FY25 FEMA NEHRP Multi-State and National Earthquake Assistance (MSNEA) 508.pdf

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Fiscal Year 2025 FEMA National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program

Multi-State and National Earthquake Assistance

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.

Contents

1. Basic Information A. Agency Name B. NOFO Title C. Announcement Type D. Funding Opportunity Number E. Assistance Listing Number F. Expected Total Funding G. Anticipated Number of Awards H. Expected Award Range I. Projected Application Start Date J. Projected Application End Date K. Anticipated Funding Selection Date L. Anticipated Award Date M. Projected Period of Performance Start Date N. Projected Period of Performance End Date O. Executive Summary P. Agency Contact

2. Eligibility A. Eligible Entities/Entity Types B. Project Type Eligibility C. Requirements for Personnel, Partners, and Other Parties D. Maximum Number of Applications E. Additional Restrictions F. References for Eligibility Factors within the NOFO G. Cost Sharing Requirement H. Cost Share Description, Type and Restrictions I. Cost Sharing Calculation Example J. Required information for verifying Cost Share

3. Program Description A. Background, Program Purpose, and Program History B. Goals and Objectives C. Program Rationale D. Federal Assistance Type E. Performance Measures and Targets

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F. Program-Specific Unallowable Costs G. General Funding Requirements H. Indirect Costs (Facilities and Administrative Costs) I. Management and Administration (M&A) Costs J. Pre-Award Costs K. Beneficiary Eligibility L. Participant Eligibility M. Authorizing Authority N. Appropriation Authority O. Budget Period P. Prohibition on Covered Equipment or Services

4. Application Contents and Format A. Pre-Application, Letter of Intent, and Whitepapers B. Application Content and Format C. Application Components D. Program-Specific Required Documents and Information

5. Submission Requirements and Deadlines A. Address to Request Application Package B. Application Deadline C. Pre-Application Requirements Deadline D. Post-Application Requirements Deadline E. Effects of Missing the Deadline

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

7. Application Review Information A. Threshold Criteria B. Application Criteria C. Financial Integrity Criteria D. Supplemental Financial Integrity Criteria and Review E. Reviewers and Reviewer Selection F. Merit Review Process G. Final Selection

8. Award Notices A. Notice of Award B. Pass-Through Requirements C. Note Regarding Pre-Award Costs D. Obligation of Funds E. Notification to Unsuccessful Applicants

9. Post-Award Requirements and Administration A. Administrative and National Policy Requirements B. DHS Standard Terms and Conditions C. Financial Reporting Requirements D. Programmatic Performance Reporting Requirements E. Closeout Reporting Requirements F. Reporting of Matters Related to Recipient Integrity and Performance G. Single Audit Report

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H. Monitoring and Oversight I. Program Evaluation J. Additional Performance Reporting Requirements K. Termination of the Federal Award L. Payment Information

10. Other Information A. Period of Performance Extension B. Other Information

11. Appendices A. Appendix A – Program Updates B. Appendix B – FEMA NEHRP Strategic Goals C. Appendix C – Programmatic Information D. Appendix D – Sample Performance Progress Report E. Appendix E – Required Supplemental Documents F. Appendix F – Monitoring and Enhanced Monitoring Plan G. Appendix G - Evaluation and Scoring Criteria

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1. Basic Information

A. Agency Name

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency

Management Agency (FEMA)/Resilience/Hazard Mitigation

Directorate (HMD)/Building Science Division/ Earthquake and Wind

Sciences Branch.

B. NOFO Title

Fiscal Year 2025 National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program

Multi-State and National Earthquake Assistance

C. Announcement

Type

Initial

D. Funding

Opportunity Number

DHS-25-MT-082-00-99

E. Assistance Listing

Number

97.147

F. Expected Total

Funding

$ 1,314,350

G. Anticipated

Number of Awards

Six awards

H. Expected Award

Range

$100,000 – $300,000

I. Projected

Application Start

Date

August 1, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET)

J. Projected

Application End Date

August 15, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET)

K. Anticipated

Funding Selection

Date

September 30, 2025

L. Anticipated

Award Date

September 30, 2025

M. Projected Period of Performance Start

Date

October 1, 2025

N. Projected Period of Performance End

Date

March 31, 2027

O. 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.

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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.

