This bill makes it easier for cities, states, tribes, and territories to understand and apply for two major federal emergency preparedness grants: the Urban Area Security Initiative and the State Homeland Security Grant Program. Right now, many communities don't know how to access these funds or what the government is looking for, so money sometimes goes unused or doesn't reach the places that need it most.

The bill requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to actively reach out to potential applicants before, during, and after the grant application process. This includes holding regular conversations with local leaders, conducting yearly surveys to ask what's working and what isn't, and explaining how communities' feedback actually gets used to improve future grant opportunities. FEMA would also need to offer technical assistance to help communities write better applications and understand the requirements.

To make sure this actually happens, the bill asks an independent government auditor to review FEMA's outreach efforts after two years and report back to Congress. FEMA itself also has to submit a report within three years showing what outreach activities they've done and how communities responded. The goal is straightforward: get more emergency preparedness money into the hands of communities that need it by making the process clearer and more accessible.

Enhancing Stakeholder Support and Outreach for Preparedness Grants Act

Goldman, Daniel S.

Enhancing Stakeholder Support and Outreach for Preparedness Grants ActThis bill requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide outreach and support to stakeholders regarding grants for protecting communities from terrorist attacks.Specifically, FEMA must provide ongoing outreach and technical assistance to public entities and other stakeholders before, during, and after awarding grants under the State Homeland Security Grant Program and the Urban Area Security Initiative. FEMA must conduct annual surveys of public entities regarding the grants and provide information on stakeholder feedback and how it was incorporated into these programs.The Government Accountability Office and&nbsp;FEMA must report to Congress on FEMA’s implementation of the bill.