Flood Resilient Communities Fund
Flood Resilient Communities Fund (FRCF) was established by the Vermont Legislature under Act 74 with the intent of improving landscape and community resilience and reducing the future public safety and water quality impacts of climate-related flood hazards in Vermont, focusing on buyouts of flood-vulnerable properties. This is a voluntary program that will prioritize projects in communities and/or for homeowners with greatest economic need and projects that mitigate repetitive loss among low-income and marginalized portions of the population.
- Application Period: Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis. Funding is currently limited, but towns and other eligible applicants are still encouraged to submit applications for processing in the event that more funding become available. Priority will be given to buyout projects following the July 2023 flooding in Vermont.
- Funded By: American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
- Eligibility Requirements:
- Projects must reduce future flood risk and must have the co-benefit of improving water quality. Projects that will improve water quality over time are those that:
- results in greater floodplain storage to reduce flood flows,
- allows room for future natural river channel changes in ways that don’t threaten property,
- re-establishes floodplain and riparian vegetation and functions to help hold riverbanks and shade water, and
- Improves filtration of flood waters.
- Projects for town and/or public infrastructure within a community will require that community to have a currently approved Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP).
- Projects must reduce future flood risk and must have the co-benefit of improving water quality. Projects that will improve water quality over time are those that:
- Cost Share: Applicants can apply for up to 100% of project costs. Larger restoration projects will rate higher if they are leveraging other funding sources.
- Example Projects: home buyouts, vacant lot purchases, restoring natural floodplain access to improve floodplain function, dam removal projects that have the benefit of reducing flood risk, natural infrastructure and nature-based solutions for flood storage or improved floodplain and river functions, green infrastructure, and low-impact development to manage stormwater and reduce future flooding.
For more information see FRCF Program Overview.
Required Documents
Required for Property Buyouts
If you have any questions or concerns regarding FRCF please contact DPS.HazardMitigation@vermont.gov.