Domestic Affairs

FEMA Cancels $750 Million Disaster Mitigation Grant Program Amid Policy Shift

Michael Frick

21 Apr 2025 — 5 min read

G. Edward Johnson, CC BY 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Introduction

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has abruptly canceled $750 million in planned funding for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program, a move that marks a dramatic shift in federal disaster mitigation policy. The decision, announced in early April 2025, follows an executive order from President Trump that emphasizes state and local responsibility for disaster preparedness and mitigation. The cancellation halts new and existing BRIC grants, disrupts or cancels hundreds of county and municipal projects nationwide, and is expected to increase costs for local governments while reducing the nation’s capacity for long-term risk reduction. The move has drawn sharp criticism from local officials, emergency managers, and advocates, who warn that the United States is now less prepared for future natural disasters.

Background: What Was BRIC and Why Was It Canceled?

The BRIC Program’s Origins and Purpose

Established by Congress in 2018 and launched in 2020, BRIC was designed to provide a stable, annual source of federal funding for hazard mitigation projects. The program replaced FEMA’s Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) initiative and aimed to help states, counties, cities, and tribal governments invest in infrastructure and community projects that would reduce the costs and impacts of disasters such as floods, hurricanes, wildfires, and tornadoes.

BRIC grants typically covered up to 75% of a project’s cost, with some projects receiving as much as $50 million. The program was widely praised by state and local officials for supporting innovation, encouraging partnerships, and helping communities build resilience in the face of increasingly severe weather and climate-driven disasters. Since its inception, BRIC has distributed roughly $5 billion in grants, funding hundreds of projects across the country.

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