Each year, thousands of homes and businesses across the United States experience repeated flooding. Many of these structures were built before modern floodplain regulations were established, leaving them more vulnerable to flood damage. Repetitive flooding not only places residents at continued risk but also contributes to significant costs within the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

To help address these long-term risks and reduce future flood losses, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers several financial assistance programs aimed at supporting communities and property owners. These programs help fund projects that acquire, retrofit, or otherwise protect flood-prone structures.

The following mitigation programs are administered in Florida through the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) Mitigation Bureau:

Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Program

A competitive, nationwide FEMA program that provides annual funding to states, tribes, and local governments. FMA funds are specifically dedicated to reducing or eliminating the long-term risk of flood damage to structures insured by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Eligible project types include home elevations, structure acquisitions (buyouts), and floodproofing measures for repetitive-loss and severe repetitive-loss properties.

Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)

A federal post-disaster program that becomes available following a presidentially declared disaster. HMGP helps communities implement long-term mitigation measures that reduce the loss of life and property from future disasters. Eligible projects may include drainage improvements, hardening of critical facilities, home elevations, or voluntary acquisitions of high-risk properties.

Elevate Florida is a state-funded flood mitigation program designed to help reduce future flood losses for homes and businesses across Florida. Administered by the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), the program provides financial assistance for projects that strengthen vulnerable structures and lessen the impact of flooding events.

Eligible project types may include:

• Elevation of homes in flood-prone areas
• Structural retrofits that improve flood resistance
• Installation of flood-resistant materials
• Utility protection or relocation
• Voluntary property acquisition (buyouts) in areas with severe, repeated flooding

Elevate Florida is intended to complement federal programs—such as FMA and HMGP—by providing additional funding opportunities, expanding access to mitigation resources, and helping communities address repetitive-loss properties more quickly. Funding availability and application periods may vary each year.

Additional Funding Through NFIP: Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC)

NFIP policyholders who own a repetitive-loss or substantially damaged property may qualify for Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) coverage. ICC is an additional provision within a standard flood insurance policy that provides up to $30,000 to help cover the cost of bringing a building into compliance with local floodplain regulations.

ICC funds can be used for:

• Elevating a structure to meet floodplain requirements
• Relocating a structure to a safer location
• Demolishing a structure that cannot be safely rebuilt
• Floodproofing certain non-residential buildings

ICC funding may also be applied toward the non-federal match of a larger flood mitigation project funded through FEMA’s mitigation grant programs.

HUD Section 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offers an additional financing option that may help property owners mitigate flood risk. The Section 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance Program allows homeowners and homebuyers to combine the cost of purchasing or refinancing a home with the cost of rehabilitation or mitigation improvements into a single mortgage.

Section 203(k) loans may be used for:

• Repairing or elevating a flood-damaged home
• Improving structural resilience
• Modernizing older structures to meet current safety standards
• Completing mitigation work required by local codes or insurance requirements

This program can be a valuable option for residents seeking to repair, upgrade, or protect older homes prone to flooding.