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

P. Agency Contact

a. Program Office Contact

FEMA Headquarters Program Office Contacts will provide programmatic support and technical assistance to grant recipients awarded under this NOFO. Additional guidance and information may be obtained by contacting the Program Office via email at FEMA-

NEHRP@fema.dhs.gov. A list of contact information for

Headquarters and Regional Program Office Contacts is available at https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/risk-management/earthquake/contacts

b. FEMA Grants News

This channel provides general information on all FEMA grant programs and maintains a comprehensive database containing key personnel contact information at the federal, state, and local levels.

FEMA Grants News Team is reachable at fema-grants-news@fema.dhs.gov OR (800) 368-6498, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET.

c. Grant Programs Directorate (GPD) Award Administration

Division

GPD’s Award Administration Division (AAD) provides support regarding financial matters and budgetary technical assistance. AAD can be contacted at ASK-GMD@fema.dhs.gov.

d. FEMA Regional Offices

FEMA Regional Offices also may provide fiscal support, including pre- and post-award administration and technical assistance. FEMA

Regional Office contact information is available at https://www.fema.gov/fema-regional-contacts.

e. Civil Rights mailto:FEMA-NEHRP@fema.dhs.gov mailto:FEMA-NEHRP@fema.dhs.gov https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/risk-management/earthquake/contacts https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/risk-management/earthquake/contacts mailto:fema-grants-news@fema.dhs.gov mailto:fema-grants-news@fema.dhs.gov mailto:ASK-GMD@fema.dhs.gov https://www.fema.gov/fema-regional-contacts

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Consistent with Executive Order 14173, Ending Illegal

Discrimination & Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity, and applicable federal civil rights laws, the FEMA Office of Civil Rights is responsible for ensuring compliance with and enforcement of federal civil rights obligations in connection with programs and services conducted by FEMA. They are reachable at FEMA-

CivilRightsOffice@fema.dhs.gov

f. Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation

The FEMA Office of Environmental Planning and Historic

Preservation (OEHP) provides guidance and information about the

EHP review process to FEMA programs and recipients and subrecipients. Send any inquiries regarding compliance for FEMA grant projects under this NOFO to FEMA-OEHP-

NOFOQuestions@fema.dhs.gov.

g. Payment and Reporting System

FEMA uses the Payment and Reporting System (PARS) for financial reporting, invoicing, and tracking payments. The Direct

Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer (DD/EFT) method of payment is used for recipients. For any questions about the system, contact the

Customer Service Center at (866) 927-5646 or ask-

GMD@fema.dhs.gov.

h. FEMA GO

For technical assistance with the FEMA GO system, please contact the

FEMA GO Helpdesk at femago@fema.dhs.gov or (877) 585-3242, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM ET.

i. FEMA Preparedness Toolkit

The FEMA Preparedness Toolkit (PrepToolkit) provides access to tools and resources needed to implement the National Preparedness

System and provide a collaborative space for communities completing the Unified Reporting Tool (URT). Recipients complete and submit their Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) and Stakeholder Preparedness Review (SPR), and other required assessments using the PrepToolkit. For assistance, contact support@preptoolkit.fema.dhs.gov.

j. Preparedness Grants Manual

Recipients seeking guidance on policies and procedures for managing preparedness grants should reference the Preparedness Grants Manual at Preparedness Grants Manual.

mailto:FEMA-CivilRightsOffice@fema.dhs.gov mailto:FEMA-CivilRightsOffice@fema.dhs.gov mailto:NOFOQuestions@fema.dhs.gov https://isource.fema.gov/sf269/execute/LogIn?sawContentMessage=true mailto:GMD@fema.dhs.gov mailto:femago@fema.dhs.gov https://preptoolkit.fema.gov/ mailto:support@preptoolkit.fema.dhs.gov https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/manual

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2. Eligibility

A. Eligible

Entities/Entity Types

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

a. Applicants

• Nonprofit organizations as defined by Title 2 C.F.R Section

200.1

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

Section 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 C (Programmatic

Information) and a demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with staff and leadership at the highest levels of state and federal governments.

b. Subapplicants

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 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 statues, polices, and procedures including “staff American, stay in America” and security requirements.

