allowable activity requirements.

https://www.fema.gov/node/nehrp-recommended-seismic-provisions-new-buildings-and-other-structures https://www.fema.gov/node/nehrp-recommended-seismic-provisions-new-buildings-and-other-structures https://ascelibrary.org/doi/book/10.1061/9780784415788 https://ascelibrary.org/doi/book/10.1061/9780784415788 https://ascelibrary.org/doi/book/10.1061/9780784415788 https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema-seismicdesigncategorymaps-july2024.pdf https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema-seismicdesigncategorymaps-july2024.pdf https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema-seismicdesigncategorymaps-july2024.pdf https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_p-366-hazus-estimated-annualized-earthquake-losses-united-states.pdf

B. Project Type Eligibility Allowable Project Types

• Support seismic mitigation planning.

• Prepare inventories and conduct seismic vulnerability evaluations and safety inspections of buildings, critical structures, and lifeline infrastructure.

• Update building codes, zoning codes, and ordinances to enhance seismic safety.

• Increase earthquake awareness and education.

• Participation in emergency management exercises that substantially benefit earthquake mitigation efforts.

• Promotion of earthquake insurance.

• National Earthquake Program Managers (NEPM) meeting participation and support.

• Assistance to multi-state groups for the purpose of supporting any or all allowable activities under this funding opportunity.

For more information, see Appendix 3 – Programmatic Information.

Unallowable Project Types Real property and equipment procurement, international travel, construction and renovation costs, retrofits, and earth science related costs are not allowed under this program.

C. Requirements for Personnel, Partners, and Other Parties Subapplicants or subrecipients should not include foreign nationals or noncitizens. If a subapplicant or subrecipient has foreign nationals, they must be properly vetted and must adhere to all government statues, policies and procedures including “staff American, stay in America” and security requirements.

Subapplicants or subrecipients must submit short bios and resumes. This should include the type of entity, organizational leadership, and board members along with both the names and addresses of the individuals. Resumes are subject to approval.

D. Maximum Number of Applications Only one application per eligible applicant may be submitted as determined by the applicant Universal

Entity Identifier (UEI) number.

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:

• “Threshold Review Criteria” subsection

• “Financial Integrity Criteria” subsection

• “Supplemental Financial Integrity Criteria and Review” subsection

• 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.

• See Appendix 3 – Programmatic Information for individual state cost share amounts.

G. Cost Share Requirements Applicants, and if applicable, subapplicants, selected for this award must agree to an acceptable cost share agreement. Otherwise, they will not be funded.

Exceptions to the cost share requirement are:

The cost share requirement does not apply to those territories that are considered "Insular Areas" (Guam and U.S. Virgin Islands) and are otherwise eligible for program participation.

H. Cost Share Description, Type, and Restrictions A cost share is required for all ISEA grants funded under this program. Recipients must provide a statutory

25% non-federal cost share for which assistance is being given. The non-federal cost share may consist of cash, donated or third-party in-kind services, materials, or any combination thereof.

States and territories may use third-party in-kind contributions to meet the 25% cost share requirement. 2

CFR 200.96 describes in-kind contributions as the value of non-cash contributions (i.e., property or services) that – (a) Benefit a federally assisted project or program; and (b) Are contributed by non-federal third parties, without charge, to a non-federal entity under a federal award. In accordance with Public Law 96-205, title VI, section 601, Mar. 12,1980 as amended, 48 U.S.C. § 1469a(d), and OMB Controller Alert CA-

23-04, Waiving Matching Fund Requirements for Insular Areas (Feb. 6, 2023) agencies are required to waive any requirement for local matching funds for grants to an Insular Area under $200,000, when the match is otherwise required by law.

See Appendix 3 – Programmatic Information for individual state cost share amounts.

I. Cost Share Example For a cost share, the recipient contribution is calculated based on total project cost as:

• The value of the federal contribution in U.S. dollars divided by the federal contribution in percent. This requires a two-step calculation.

• For example, if a program requires a 25% cost share and the federal contribution is $75,000 then:

o Step 1: The federal contribution is 100% - 25% = 75%.

o Step 2: The recipient contribution is calculated as $100,000 (total project cost) x 25% (cost share requirement) = $25,000.

o The total non-federal cost share required in this example is $25,000.

J. Required Information for Verifying Cost Share Applicants should submit the following cost share (or match) documents:

• All applications must include evidence of an applicant’s ability to provide the required cost share (if applicable). Please see the Application Contents and Format section for more details.

Maintenance of Effort Not applicable

Program Description

A. Program Purpose The FEMA National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) State Assistance Grant Program was created to increase and enhance the effective implementation of earthquake risk reduction at the local level and has two separate funding opportunities. Both the Individual State Earthquake Assistance (ISEA) and Multi-State and National Earthquake Assistance (MSNEA) funding opportunities are designed to increase and enhance the effective implementation of earthquake risk reduction at the national, state and local level.

The ISEA grant program makes funds available to states and U.S. territories to increase and enhance the effective implementation of earthquake risk reduction at the state and local level. The MSNEA grant program makes funds available to nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education that possess the critical skills necessary to develop and implement regional (multi-state) and/or national earthquake risk mitigation activities.

