Funding Database: Emergency Management Performance

The Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) is a FEMA grant administered by NC Emergency Management (NCEM). EMPG provides funding to sustain and enhance hazard emergency management capabilities and implement the National Preparedness System. This system aims to build local capacity to prevent and protect communities from natural and man-made disasters, mitigate their effects when they do occur, and establish quick response and recovery times.

Eligible Applicants

All 100 North Carolina counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians are eligible. No private, nonprofit or other governmental organizations is eligible.

Eligible Projects

Funding should go towards the implementation of the National Preparedness System. Refer to the grant page and the current Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to see each year’s funding priorities.

Applicants must complete certain universal programmatic deliverables or “universal activities”, that are outlined in the NOFO. These are a list of project requirements that the funding recipient must complete to be eligible to receive funding.

Funding Amount

There are no caps on the amount of requested funding, but the total federal funding allocated for all NC counties in fiscal year 2023 was around $5 million. NCEM determines the allocation per county based on FEMA allocations and county population size. NCEM disburses funding in two payments in the fall and the spring.

NCEM awards funding following the completion of the outlined universal activities during a specified period of performance to receive the first round of funding. Further funding is dependent upon completion of optional program activities during the specified period of performance. For fiscal year 2023, counties were required to properly complete eight approved universal activities and at least six approved optional activities to receive maximum funding. For this cycle, funding priorities included planning, operational coordination, logistics and supply chain management, intelligence and information sharing and community resilience.

Match Requirements

50% of funding is required to be a non-federal match.

Application Schedule

The schedule for EMPG funding begins before the annual application period as counties must choose the activities that they will work toward for the National Preparedness System. The proposed timeline for the fiscal year 2024 application is as follows:

• August 2023: Counties make activity selections
• October 2023: EMPG application goes live
• November 2023: Counties work toward completing application activities
• December 2023: Counties submit 2024 EMPG application
• March 2024: Grant managers review applications
• September 2024: Field staff confirm activities, state receives initial reward
• December 2024: Counties receive first reimbursements

Application Process

Applicants apply to NCEM for EMPG funding by Dec. 31 each year. NCEM posts the yearly application under the “Related Content” heading on the EMPG webpage. Applicants follow the instructions on the application to submit their application to NCEM.

Application Assistance

The Notice of Funding Opportunity provides information on how to put together an application. The most recently version of Frequently Asked Questions provides additional assistance. Both resources are available under the “Related Content” header on the EMPG webpage.

Funding Source

Through FEMA, the US Department of Homeland Security provides funding for this program with federal appropriations from the Consolidated Appropriations Act and Disaster Relief Fund. NCEM has committed to passing through approximately 51% of these state funds to county emergency management agencies and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.