B. Project Type

Eligibility

a. Unallowable Project Types

Construction, retrofits, and research related costs are not allowed under this program.

b. Allowable Project Types

• Seismic community professional development.

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

• Business community earthquake risk mitigation.

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• 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.

C. Requirements for

Personnel, Partners, and Other Parties

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 statues, 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 the 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

Applicants/subapplicants or recipients/subrecipients are required to certify their compliance with federal statues, DHS directives, polices, and procedures

F. References for

Eligibility Factors within the NOFO

Please see the following references provided below:

1. “Responsiveness Review Criteria” subsection

2. “Financial Integrity Criteria” subsection

3. “Supplemental Financial Integrity Criteria and Review” subsection

4. FEMA may/will request financial information such as Employer

Identification Number (EIN) and bank information as part of the potential award selection. This will apply to everyone prospered, including subrecipients. Appendix C – Programmatic Information

G. Cost Sharing

Requirement

There is no cost share requirement.

H. Cost Share

Description, Type and Restrictions

Not applicable.

I. Cost Sharing

Calculation Example

Not applicable.

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J. Required information for verifying Cost Share

Maintenance of Effort: Not applicable

3. Program Description

A. Background, Program Purpose, and Program History

The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (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.

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.

All activities funded by the MSNEA grant program must be consistent with the National

Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) vision, mission, and strategic goals, and ultimately result in a measurable enhancement of National seismic safety and earthquake risk awareness.

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 B.), on behalf of states and territories participating in the FEMA NEHRP State Assistance program (See Appendix C.). 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 C);

• Support for the National Earthquake Program Managers annual meeting;

• Support for Seismic Community Professional Development;

• Support for Business Sector Outreach (QuakeSmart); and

• Support for the annual earthquake preparedness drills (ShakeOut) for individual and communities

C. Program Rationale

The stated goals, objectives, and priorities of NEHRP supports 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.).

D. Federal Assistance Type

Grant

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E. Performance Measures and Targets

See Appendix C – Programmatic Information for detailed Performance Measures.

F. 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.

G. 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. 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).

H. Indirect Costs (Facilities and Administrative Costs)

Indirect costs are allowed.

Indirect costs (IDC) are costs incurred for a common or joint purpose benefitting 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.

I. Management and Administration (M&A) Costs

M&A costs are allowed.

M&A activities are those directly relating 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 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-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=granuleid:USC-1999-title18-section1913&num=0&edition=1999 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-D/subject-group-ECFR031321e29ac5bbd/section-200.332 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR031321e29ac5bbd/section-200.332 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRd93f2a98b1f6455/section-200.414

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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.

J. Pre-Award Costs

Pre-award costs are not allowed.

K. Beneficiary Eligibility

To be an eligible beneficiary, you must be a Nonprofit organization as defined by Title 2 C.F.R

Section 200.1 or Institution of higher education as defined by Title 2 C.F.R. Section 200.1.

Eligibility was further defined in Section 2 of this NOFO. This NOFO and any subsequent federal awards create no rights or causes of action for any beneficiary.

L. Participant Eligibility

To be an eligible participant, there are no program requirements. This NOFO and any subsequent federal awards create no rights or causes of action for any participant. This NOFO and any subsequent federal awards create no rights or causes of action for any participant.

M. Authorizing Authority

Sections 7704 (a)(2)(B) and (b)(2)(A)(i) 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

Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, Pub. L. No. 119-4.

O. Budget Period

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

P. Prohibition on Covered Equipment or Services

Recipients, sub-recipients, 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. Please see 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.216, 200.327, 200.471, and

Appendix II to 2 C.F.R. Part 200, and FEMA Policy #405-143-1 - Prohibitions on Expending

FEMA Award Funds for Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services for more information.

4. Application Contents and Format

A. Pre-Application, Letter of Intent, and Whitepapers

Pre-application, letters of intent and whitepapers are not required.

https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCODE-2020-title42/USCODE-2020-title42-chap86-sec7704 https://www.congress.gov/119/plaws/publ4/PLAW-119publ4.pdf https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/5515/text https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/5515/text 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

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B. Application Content and Format

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 address until 3:00 PM 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. Application Components

The following forms or information are required to be submitted via FEMA GO. The Standard

Forms (SF) are also available at Forms | Grants.gov SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance

• Grants.gov Lobbying Form, Certification Regarding Lobbying

• SF-424A, Budget Information (Non-Construction)

• SF-424B, Standard Assurances (Non-Construction)

• SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

D. Program-Specific Required Documents and Information

The following program-specific forms or information are required to be submitted in FEMA GO:

• 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. Appendix

E provides information on the Required Supplemental Documents.