FEMA recognizes that earthquakes cannot be prevented, but their impacts on life, property, and the economy can be managed. The ISEA grant program prioritizes reducing the risks to life and property from future earthquakes in the U.S. through the establishment and maintenance of an effective earthquake hazards reduction program.

Some examples of past accomplishments of grant awards funded under this program included:

• In Alaska, state and local capacity for earthquake preparedness was enhanced through the support of locally led seismic hazard workshops. These workshops addressed hazard modeling, risk assessment, and emergency planning, resulting in improved community readiness across the state.

• In Arizona, the expansion of GIS tools enabled more effective identification of seismic hazards and fault zones. This advancement provided emergency managers, stakeholders, and the public with more comprehensive information on earthquake risks and mitigation strategies.

• In Missouri, inventories of critical facilities—including police, fire, emergency medical services, and schools—were coordinated and conducted in the very high earthquake hazard areas of the New Madrid Seismic Zone. Utilizing FEMA Publication P-154, Rapid Visual Screening, these efforts expanded the critical structure evaluation inventory and strengthened state and local capacity for seismic risk preparedness and mitigation decision-making.

• In Hawaii, assessments of state and local seismic vulnerabilities supported the development of retrofit designs for critical healthcare facilities, thereby enhancing resilience and reducing risks to life and property from future earthquakes.

All activities funded by the ISEA grant program must be consistent with the NEHRP vision, mission, and strategic goals.

B. Goals and Objectives FEMA awards grants to eligible states and territories with high to very high seismic risk to fund one or more of the following allowable activities. The purpose is to support the establishment of earthquake hazards reduction programming and the implementation of earthquake safety, mitigation, and resilience activities at the state and local level.

Priorities include:

• Support seismic mitigation planning.

• Prepare inventories and conduct seismic vulnerability evaluations and safety inspections of buildings, critical structures, and lifeline infrastructure.

• Update building codes, zoning codes, and ordinances to enhance seismic safety.

• Increase earthquake awareness and education.

• Participation in emergency management exercises that substantially benefit earthquake mitigation efforts.

• Promotion of earthquake insurance.

• National Earthquake Program Managers (NEPM) meeting participation and support.

• Assistance to multi-state groups for the purpose of supporting any or all allowable activities under this funding opportunity.

C. Performance Measures and Targets See Appendix 3 – Programmatic Information for detailed Performance Measures.

D. Federal Assistance Type Grant

E. Program-Specific Unallowable Costs Real property and equipment procurement, international travel, construction and renovation costs, retrofits, and research related costs are not allowed under this program. 1

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)).

1 Applicants seeking funding for earth science research or other NEHRP activities not supported by FEMA—including purchasing property or equipment, international travel, construction or renovation, retrofitting, or research-related expenses—should contact the other NEHRP agencies: the United States Geological Survey, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the National Science Foundation.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRea20080eff2ea53/section-200.403

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.

H. Beneficiary and Participant Eligibility Beneficiary

To be an eligible beneficiary, you must be a state or territory classified as having a high or very high risk of earthquakes as further defined in Appendix 3 – Programmatic Information of this NOFO. This NOFO and any subsequent federal awards create no rights or causes of action for any beneficiary.

Participant

There are no program requirements for participant eligibility.

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.

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

I. Indirect Costs Indirect costs are allowed for recipients.

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. Applicants who wish to use a cost allocation plan in lieu of an IDC rate proposal must reach out to FEMA for further instructions. As it relates to the IDC for subrecipients, a recipient must follow the requirements of 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.332 and 200.414 in approving the IDC rate for subawards.

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 Pre-award costs are not allowed.

L. Management and Administration Costs Management and Administration (M&A) costs are allowed for all eligible states and territories.

Recipients may retain a maximum of 7% of Individual State Earthquake Assistance funds awarded for M&A purposes associated with the Individual State Earthquake Assistance award in accordance with the

Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018, §§ 1210(A)-1219, Public Law No. 115-254, 132 Stat. 3186. An organization partnering with a recipient (limit one per recipient) may in turn retain 7% of the subaward they receive from the recipient for M&A purposes.

M&A costs 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 Sections 7704 (a)(2)(B), (b)(2)(A)(i) and (b)(2)(B) of the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program Act of 1977, Pub. L. No. 95-124 (codified as amended at 42 U.S.C. §7704 et seq.).

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-200.332 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.414

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply

In this step

Submission Requirements and Application Deadlines 13

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

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 this step. For step-by-step instructions, see the FEMA GO Startup Guide.

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

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 14, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET.

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.

Step 3: Write Your Application

In this step

Application contents and format 17

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 All applications must be completed in FEMA GO by the application deadline. FEMA GO automatically records proof of timely submission, and the system generates an electronic date/time stamp when FEMA GO successfully receives the application. The individual with the AOR role that submitted the application will also receive the official date/time stamp and a FEMA GO tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission on the date and time that FEMA GO received the application.

