Michigan becomes eligible for up to $20 million in FEMA money to fight flooding

Flood-prone communities in Michigan can now apply for $20 million in funding to reduce their risks, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced this week.

Michigan and Washington are the latest states to become eligible for the funding through FEMA's Swift Current grant opportunity. Last month, 16 states and one Tribal Nation were deemed eligible for $295 million in funding from the same program.

"Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda we were able to extend additional funding to help flood-prone communities as they continue to grapple with the climate crisis,” FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said in a news release.

Swift Current is designed to "get funding on the ground as soon as possible after a flood-related disaster to help communities implement upgrades to reduce their flood risk," according to the release.

The funding will assist National Flood Insurance Program policyholders who have experienced repetitive and substantial flood damage, FEMA said. Some of the kinds of projects that can be funded with the money include property acquisition, demolition, elevation and relocation.

The states and the tribe selected have each declared a flood-related major disaster since June 2023.

Severe storms starting Aug. 24 hit Lower Michigan last year, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power, destroying trees and walloping parts of western Wayne County with rain and flooding. In February, President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration for nine counties affected by the storms.

California, Florida, Colorado and the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians are some other examples of entities that are eligible for the Swift Current funding opportunity. The application period for the opportunity opened Nov. 15, 2023. FEMA said it will distribute funding on a rolling basis until the total available funding amount is exhausted.