• Master Schedule/Deliverable Table. A sample table that combines both 1 and 2 is found in Appendix E 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.).

• 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.

https://www.grants.gov/forms

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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).

• 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.

5. Submission Requirements and Deadlines

A. Address to Request Application Package

Applications are processed through the FEMA GO system. To access the system, go to https://go.fema.gov/.

Steps Required to Apply for An Award Under This Program and Submit an Application:

To apply for an award under this program, all applicants must:

a. Apply for, update, or verify their Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number EIN from the

Internal Revenue Service;

b. In the application, provide an UEI number;

c. Have an account with login.gov;

d. Register for, update, or verify their System for Award Management (SAM) account and ensure the account is active before submitting the application;

e. 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 https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/181607;

f. Submit the complete application in FEMA GO; and

g. Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active federal award or 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.

http://www.fema.gov/earthquake https://go.fema.gov/ https://www.login.gov/ https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/181607 https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/181607 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part-25/subpart-A/section-25.110 mailto:fema-grants-news@fema.dhs.gov mailto:fema-grants-news@fema.dhs.gov

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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, Employer Identification Number (EIN), and an active

SAM registration.

Obtain a UEI Number:

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

Applicants must enter the UEI number in the applicable data entry field on the SF-424 form. For more detailed instructions for obtaining a UEI number, refer to SAM.gov.

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 by visiting https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online.

Create a login.gov account:

Applicants must have a login.gov account in order to register with SAM or update their SAM registration. Applicants can create a login.gov account at:

https://secure.login.gov/sign_up/enter_email?request_id=34f19fa8-14a2-438c-8323-a62b99571fd.

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 https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/loginFAQ.jsf.

Register with SAM:

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

For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM, refer to: Register with SAM https://sam.gov/content/home https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online https://secure.login.gov/sign_up/enter_email?request_id=34f19fa8-14a2-438c-8323-a62b99571fd https://secure.login.gov/sign_up/enter_email?request_id=34f19fa8-14a2-438c-8323-a62b99571fd https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/loginFAQ.jsf https://apply07.grants.gov/help/html/help/Register/RegisterWithSAM.htm

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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 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 registration may need to be involved in this step. For step-by-step instructions, see: FEMA GO Startup Guide

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

Google Chrome;

Mozilla Firefox;

Apple Safari; and

Microsoft Edge.

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

GO.

Submitting the Final Application:

Applicants will be prompted to submit the standard application information, and any program-specific information required. Standard Forms (SF) may be accessed in the Forms tab under the:

SF-424 Family | Grants.gov.

Applicants should review these forms before applying to ensure they are providing all required information.

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

B. Application Deadline

August 15, 2025, at 5:00 PM Eastern Time

C. Pre-Application Requirements Deadline

Not applicable

D. Post-Application Requirements Deadline

Not applicable

E. Effects of Missing the Deadline

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 via email the official date/time stamp and a FEMA GO tracking number to serve as proof of timely submission prior to the application deadline.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part-25/subpart-B/section-25.200 https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema-go_startup-guide.pdf https://grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family

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Applicants experiencing system-related issues have until 3:00 PM 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.

6. 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.

7. 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, 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 C – Programmatic Information.

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 Section 4. Application Contents and Format.

Specific note should be taken regarding Program Office requirements under Section 5.

Submission Requirements and Deadlines.

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

https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/SPOC-list-as-of-August-2024.pdf https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/SPOC-list-as-of-August-2024.pdf

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The full criteria are found in Appendix G. 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, FEMA is required to review OMB-designated databases for applicants’ eligibility and financial integrity information. This is required by the Payment Integrity

Information Act of 2019 (Pub. L. No. 116-117, § 2 (2020)), 41 U.S.C. § 2313, and the “Do Not

Pay Initiative” (31 U.S.C. 3354). For more details, please see 2 C.F.R. § 200.206.

