FEMA Ordered to Reinstate BRIC Disaster Mitigation Funding

Federal and state actions have resulted in court orders directing FEMA to reverse its decision to end a major disaster mitigation grant program and restore funding previously canceled.

On April 4, 2025, FEMA published a press release announcing the termination of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program. The agency stated that all applications from fiscal years 2020 through 2023 would be canceled, and any undistributed funds would be returned to the Disaster Relief Fund or the U.S. Treasury.

Following FEMA’s announcement, legal proceedings were initiated to challenge the agency’s decision. On December 11, 2025, U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns issued a ruling that found FEMA’s termination of the BRIC program to be unlawful. The court ordered FEMA to restore billions of dollars in disaster mitigation funding that had been canceled.

In early March 2026, a coalition of states took further legal action to enforce the court’s decision. On March 6, 2026, court orders were secured by attorneys general from Washington, Illinois, and Massachusetts, among others, requiring FEMA to take specific steps to reverse the program’s termination and reinstate the funding.

What the numbers show

• FEMA ended the BRIC program on April 4, 2025
• The federal court ruling was issued on December 11, 2025
• Multiple court orders to restore funding were secured on March 6 and March 10, 2026

These court orders directed FEMA to issue a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for fiscal year 2024 within 21 days and to communicate the status of affected projects. The orders also required FEMA to restore billions in disaster mitigation funding that had been previously canceled.

On March 10, 2026, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and a coalition of 23 states secured an additional court order. This order required FEMA to promptly reverse the termination of the BRIC program, restore the canceled funds, and provide updates on project statuses.

Attorney General offices from Illinois and Massachusetts also announced successful court actions on March 6, 2026. These orders reinforced the requirement for FEMA to reinstate the disaster mitigation funding and resume program activities.

The sequence of court rulings and orders has resulted in a mandate for FEMA to take concrete steps to restore the BRIC program, including the reissuance of funding opportunities and communication with affected applicants.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.