York County Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM)

How it works

The Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program provides funds for hazard mitigation planning and for implementing hazard mitigation projects before a disaster happens. The page says the program is meant to reduce risk to people and structures, and to reduce reliance on disaster-declaration funding after an event.

PDM grants are awarded on a competitive basis and are not distributed by state allocation, quota, or other formula-based method. The page states that only the state emergency management agency, or a similar office with emergency management responsibility, may apply to FEMA as the applicant. Each state designates one agency to serve as the applicant. Applicants may submit an unlimited number of sub-applications for eligible planning or project activities that have been reviewed and approved in eGrants.

What the money covers

The page lists examples of eligible mitigation projects, including:

• Voluntary acquisition of real property, including structures and land where necessary, for conversion to open space in perpetuity
• Property acquisition and structure relocation
• Elevation of existing structures to avoid coastal or riverine flooding
• Dry flood proofing of historic residential structures and non-residential structures
• Minor localized flood reduction projects
• Wildfire mitigation
• Structural retrofitting and non-structural retrofitting, such as storm shutters, hurricane clips, and bracing systems
• Construction of safe rooms and severe wind shelters meeting FEMA 320 and FEMA 361 criteria
• Vegetation management for natural dune restoration, wildfire, or snow avalanche
• Protective measures for utilities and infrastructure, such as electric and gas, water and sanitary sewer systems, roads, and bridges
• Storm water management projects such as culverts and retention basins
• Localized flood control projects designed to protect critical facilities
• Generators and related equipment only when purchased as a functional portion of a larger eligible project for a critical facility and directly related to the hazard

The page also lists several ineligible activities, including major flood-control and erosion projects, water quality infrastructure, ecological or agricultural management projects, warning systems, studies that do not result in a project, flood studies or mapping that are not integral to project design, dry flood proofing of residential structures, standalone generators, demolition/rebuild in floodplains, projects solely addressing manmade hazards, response and communication equipment, routine maintenance or repairs, and localized flood control projects that do not meet the critical-facility rules.

Amounts and matching

The page states that funding is restricted to a maximum of $3 million federal share per project sub-application. The federal share covers 75 percent of the project cost, and sub-applicants must provide the remaining 25 percent in matching funds.

All project submissions must have a Benefit Cost Analysis of 1 or greater.

How to apply

The page says the state emergency management agency or similar state office is the applicant to FEMA. Sub-applicants apply to that applicant for assistance. The page also references eGrants for reviewing and approving sub-applications.

Timing and deadlines

The page does not state a current application window, opening date, closing date, or deadline.