HUD Launches $1 Billion National Disaster Resilience Competition
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), in partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation, has launched a $1 billion National Disaster Resilience Competition. The competition makes $1 billion available to eligible communities that have been struck by natural disasters in recent years. The competition promotes risk assessment and planning and will fund the implementation of innovative resilience projects to better prepare communities for future storms and other extreme events. This competition responds to requests from state, local, and tribal leaders who have asked the federal government to help them prepare their communities for the impacts of climate change and support investments in more resilient infrastructure.
Eligible Applicants: There are 67 eligible applicants for the $1 billion National Disaster Resilience Competition. All states with counties that experienced a Presidentially Declared Major Disaster in 2011, 2012 or 2013 are eligible to submit applications that address unmet needs as well as vulnerabilities to future extreme events, stresses, threats, hazards, or other shocks in areas that were most impacted and distressed as a result of the effects of the Qualified Disaster.
Overview of Phases: The National Disaster Resilience Competition is a year-long competition structured in two phases: (1) the framing phase and (2) the implementation phase. Phase 1 applications will be due in March 2015. Successful applicants in Phase 1 will be invited to participate in Phase 2 to design solutions for recovery and resilience. Phase 2 applications must also include an analysis for any proposed projects with an account of the social and ecological benefits and costs as a consideration. The best proposals from Phase 2 will receive funds for implementation and will demonstrate how communities across the country can build a more resilient future. HUD expects to make final award announcements in late 2015.
