The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation recently announced the opening of a second grant round for the Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund.
Communities across Virginia have until Nov. 5 to apply for $17 million in grants to address the effects of recurrent flooding, sea level rise and extreme weather.
Flooding is the most common and costly natural hazard in Virginia and the United States. The Community Flood Preparedness Fund will provide an estimated $75 million per year to improve local flood resilience, including targeted funding for the most vulnerable and underserved communities.
The General Assembly voted to establish the fund during the 2020 session. It is financed by the sale of carbon emission allowances under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI, which Virginia joined in January 2021.
The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, in cooperation with the Virginia Resources Authority, administers the fund and grant program. DCR oversees the state’s floodplain management program.
The agency will host a virtual question-and-answer session about the grant program Aug. 13 at 1 p.m. The session is open to all, but registration is required.
A grant manual with eligibility rules and application procedures — and a registration link for the Aug. 13 session — are available at www.dcr.virginia.gov/cfpf.
The first Community Flood Preparedness Fund grant cycle opened June 4 and closes Sept. 3.
- Submitted by Julie Buchanan, Senior Public Relations and Marketing Specialist
