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          FEMA announced a $530 million allocation for the National
          Board for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP).
          This program supports jurisdictions across the country that assist
          our nation’s hungry and homeless populations. 
            
          The program’s National Board will distribute the funds
          to local organizations dedicated to feeding, sheltering and providing
          critical resources to people with economic emergencies. These funds
          are for people with non-disaster related emergencies and can be used
          for a broad range of services, including: 
          
           - Mass
               sheltering and feeding.
 
           - Food
               banks and pantries.
 
           - Utility
               bill payments to prevent cut-offs.
 
           - Rent
               and mortgage payments to prevent evictions and foreclosures.
 
           - Transition
               assistance from shelters to stable living conditions.
 
           
            
          Congress appropriated $130 million through the Consolidated
          Appropriations Act, 2021, and $400 million through Section
          4007 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to the
          EFSP. The $400 million in supplemental funding was provided by
          Congress to specifically address the continuing economic impacts of
          the COVID-19 pandemic. 
            
          The National Board is chaired by FEMA with
          representatives from American Red Cross, Catholic Charities USA, The
          Jewish Federations of North America, National Council of the Churches
          of Christ in the USA, The Salvation Army and United Way Worldwide. 
            
          United Way Worldwide, selected by the National Board
          as its Secretariat and Fiscal Agent, is also responsible for the
          daily administration of the EFSP in alignment with federal
          requirements and National Board governance. 
            
          EFSP funding is allocated to qualifying local
          jurisdictions based on a formula using the most recent national
          population, unemployment and poverty data. Grants are then awarded by
          local boards to nonprofit and government organizations that provide
          direct services to those in need in their communities. All
          applications are evaluated competitively. With this FY 2021 annual
          and supplemental funding, the total aid disbursed in the EFSP’s
          39-year history total more than $5.6 billion. 
            
          Learn more about how EFSP funds help Americans rebuild
          their lives by visiting the FEMA
          blog. 
          
            
          
          
            
          FEMA is accepting applications for all three of the
          fiscal year 2021 grants that constitute the Assistance to
          Firefighters Grants program, with the first deadline approaching on
          Jan. 21. 
            
          The application period for $414 million in funding for
          the
          Assistance to Firefighters Grants closes at 5 p.m. ET on
          Jan. 21. These grants focus on enhancing the safety of the public and
          firefighters with respect to fire and fire-related hazards. 
            
          The application period for $560 million in funding for
          Staffing
          for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants
          closes at 5 p.m. ET on Feb. 4. SAFER grants focus on enhancing the
          ability of recipients to attain and maintain fire department staffing
          and to assure that their communities have adequate protection from
          fire and fire-related hazards. 
            
          The application period is now open for $46 million in
          funding for the Fire
          Protection and Safety (FP&S) grants and will close 5
          p.m. ET on Feb. 18. FP&S grants focus on enhancing the safety of
          the public and firefighters with respect to fire and fire-related
          hazards. 
            
          The funding notice and technical assistance documents
          for this program will be available at grants.gov and FEMA.gov.
          For questions, contact FEMA's Fire Grants Helpdesk via email at firegrants@fema.dhs.gov.  
          
            
          
          
            
          FEMA is releasing additional data on the agency’s new
          equitable flood insurance rate pricing methods. 
            
          Site visitors can view data that compares rate changes
          from the new rating methodology, Risk
          Rating 2.0: Equity in Action, to the legacy rating system
          in place since the 1970s. FEMA created Risk Rating 2.0 so flood
          insurance rates are actuarily sound, equitable, easier to understand
          and better reflect an individual property’s flood risk. 
            
          To view the comparison data, visit www.fema.gov/flood-insurance/risk-rating/profiles. 
            
          The new methodology now considers the cost to rebuild,
          a foundational aspect that ensures rates are equitable for all policyholders.
          Under the old system, policyholders with lower to moderate value
          homes with less flood risk subsidized the premiums of policyholders
          with higher valued homes and higher risk. Adding the cost to rebuild
          levels the playing field as premiums now equitably reflect a single
          property’s unique flood risk.  
            
          Another key change implemented with the new
          methodology is the fact that once a premium reaches its full risk
          rate, increases stop. Under the old system, increases would continue
          indefinitely year after year for all policyholders. 
            
          Potential and existing policy holders can learn their
          specific rates with a call to their insurance company or agent. 
          
            
          
          
            
          FEMA is seeking whole community stakeholder feedback
          to aid in the development of National Continuous Improvement
          Guidance. The engagement period will begin on Jan.18 and last until
          Feb. 10. 
            
          A Continuous Improvement Program is a critical component
          of an organization’s operations as they incorporate lessons learned
          from exercises and real-world incidents so they can build
          capabilities and become more resilient. 
            
