The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced the availability of the Hazard Mitigation Grants Program Appeals Database.
The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provides grants to state, local, tribal and territorial governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures after a major disaster declaration. The purpose of the HMGP is to reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters and to enable mitigation measures to be implemented during the immediate recovery from a disaster.
An eligible applicant may appeal any FEMA determination regarding applications submitted for funding under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. The appeal process allows applicants to request a reconsideration of the decision in conformity with program requirements.
There are two levels of appeals. The Regional Administrator decides first appeals. If FEMA denies the appeal at the Regional Administrator’s level, the applicant may submit a second appeal to the Deputy Associate Administrator for Mitigation at FEMA Headquarters. If FEMA approves an appeal, FEMA will take the appropriate action to implement the decision. If the second appeal is denied, the decision is final.
To provide an effective means to research and track appeals, FEMA developed a web-based database that can be accessed online. The online Appeals Database is a searchable database containing FEMA responses to applicant appeals for assistance. The database houses HMGP second appeal records since 1988 and first level appeals since the release of the FY2011 Hazard Mitigation Assistance guidance. In 2011, FEMA started monitoring first appeals made in the regions. The purpose of the database is to inform the public on how program requirements are applied. The database can be accessed at: www.fema.gov/hazard-mitigation-grant-program/hmgp-appeals.
For more information on the terms used in the appeal database and a brief summary of the basic program elements, users can reference the Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program Digest.
FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance datasets are also available through OpenFEMA