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

1. Financial stability.

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

3. History of performance in managing federal award.

4. Reports and findings from audits.

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

D. Supplemental Financial Integrity Criteria and Review

Before making an award expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently a total federal share of $250,000) over the period of performance:

1. FEMA 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, FEMA will consider any comments by the applicant.

E. Reviewers and Reviewer Selection

Applications will be reviewed and scored by a national panel review comprised of personnel from FEMA.

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.

F. Merit Review Process

FY 2025 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.

https://www.govinfo.gov/link/plaw/116/public/117 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/plaw/116/public/117 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/41/2313 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/31/3354 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/31/3354 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-C/section-200.206 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title41-section2313&num=0&edition=prelim https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-C/section-200.206 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-C/section-200.206

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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 G, 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:

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 C.

• 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 C.

• 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 C.

• 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 C.

• 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.

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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.

8. Award Notices

A. Notice of Award

The Authorized Organization Representative 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 submitting an application, 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 via FEMA GO.

Award packages include an Award Letter, Summary Award Memo, Agreement Articles, and

Obligating Document. An award package notification email is sent via 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 via the FEMA GO system.

Funds will remain on hold until the recipient accepts the award via 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 is at the applicant and/or sub-applicant’s own risk.

D. Obligation of Funds

After review of a successful application, the FEMA Headquarters Program Office coordinates with the Grant Programs Directorate (GPD) Award Administration Division for awards to be recommended through FEMA GO.

E. Notification to Unsuccessful Applicants

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Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by email after the application period closes.

9. 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.

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.

B. DHS Standard Terms and Conditions

A recipient under this funding opportunity must comply with the DHS Standard Terms and

Conditions in effect as of the date of the federal award. These DHS Standard Terms and

Conditions are available online: DHS Standard Terms and Conditions | Homeland Security. For continuation awards, the terms and conditions for the initial federal award will apply unless otherwise specified in the terms and conditions of the continuation award. The specific version of the DHS Standard Terms and Conditions applicable to the federal award will be in the federal award package.

A recipient under this funding opportunity must comply with the FY 2025 Department of

Homeland Security Standard Terms and Conditions, v. 3 (Apr. 18, 2025), with the exception

Paragraph C.IX (Communication and Cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration Officials) and paragraph C.XVII(2)(a)(iii) (Anti-Discrimination Grant Award

Certification regarding immigration). Paragraphs C.IX and C.XVII(2)(a)(iii) do not apply to any federal award under this funding opportunity. The FY 2025 Department of Homeland Security

Standard Terms and Conditions, v. 3 (Apr. 18, 2025) are available at http://www.dhs.gov/publication/dhs-standard-terms-and-conditions.

C. Financial Reporting Requirements

1. Recipients must report obligations and expenditures through a federal financial report.

The Federal Financial Report (FFR) form, also known as Standard Form 425 (SF-425), is available online at: SF-425 OMB #4040-0014.

2. Recipients must submit the FFR quarterly throughout the period of performance (POP) as detailed below:

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/06/11/2025-10803/restoring-american-airspace-sovereignty https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/06/11/2025-10803/restoring-american-airspace-sovereignty https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/2025-04/2025_0418_fy2025_dhs_terms_and_conditions_version_3.pdf https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/2025-04/2025_0418_fy2025_dhs_terms_and_conditions_version_3.pdf https://www.dhs.gov/publication/dhs-standard-terms-and-conditions http://www.dhs.gov/publication/dhs-standard-terms-and-conditions https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SF425a_2_0-V2.0.pdf

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3. The final FFR is due within 120 calendar days after the end of the POP.

FEMA may withhold future federal awards and cash payments if the recipient does not submit timely financial reports, or the financial reports submitted demonstrate lack of progress or provide insufficient detail.

D. Programmatic Performance Reporting Requirements

1. A Performance Report must be submitted quarterly throughout the POP.

2. A Performance Report must include:

a. The status of each funded activity must be updated in Quarterly PPRs (see

Appendix D– Sample Performance Progress Report). PPRs must detail the following for each activity:

i. Activity Name

ii. Activity Description

iii. Required Performance Measure

iv. Required Performance Measure Percent Completion

v. Brief narrative of what has been completed during the reporting period, including:

1. Method of determining task effectiveness

2. Any anticipated challenges and mitigation…