Community Assistance Program State Support Services Element (CAP-SSSE)

The goal of the CAP-SSSE program is to empower National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Coordinating Agencies to own, manage, and reduce risk and avoid losses from flood events through support to flood prone and NFIP participating communities within

CAP-SSSE provides funding to states and territories to ensure adoption and enforcement of standards consistent with the NFIP minimum criteria in participating and flood-prone communities. This cooperative agreement strives to empower states and territories to own and effectively manage their flood risk and reduce exposure, disaster costs, and recovery demands. This cooperative agreement funds NFIP Coordinating Agencies to conduct specific activities in support of NFIP administration and enables independent investment to build floodplain management capacity and capability in line with the provisions set forth in 44 Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) § 60.25.

Designated NFIP Coordinating Agencies in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and territories are eligible to apply for funding under this funding opportunity. Collectively, they are referred to as "grantees." NFIP Coordinating Agencies are designated by statute or Governor's declaration as a "State Coordinating Agency" as described in 44 C.F.R. § 59.1 and § 60.25. Applicants are required to have a valid Tiered State Framework Assessment to apply for the grant. There is a minimum 25% non-federal cost match required for all recipients of CAP-SSSE funds (excluding insular areas) with no restrictions on the types of costs allowed (e.g., in-kind contribution). Applicants are allowed, encouraged, and incentivized through the TSF Assessment to voluntarily match beyond the minimum 25% non-federal cost match. Exceptions to the cost share requirement include "insular areas" per Public Law 96-205, title VI, section 601, March 12,1980, as amended (also noted in 48 U.S.C. § 1469a) and Office of Management and Budget Controller Alert CA-23-04 Waiving Matching Fund Requirements for Insular Areas. The four insular areas are the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. Insular area applicants can propose a voluntary cost share. The recipient contribution is calculated based on the federal contribution as: percent of recipient contribution multiplied by the value of the federal contribution in U.S. dollars. For example, this cooperative agreement requires a 25% cost match. If the federal contribution is $100,000, the recipient contribution is calculated as (0.25) X $100,000 = $25,000. The grant is then made up of $100,000 (federal funding) and $25,000 (state cost match) for a total = $125,000.

If a recipient does not maintain the necessary expertise and capability to conduct CAP-SSSE activities, the FEMA Region and recipient will develop a remedial plan. If the recipient does not agree to implementing the remedial plan or fails to develop the necessary expertise and capability required by the region, the state or territory's CAP-SSSE funding may be reduced or withheld. The CAP-SSSE Period of Performance (POP) is 12 months, beginning July 1 and ending June 30 of the following year. Recipients may request funding as desired, so long as those requests comply with the manual payment review process identified in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Awards are subject to the Cash Management Improvement Act for payment and/or reimbursement of expenditures.

CAP-SSSE funds can only be used to reimburse state or territory staff for negotiated, eligible activities that they complete within the period of performance. Program guidance defines which of these eligible activities can be reimbursed with federal funds, and which must be conducted using either in-kind or cash state match. Additionally, the following activities are unallowable as both federal funding or state match: conducting floodplain studies, developing floodplain maps, or conducting activities already being funded under other federal grants or cooperative agreements including as reported cost-share, lobbying, non-floodplain management exercise related costs, construction and renovation costs, international travel (unless approved by FEMA), professional association dues and memberships, purchase of vehicles or office furniture/furnishings, activities directly chargeable to disaster funding, and duplication or reimbursement for state or territory-required and -funded review activities such as state or territory permitting. For complete information on Uses and Restrictions, refer to program guidance.

The CAP-SSSE Period of Performance (POP) is 12 months, beginning July 1 and ending June 30 of the following year. Extensions to the POP are allowed but may impact the grantee's TSF score and tier. Awards are made available for drawdown following conclusion of programmatic and grants review of the submitted application, typically in July or August of the POP. Awards are made no later than September 30. Recipients can draw down funding at any time and have 120 days following the close of the POP to fully draw down funds. Awards are subject to the Cash Management Improvement Act for payment and/or reimbursement of expenditures.

Applicants are expected to coordinate with Regional CAP-SSSE Coordinators to have proposed activities in their SOW reviewed and approved prior to application submission. Regional CAP Coordinators will provide guidance, support, Discretionary Priorities and selection, and approval of SOWs. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under Executive Order 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant must contact the single point of contact in their state to comply with the state's process under Executive Order 12372.

FEMA Regional Office staff who are professionally and technically qualified in floodplain management will evaluate applications and select applications for funding.​ Applications will be reviewed to ensure conformance with the eligibility criteria and application submission requirements in this funding opportunity. Applicants that do not meet eligibility or application submission requirements will be removed from consideration. Applicants will be evaluated and selected for funding based on their ability to demonstrate the following: - The capability to perform the duties and responsibilities set forth in 44 C.F.R. § 60.25(b); - Adherence to qualified funding levels determined by funding methodology described in Appendix 2; - A reasonable and achievable application outlining planned floodplain management activities, inclusive of annual performance measure targets, and discretionary activities as applicable.

Applications are pre-approved by FEMA Regional Office staff prior to submission to ensure that submitted applications are reasonable, focusing on outlined priorities, and achievable in the 12-month Period of Performance.​ 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.

The application start date and deadline are contingent upon publication of the NOFO. The application window is open for 30 days following publication of the NOFO, and this date is the submission deadline. All applications must be received through FEMA GO by this time.

Awards must be made to applicants prior to September 30.

Extensions to the period of performance are allowed but may adversely impact a state or territory's Tiered State Framework score or tier. Extensions to the Period of Performance identified in the award will only be considered through formal, written requests to the recipient's FEMA Regional Office and must contain the following: - The grant program, fiscal year, and award number - Reason for the delay - including details of the legal, policy, or operational challenges that prevent the final outlay of awarded funds by the deadline - Current status of the activity(ies) - Approved Period of Performance termination date and new project completion date - Amount of funds drawn down to date - Remaining available funds, both federal and, if applicable, non-federal - Budget outlining how remaining federal and, if applicable, non-federal funds will be expended - Plan for completion, including milestones and timeframes for achieving each milestone and the position or person responsible for implementing the plan for completion Extension requests will be granted only due to compelling legal, policy, operational challenges or other extenuating circumstances. Recipients should submit all proposed extension requests to FEMA for review and approval at least 60 days prior to the end of the Period of Performance (April 30) to allow sufficient processing time. Recipients should consult with their FEMA point of contact for requirements related to a performance period extension.

Efforts will be made to rectify any application issues to ensure successful submission. Unsuccessful applicants will be contacted by their FEMA Regional Coordinator.