Grant Details


National Dam Safety Program (NDSP) State Assistance Grant Program - FY 2025

Agency: U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency
CFDA: 97.041
Federal FON: DHS-25-MT-041-00-97
Office: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Dam Safety Program (NDSP)
Multipart Grant: No
Next Due: 08/11/2025 (Application)
Solicitation Date: 07/28/2025
   
Match Required: No
Actual Funds: $7,480,000 (Estimated)
Award Range: $40,000 (Min) / $550,000 (Max)
Number of Awards: 50 (Estimated)
Summary:

The purpose of this program is to encourage the establishment and maintenance of effective state dam safety programs intended to ensure dam safety, to protect human life and property, and to improve state dam safety programs. Specifically, this program's objectives are to:

  • Identify deficiencies and risks associated with dams
  • Increase public awareness of the benefits and risks associated with dam infrastructure and potential hazards associated with dam failure
  • Advance the state of practice of dam safety and dam risk management

Examples of eligible project activities include:

  • Performing targeted safety inspections of high-hazard (HH) dams/dams of highest consequence
  • Performing targeted condition assessment and evaluations of reservoirs and HH dams/dams of highest consequence
  • Developing new or updated emergency action plans (EAPs) for HH dams/dams of highest consequence
  • Performing regulatory enforcement actions to compel the dam owner of an unsafe HH potential dam to take action to reduce the risk associated with the dam, including official notices of violation, civil or criminal penalties, reservoir restrictions, or safe breachings of dams
  • Executing targeted outreach and messaging strategies to inform the public and stakeholders of dam risks and actions that individuals/organizations/communities need to take
  • Establishing and maintaining assessment tools for gauging effectiveness of targeted public outreach about hazards and risks associated with dams
  • Identifying and applying best practices that advance operations of state dam safety programs
  • Conducting risk identification analyses and risk prioritization methodologies to inform decision making in dam rehabilitation or removal of high-hazard potential dams (HHPDs)
  • Building or improving a cybersecurity awareness program to promote resources and the implementation of cybersecurity with owners and operators
  • Providing professional education, workshops, and training on content such as dam operations and safety standards; industry best practices; risk assessment methodologies; and risk communication strategies for dam owners, local officials, and state dam safety staff
Eligibility Notes:

Eligible applicants are state dam safety programs in all states and the District of Columbia, as well as American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and any other territory or possession of the United States.

Applicants must be authorized by state legislation and be

working toward meeting specific criteria and budgeting requirements. Refer to pages 8-9 of the NOFA file for requirements that applicants must meet. 

All dams must meet the definition in 33 USC Section 467.

Applicants may submit only one application. 

Previous award recipients include:

  • Florida
  • New York
  • Pennsylvania
  • Puerto Rico
  • Texas

Refer to the Award file for additional information regarding previous award recipients.

Eligible Applicants:
State Government
Application Notes:

Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. ET on August 11, 2025.

Applications must be submitted online at go.fema.gov.

Applications must include:

  • SF 424
  • Certification regarding lobbying
  • SF 424A
  • SF 424B
  • SF LLL
  • Grant summary page
  • Scope of work
  • Milestone quarterly work plan
  • Letter from the state official
  • Detailed budget
  • Indirect cost rate agreement (if applicable)

The letter from the state official must be on official letterhead.

The following are required in order to submit an application:

  • Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number
  • SAM (System for Award Management) registration
  • SPOC (state Single Point of Contact) notification

Applicants may obtain a UEI number and verify or renew SAM registration status at www.ecivis.com/sam. Applicants in states participating in the SPOC program must contact the relevant SPOC listed in the SPOC file before applying.

Applications will be evaluated based on the programmatic, financial integrity, and supplemental financial integrity criteria detailed on pages 21-22 of the NOFA file.

Refer to the NOFA file for additional application information.

Match Required: No
Actual Funds: $7,480,000 (Estimated)
Award Range: $40,000 (Min) / $550,000 (Max)
Number of Awards: 50 (Estimated)
Match Notes:

Matching funds are not required for this program; however, the award amount will not exceed four times the amount of funds committed by the state for dam safety activities. 

Funding Notes:

A total of $7.48 million is expected to be available to support approximately 50 awards ranging from $40,000 to $550,000 through this program.

Awards are anticipated to be made on September 19, 2025. 

Project periods will span 12 months, starting on the date of the award. Extensions may be permitted.

Award recipients must maintain aggregate expenditures from all other sources for programs to ensure dam safety for the protection of human life and property at or above a level equal to the average annual level of such expenditures for the two fiscal years preceding the current fiscal year.

International travel is not an allowable cost, unless approved in advance by the funding agency.

Funds may not be used for:

  • Subawards
  • Matching or cost sharing for other federal grants/cooperative agreements
  • Lobbying
  • Prosecuting claims against the federal government or any other government entity
  • Pre-award costs
  • Management and administration (M&A) costs
  • Construction and renovation costs, including  constructing or repairing any federal or nonfederal dam

For the fall cycle of FY 2024, a total of $24.2 million was distributed via 50 awards through this program. For the spring cycle of FY 2024, a total of $7.5 million was distributed via 49 awards. For FY 2023, a total of $6.25 million was distributed via 50 awards. Refer to the Award file for details.

Contacts:

Primary Contact:

Jena'i Jordan
jenai.jordan@fema.dhs.gov

Civil Rights Contact:

Program Staff
FEMA-CivilRightsOffice@fema.dhs.org

Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation Contact:

Program Staff
FEMA-OEHP-NOFOQuestions@fema.dhs.gov

Grant Programs Directorate (GPD) Award Administration Division Contact:

Program Staff
ASK-GMD@fema.dhs.gov

Agency Address
Federal Emergency Management Agency
P.O. Box 10055
Hyattsville, MD 20782-8055

Contact Notes:

Questions should be directed to the appropriate program contact, or to the appropriate regional office listed on pages 42-43 of the NOFA file.

Applications must be submitted online at go.fema.gov.

The agency address provided is for reference purposes only.

Files:
Award File: US12919_Award_FY2025.pdf (413.7 Kb)
NOFA File: US12919_NOFA_FY2025.pdf (581.2 Kb)
Federal Forms:
SPOC (67.7 Kb)
File Notes:

The NOFA file contains the full solicitation for this program. The Award file contains information on previous award recipients. The SPOC file contains information on the state Single Point of Contact program. Detailed guidelines for the funding agency’s application submission portal can be found online at www.fema.gov/grants/guidance-tools/fema-go.

Grant Keywords
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Grant Categories
Community Development
Disaster Preparedness
Training & Vocational Services
Information Technology/Telecommunications
Environment/Natural Resources
Water Supply/Quality