FY 2026 NEHRP MSNEA NOFO - FINAL 508.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Application due: August 14, 2026

National Earthquake Hazards Reduction

Program Multi-State and National

Earthquake Assistance

Assistance Listing Number: 97.147

Funding Opportunity Number: DHS-26-MT-082-00-99

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 5

Program Description 7

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 13

Submission Requirements and Application Deadlines 142

Step 3: Write Your Application 17

Application Contents and Format 187

Step 4: Learn About the Award Review Process 20

Application Review Information 219

Intergovernmental Review 24

Step 5: Learn What Happens After Award 25

Award Notices 26

Post-Award Requirements and Administration 27

Other Information 3435

Contacts and Appendices 42

Contacts 43

Appendices 45

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 7

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, Building Science Division, Earthquake and Wind Sciences

Branch

Assistance Listing Number: 97.147

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

National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Multi-State and National

Earthquake Assistance

Funding Opportunity Number: DHS-26-MT-082-00-99

Announcement Type: Initial

Expected Award Range: $100,000 – $300,000

Expected Total Funding: $1,503,100

Anticipated Number of Awards: Six awards

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

• U.S. Geological Survey

The FEMA NEHRP Multi-State and National Earthquake Assistance (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.

In accordance with this MSNEA NOFO, awardees are selected by a national review panel comprised of FEMA NEHRP subject matter experts (SMEs), who evaluate each applicant’s experience, proposed work plan, deliverable schedule, anticipated outcomes and proposed budget.

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

Have questions? See Contacts and Support

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

Eligibility

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

Applicant Eligibility

This funding opportunity is limited to the following applicant types:

• Nonprofit organizations as defined by Title 2 Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) § 200.1

• Institutions of higher education as defined by 2 C.F.R. § 200.1

Eligibility is restricted to those nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education, with a demonstrated capability and capacity to develop, promote and deliver national and/or multi-state seismic risk reduction activities referenced in Appendix 3 - Programmatic Information and a demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with staff and leadership at the highest levels of state and federal governments.

Subapplicant Eligibility

Subapplicants and subawards are allowed.

Per 2 C.F.R. § 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 subapplicant. Subapplicants are subject to the same conditions of the award as the pass-through entity.

Subapplicants should not have foreign nationals or noncitizens included. If a subapplicant has foreign nationals, they must be properly vetted and must adhere to all government statutes, policies, and procedures including “staff American, stay in America” and security requirements.

B. Project Type Eligibility Allowable Project Types

• Seismic community professional development

• Participate in emergency management exercises that substantially benefit earthquake mitigation efforts

• Business community earthquake risk mitigation

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

• National Earthquake Program Manager (NEPM) meeting participation and support

• National earthquake mitigation website development and maintenance

• Seismic mitigation planning

• Promote earthquake insurance

• Increase earthquake awareness and education

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

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/subrecipients should not include foreign nationals or noncitizens. If a subapplicant/subrecipients has foreign nationals, they must be properly vetted and must adhere to all government statutes, polices, and procedures including “staff American, stay in America” and security requirements.

Subapplicants/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 statutes, 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.

5. See Appendix 3 – Programmatic Information for more information.

G. Cost Share Requirements

There is no cost share requirement.

H. Cost Share Description, Type, and Restrictions Not applicable.

I. Cost Share Example Not applicable.

J. Required Information for Verifying Cost Share Not applicable.

Maintenance of Effort

Not applicable.

Program Description A. Program Purpose

The NEHRP 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 (i.e. development and delivery of professional development opportunities; update local building codes, zoning codes, and ordinances;

support seismic mitigation planning; participate in emergency management exercises; promote earthquake insurance; increase earthquake awareness and education; prepare inventories and conduct seismic safety vulnerability inspections and safety evaluations of buildings, critical structures, and lifeline infrastructure; etc.

FEMA recognizes that earthquakes cannot be prevented, but their impacts on life, property, and the economy can be managed. The MSNEA 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 (i.e. focus on multi-state activities (support to states/territories for most activities found in the Individual State Earthquake Assistance Notice of Funding Opportunity and national activities (ShakeOut, QuakeSmart, and support for the National Earthquake Program

Managers (NEPM) meeting are examples).

All activities funded by the MSNEA grant program must be consistent with the NEHRP vision, mission, and strategic goals, and ultimately result in a measurable enhancement of National seismic safety and earthquake risk awareness.

Recent accomplishments show that NEHRP funded trainings and resources have been shown to improve the self-reported knowledge and skills of emergency managers, engineers, and other stakeholders involved in earthquake preparedness and response efforts. Stakeholders reported increased understanding of earthquake risk and mitigation actions. Community engagement, education, and awareness activities have also been shown to increase community resilience, which can lead to more effective emergency repose and recovery. National level exercises have shown coordination between localities, Tribal Nations, state departments, and their respective Emergency Support Function members that increases situational awareness and spotlights needs more quickly, Lastly, multiple recent studies of the NEHRP program have cited state and local community improvements in building codes, increased public awareness and education, and better understanding of earthquake hazards as outcomes of the NEHRP program.

B. Goals and Objectives FEMA awards competitive grants 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 (see Appendix 2 – FEMA NEHRP Strategic Goals), on behalf of states and territories participating in the FEMA NEHRP State Assistance program (see Appendix 3 –

Programmatic Information). This notice funds multi-state and national activities and is not intended to assist any one particular state or territory.

Priorities include:

• Support for the Eastern and Western assistance regions (see Appendix 3 – Programmatic

Information)

• Support for the National Earthquake Program Managers annual meeting

• Support for Seismic Community Professional Development

• Support for Business Sector Outreach (e.g., QuakeSmart)

• Support for the annual earthquake preparedness drills (e.g., ShakeOut) for individual and communities

• Promotion of earthquake insurance

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

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.