          FEMA will host a series of 60-minute webinar sessions
          to gather input from whole community stakeholders that wish to
          participate and indicate what they would find most useful in
          establishing new or developing existing continuous improvement
          processes. 
            
          Webinar sessions will be offered from Jan 25 - Feb.8. 
          
           - Listening
               Session #1: 11 a.m. – noon ET on Jan. 25.
 
           - Listening
               Session #2: 2 – 3 p.m. ET on Jan. 27.
 
           - Listening
               Session #3: 10 – 11 a.m. ET on Jan. 31.
 
           - Listening
               Session #4: 5 – 6 p.m. ET on Feb. 02.
 
           - Listening
               Sessions #5: noon – 1 p.m. ET on Feb. 08.
 
           
            
          For information on webinar sessions and to register
          visit https://preptoolkit.fema.gov/web/cip-citap/events. 
          For additional questions or feedback contact FEMA-CITAP@fema.dhs.gov. 
          
            
          
          
            
          In recognition of National Human Trafficking
          Prevention Month, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS)
          Blue Campaign and the DHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood
          Partnerships are hosting a virtual panel to discuss the racial
          disparities related to human trafficking crimes, highlighting the
          impact on youth and vulnerable communities. 
            
          The content of this event is best suited for
          individuals working in faith-based and community-serving
          organizations, especially those serving youth and/or minority
          audiences. Also, those working in minority- serving higher education
          institutions, as well as federal, state, local, tribal, and
          territorial entities serving youth and/or minority audiences. 
            
          Panelists will discuss the following topics: 
          
           - Vulnerabilities
               of youth and marginalized communities.
 
           - Intersection
               of social media and human trafficking risks.
 
           - Racial
               inequities associated with trafficking-related crimes.
 
           - Available
               resources to help with youth prevention and education
               opportunities.
 
           
            
          Registration for this event is required. After
          registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing
          information about joining the webinar. Please send any questions,
          comments, and/or feedback to: BlueCampaign@hq.dhs.gov. 
            
          Learn more about Blue Campaign at https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/about-blue-campaign. 
          
            
          
          
           
          FEMA Extends
          Request for Information
            
          FEMA published a notice
          in the Federal Register extending the public comment on the National
          Flood Insurance Program’s minimum floodplain management standards to
          Jan. 27. 
            
          Written comments can be
          submitted to the Federal
          eRulemaking Portal, Docket ID: FEMA-2021-0024.  
          ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
          Application
          Period for BRIC, FMA Grant Programs Closes Jan. 28
            
          The Flood
          Mitigation Assistance (FMA) and the Building
          Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grants
          provide funds to states, local communities, tribes and territories
          for eligible mitigation activities to strengthen our nation’s ability
          to build a culture of preparedness. These programs fund projects that
          invest in a more resilient nation, reduce disaster suffering and
          avoid future disaster costs. 
            
          Applications are due no
          later than 3 p.m. ET on Jan. 28. Applications received by FEMA after
          this deadline will not be considered for funding. Subapplicants
          should touch base with their respective State
          Hazard Mitigation Officer to ask about project priorities
          and additional application requirements or deadlines for submitting
          information. 
            
          The funding notices are
          available on Grants.gov.
          Eligible applicants must apply for funding using FEMA
          Grants Outcomes (FEMA GO), the agency’s grants management
          system. 
            
          For more information
          visit FEMA.gov. 
          ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
          FEMA Seeks
          Public Comment for Updated Public Assistance Policy
            
          FEMA recently released the “Public Assistance Appeals
          and Arbitration Policy” that clarifies changes to procedures, roles
          and responsibilities concerning Public Assistance appeals and
          arbitrations resulting from revisions to 44
          C.F.R. 206.206. The policy was originally published in the
          Federal Register on Aug.16, 2021. 
            
          FEMA
          requests comments on the draft policy by 5 p.m. ET on Jan.
          19. The policy applies to all FEMA stakeholders, including all
          regions, Public Assistance grant recipients and applicants. 
            
          FEMA requests that all comments be submitted using the
          accompanying comment matrix to FEMA-Recovery-PA-Policy@fema.dhs.gov. 
          ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 
          FEMA BRIC
          Direct Technical Assistance Application Period Now Open
            
          FEMA seeks to provide non-financial Direct Technical
          Assistance to a maximum of 20 communities to support mitigation
          outcomes of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities
          (BRIC) program. This announcement was first made in the Fiscal Year
          2021 BRIC funding
          opportunity. 
            
          Applicants must email one letter of interest not
          exceeding two pages by 3 p.m. ET on Jan. 28 to FEMA-BRICDirectTechnicalAssistance@fema.dhs.gov.
          Additional details are available on FEMA.gov.
          Information with examples can be reviewed in the Program
          Support Material on FEMA.gov. 
          ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 
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