FEMA launches third round of Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund

Key Takeaways

On January 14, FEMA announced the third funding opportunity for the Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) program, making $178 million available to enhance community resilience against natural hazards. Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (P.L. 117-58), this program allows the establishment of revolving loan funds that provide low-interest loans for local hazard mitigation projects.

Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Program

The Safeguarding Tomorrow RLF program is a financial tool designed to empower local governments by providing flexible, low-interest loans for projects that reduce disaster risks and strengthen resilience. Key eligible activities include:

• Building resilience: Construct or modify infrastructure to mitigate risks from floods, earthquakes, wildfires and other natural disasters.
• Planning for the future: Update hazard mitigation plans, adopt modern building codes and make zoning or land-use changes to reduce vulnerabilities.
• Supporting other mitigation efforts: Use loans to cover non-federal cost shares for FEMA programs like the Flood Mitigation Assistance program.
• Addressing deferred maintenance: Repair or upgrade mitigation infrastructure to ensure long-term functionality.

This program provides flexibility in loan terms, with repayment periods of up to 20 years for most communities and up to 30 years for low-income areas. While counties cannot apply directly to FEMA for these grants, local governments can apply for low-interest loans through their state, territory or Tribal Nation’s RLF, making this a significant opportunity for advancing county resilience efforts.

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Impact on Counties

Safeguarding Tomorrow RLF funding offers a critical opportunity for county governments to address infrastructure vulnerabilities, implement hazard mitigation plans and build long-term resilience in communities at risk of disasters. By fostering collaboration between county governments and participating entities, the program helps counties reduce disaster risks, mitigate vulnerabilities and improve recovery outcomes for residents.