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.

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.

H. Beneficiary and 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-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

I. Indirect Costs Indirect costs are allowed.

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.

M&A activities are directly related to the management and administration of Multi-State and National Earthquake Assistance funds, such as financial management and monitoring. M&A costs are not operational costs. They are the necessary costs incurred in direct support of the grant or as a result of the grant and should be allocated across the entire lifecycle of the grant. Recipients may retain a maximum of 7% of Multi-State and National Earthquake Assistance funds awarded for M&A purposes associated with the Multi- State and National Earthquake Assistance award. 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 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) and (b)(2)(A)(i) of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Act of 1977, Pub. L. No. 95-124 (codified as amended at 42 U.S.C. § 7704 et seq.)

N. Appropriation Authority https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.332 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.414 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCODE-2020-title42/USCODE-2020-title42-chap86-sec7704

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

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply

In this step

Submission Requirements and Application Deadlines 14

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, 5 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.

Step 3: Write Your Application

In this step

Application contents and format 18

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 the 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 5 - Required Supplemental Documents).

2. Master Schedule/Deliverable Table. A sample table that combines the master schedule and deliverable table is found in Appendix 5 and 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, and a detailed justification of Management and Administrative (M&A) costs.

o To prepare the 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 budget shall be prepared with Work Breakdown Structure cost categories.

o 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 work plan delivery table (see Appendix 5 – Required Supplemental Documents for more information).

o MSNEA Grant Program applications may obtain a sample budget spreadsheet (Microsoft Excel source file) 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.

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

o Template spreadsheets are available as a reference tool FEMA.gov. For more information, please contact the FEMA 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

Jump to a step

In this step

Application Review Information 21

Intergovernmental Review 24

Application Review Information

A. Threshold Criteria FEMA will review applications to ensure eligibility factors defined in the NOFO are met. FEMA will not process incomplete applications for further review and will not consider them for funding. Applicants who submit applications not meeting all eligibility factors or incomplete applications will be notified that they will not be considered for funding.

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 as described in Appendix 3 – Programmatic Information.

2. The applicant demonstrates the necessary expertise and experience, 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 Deadlines.

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

The full criteria are found in Appendix 7 - Evaluation and Scoring Criteria, which details the specific criteria, and the number of possible points awarded for each of the Project Narrative Requirements.

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:

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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 FEMA Program Office will select professional and technical NEHRP subject matter experts to evaluate and select applicants for funding through a national panel review. Applications will be reviewed and scored by a national panel review comprised of personnel from FEMA.

F. Merit Review Process FY 2026 Multi-State and National Earthquake Assistance applications will be evaluated through a two-part review and selection process that encompasses an Initial Eligibility Review and a National Panel Review.

Initial Eligibility Review

Prior to application consideration, FEMA will conduct an initial review of all applications to verify applicant eligibility and ensure each application is complete. FEMA will not process incomplete applications for further review and will not consider them for funding. All eligible and complete applications will progress to the FEMA Program Office where it will be evaluated and scored by a National Panel of FEMA subject-matter experts.

National Panel Review

Applications will be reviewed and scored by a review panel comprised of personnel from FEMA. Applicants that do not meet initial eligibility and application submission requirements will not be evaluated and scored by the national review panel. The review panel will score applications based on specific criteria described in Appendix 7 - Evaluation and Scoring Criteria.

In addition to meeting all programmatic criteria, the following additional factors will be used by the National Review Panel in selecting applications for federal awards:

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1. Multi-State Assistance

• FEMA will select one applicant for each of the two assistance regions. Those recipients will provide multi-state assistance for each of the two national multi-state assistance regions (Eastern and Western) as indicated in Appendix 3 – Programmatic Information.

• FEMA will select for funding those applicants who demonstrate most clearly in their applications that their proposed activities will result in measurable earthquake risk-reduction and earthquake risk awareness in the region they will be supporting (Eastern or Western region).

• Applicants providing multi-state assistance must be headquartered within one of the two multi-state assistance regions indicated in Appendix 3 – Programmatic Information.

• Applicants cannot propose activities that would require the use of FEMA NEHRP Multi-State and National Earthquake Assistance funding to provide support to states and territories not listed as

Program Participants in Appendix 3 – Programmatic Information.

• Applicants cannot propose activities for states and territories outside of the multi-state assistance region where they are headquartered.

• As the program will benefit most from activities designed to benefit the largest number of states and territories within an assigned region, FEMA will prioritize applications that demonstrate the greatest economies of scale for activities proposed in their work plan.

2. National Assistance

• FEMA will select for funding those applicants who demonstrate in their application the greatest likelihood of successfully developing, promoting and implementing national level assistance activities listed in Appendix 3 – Programmatic Information.

• FEMA will prioritize for funding those national level activities that provide the greatest benefit to the largest number of participating states and territories.

• FEMA will prioritize for funding those activities that will result in measurable earthquake risk-reduction and earthquake risk awareness nationally.

G. Final Selection The National Review Panel will score applications based on specific criteria aligned to the project narrative requirement questions. The FEMA Program Office will review all applications to ensure compliance with grants management principals, such as administrative requirements and cost principals.

The FEMA Program Office will provide notifications by email to those applicants who were selected for grant awards. The notification will also mention if FEMA can fund the full amount requested or only a partial amount depending on priorities for the year and funding resources. Awarded applicants will be given the opportunity to modify and resubmit their application to match the award amount if it’s less than what was requested.

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.

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Step 5: Learn What Happens After Award

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Award Notices 26

Post-award requirements and administration 27

Other 35

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 email by the FEMA Program Office after the application period closes.

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 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.

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.

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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…