FEMA has made progress over the past two years in analyzing the nation’s census tracts to designate those most in-need and at-risk due to natural hazards.
The agency has now designated a total of 767 Community Disaster Resilience Zones (CDRZ) eligible for increased federal support to become more resilient to natural hazards and extreme weather. With these CDRZs, FEMA opens pathways for increased access to public and private sector funding and technical assistance for resilience and capacity-building projects.
FEMA first designated 483 zones in September 2023 across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. With this announcement, the agency has designated an additional 172 zones for 57 Tribal Nations and 112 zones for four territories. This brings the total to 767 designated zones. A full list of Community Disaster Resilience Zones can be viewed here.
“The recent expansion of CDRZ designations demonstrates the growing impact of the CDRZ Act since it passed with bipartisan support in 2022,” said Victoria Salinas, Senior Official Performing the Duties of Deputy Administrator for Resilience. “By designating Community Disaster Resilience Zones, we unlock the power of prioritizing the nation’s most at-risk and underserved communities for investment, support and collective action. These now-more-than 760 zones around the country will have greater access to resources and technical assistance that can make them more resilient to emerging threats and hazards.”
The progress made in implementing the CDRZ Act is vital on both a national and local scale. In the coming months, FEMA plans to announce additional collaboration and multi-sector coordination across the public and private sectors, as well as to designate additional state, Tribal Nation, and territorial designated zones.
The CDRZ Act—passed in 2022—is intended to support resilience projects that primarily benefit a designated zone. The primary benefit of a zone designation is the potential for increased access to additional funding and technical assistance for resilience and mitigation projects, including an increased 90% federal cost share under the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program.
Supporting designated zones requires the help of partners throughout the public and private sectors. FEMA has begun building avenues for collaboration and cross-sector coordination across all levels of government, philanthropic foundations, private nonprofits, universities and private businesses to help drive resources to CDRZ working to become more resilient to natural hazards.
In the past two years, CDRZs have been incorporated into several different programs and initiatives across federal agencies and numerous private sector organizations. Below are examples of partnerships that have been underway providing targeted assistance to these tracts.
Expanded access to resilience resources from FEMA. Designated zones have notably benefitted from FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program by qualifying for increased federal cost-share, direct technical assistance, extra application points and Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) assistance.
For example, Crisfield, Maryland, containing a designated zone, was awarded $36 million through the BRIC program to fund critical infrastructure improvements, including raising and strengthening bulkheads. These efforts will help support Crisfield’s 2,500 residents from the increasing threats of flooding and storm surges, enhancing community safety and resilience.
Opportunities to access funding and technical assistance from other government entities. A growing number of federal departments and agencies have committed to leverage CDRZ designations as a potential selection criterion for key grant programs, technical assistance and billions of dollars in potential funding through 20 funding opportunities.
Examples of these federal partners include the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). For instance, the DOT has funded $2.7 billion through the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) program to support communities like CDRZ.
In addition, the EPA’s Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program offered $2 billion in grants for projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity. Meanwhile, HUD is using $225 million to support resilience efforts for low-to-moderate income residents in communities, including CDRZ.
Learn more about federal support at FEMA.gov.
Private sector partnerships to provide additional financial support and technical assistance. Private sector partners have amplified support for CDRZ with targeted projects and disaster recovery aid. Notable partnerships include the Climate Smart Communities Initiative (CSCI), Geos Institute and SBP.
- CSCI is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and managed by a consortium of nonprofit partners. CSCI awarded over $500,000 to communities with CDRZ spanning multiple states and Tribal Nations for targeted resilience projects.
- The Geos Institute has integrated CDRZ designations into its Navigator Network to assist high-risk, socially vulnerable communities. Geos Navigators engage directly with CDRZs, helping them apply for grants and access technical support.
- SBP has brought in nine community-based Resilience Fellows, hired locally to help communities access available federal and state resilience and adaptation resources. In communities with both SBP Resilience Fellows and Geos Institute Navigators, Fellows and Navigators have collaborated closely to offer enhanced direct technical assistance.
Learn more about FEMA’s private sector partnership efforts at FEMA.gov.
“The Climate Smart Communities Initiative grew out of a multi-year effort to advance climate adaptation and resilience based on input from practitioners around the nation,” said Ned Gardiner, NOAA Program Manager for CSCI. “Working with CDRZ is a natural extension of this collaborative spirit and brings more focus to communities that can benefit the most. NOAA is committed to building a Climate Ready Workforce, and these projects are one of the important ways we can build public-private partnerships for that purpose.”
As the shared support network around CDRZ grows, FEMA will continue to work with public and private partners to demonstrate that having a designation brings real, tangible opportunities. These include increased access to funding, technical assistance and other resources for holistic, community-driven projects that will foster a more sustainable, resilient future in vulnerable areas nationwide.