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

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

1. Work Plan Narrative.

A summary (narrative) of an applicant’s Work Plan for grant funding that identifies the strategies, goals, and proposed activities and elements demonstrating enhanced seismic safety must be submitted. Work Plans must include expected products and measurable improvements associated with proposed activities, as identified below. Work Plans must also include any intended sub-award plans (see Appendix E – Required Supplemental Documents).

2. Master Schedule/Deliverable Table A sample table that combines both 1 and 2 is available on FEMA.gov. This one document will combine a schedule of planned activities with milestones and expected dates for completion, along with their associated deliverables (i.e., people trained, publications distributed, conferences/workshops/drills held, policies made, website improvements, etc.).

https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family https://FEMA.gov

3. Grant Budget

The applicant must provide a detailed budget with planned line-item expenditures listed, to include any supplies or materials for purchase. The budget must be completed within the FEMA GO system for an application to be submitted. The budget must be complete, reasonable, and cost-effective in relation to the proposed project. The budget should provide the basis of computation of all project-related costs, any appropriate narrative, a detailed justification of Management and Administrative (M&A) costs, and include the recipient cost share factored into each category.

• To prepare the Grant Budget, the grantee must use Earned Value Management methodology to report the Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled (Projected Costs), and the Actual Cost of Work Performed. The Grant Budget shall be prepared with Work Breakdown Structure cost categories.

• Activities and tasks will be categorized in terms of discrete effort and shall correlate directly with the work plan master schedule and deliverables identified in the workplan delivery table. Applicants and recipients may choose to use a monthly spreadsheet provided by the respective FEMA Regional Program Office or they may use a separate organizational document that captures all required fields.

• ISEA Grant Program applicants may obtain a sample budget spreadsheet (Microsoft Excel source file) from the FEMA Regional Program Office. A template is available on FEMA.gov.

Funds will not be made available for obligation, expenditure, or drawdown until the applicant’s budget and budget narrative have been approved by FEMA.

• All applications must include evidence of an applicant’s ability to provide the required cost share (if applicable).

• Template spreadsheets are available as a reference tool FEMA.gov. For more information, please contact the Regional Program Office.

4. Outcomes Report/Logic Model

The Applicant must include an initial Outcomes Report/Logic Model that includes all proposed activities. Only the “Activities,” and “Inputs” need to be included in the initial Logic Model. A sample logic model is available on FEMA.gov.

D. Post-Application Requirements for Successful Applicants Not applicable.

https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/risk-management/earthquake/state-assistance-program-grants https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/risk-management/earthquake/state-assistance-program-grants https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/risk-management/earthquake/state-assistance-program-grants

Step 4: Learn about the Award Review

Process

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Application Review Information 20

Intergovernmental Review 22

Application Review Information

A. Threshold Criteria FEMA will review applications to ensure eligibility factors defined in the NOFO are met.

B. Application Criteria FEMA will review all applications to ensure compliance with all conditions stated in this Notice of Funding

Opportunity. Once FEMA has determined that the application is eligible and complete, FEMA will make funding decisions based on the agency’s NEHRP responsibilities, and the most effective use of available funds as indicated in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.

The following programmatic criteria will apply:

1. The applicant has proposed developing and implementing only those activities described in

Appendix 3 – Programmatic Information of this Notice of Funding Opportunity.

2. The applicant demonstrates expertise and experience necessary, including technical experience and qualifications, as required to develop, communicate, implement, and manage the activities proposed in their application work plan. This may include information about the qualifications they will use to identify and engage key project personnel and roles, such as seismic design professionals, building officials, or other trained/certified professionals as required for technical activities.

3. The applicant’s proposed work plan includes all requested information and employs realistic timetables; proposed projects are deliverable, sustainable, and consistent with the goals and objectives of NEHRP.

4. The application contains all documents and information as described in this Notice of Funding

Opportunity, and as explained in Application Contents and Format. Specific note should be taken regarding Program Office requirements under Submission Requirements and Application

Deadlines.

5. The applicant proposes costs that are allowable, allocable, reasonable, and cost-effective in relation to proposed activities.

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.

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

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 FEMA Regional Program Office personnel professionally and technically serving as subject matter experts of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) will evaluate and select applicants for funding.

F. Merit Review Process Applicants will be evaluated on their ability to demonstrate the expertise necessary (i.e., education, training and/or experience of project staff) to develop and implement activities proposed in support of the goals and objectives of FEMA's National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program.

G. Final Selection Applications are reviewed by the FEMA Regional Program Office to ensure compliance with grants management principles, such as administrative requirements and cost principles. Applicants/applications that do not meet eligibility requirements are removed from consideration.

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:41%20section:134%20edition:prelim) https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:41%20section:134%20edition:prelim) 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

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

Step 5: Learn What Happens After Award

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Award Notices 24

Post-award requirements and administration 25

Other 34

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 30 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 Subaward recipients are subject to the same conditions of the award as the pass-through entity.

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 Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by the FEMA Program Office point of contact for the FEMA Region in which the applicant entity is located.

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 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 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 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:

1. 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

2. 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.

3. If the federal award no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities.