Opportunity Information: Apply for DHS 23 NPD 131 00 99
The Fiscal Year 2023 Emergency Management Baseline Assessment Grant (EMBAG) is a FEMA cooperative agreement designed to strengthen emergency management nationwide by pushing the consistent use of recognized, national-level standards. The central idea is preparedness before disaster strikes: FEMA wants state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) communities to have accredited emergency management programs and certified emergency managers in place ahead of incidents, whether those incidents are natural disasters, acts of terrorism, or other human-caused emergencies. Rather than focusing on response equipment or short-term operational support, this opportunity is aimed at improving the underlying quality, consistency, and accountability of emergency management programs through structured standards and formal assessment.
EMBAG supports communities and the emergency management profession by funding voluntary, consensus-based standards and peer review assessment processes. In practice, that means the grant is meant to help jurisdictions and programs measure their emergency management capabilities against nationally recognized benchmarks, identify gaps and shortfalls, and then lay out a practical path toward meeting those benchmarks. The emphasis on "voluntary" and "consensus-driven" standards signals that FEMA is prioritizing frameworks that are broadly accepted, maintained over time, and updated through established professional or standards-setting processes rather than one-off or proprietary checklists. The peer review angle is also important: the program is meant to encourage credible assessments that benefit from external expertise and structured evaluation, not just self-attestation.
The funding priorities fall into three main buckets. First, EMBAG supports the national-level standards themselves and the peer review processes used for emergency preparedness and response, specifically when those standards are driven, established, validated, and revised through consensus. Second, it supports actual assessments of SLTT emergency management programs and emergency managers against those national standards. This is the "baseline assessment" component: taking a hard look at current capability, maturity, and compliance, then documenting what needs to improve. Third, it supports outreach and training for emergency management programs and emergency managers that take part in EMBAG-funded work, which helps ensure jurisdictions understand the standards, know how to navigate the assessment process, and can build internal capacity to sustain compliance over time.
Legally, the opportunity is tied to the Homeland Security Act of 2002, specifically the provision that allows "other assistance" to build tribal, local, state, regional, and national capabilities needed to respond to disasters and terrorism (6 U.S.C. 313(b)(2)(G)). That reference helps clarify why FEMA is funding standards, accreditation pathways, and professional certification efforts: they are viewed as capability-building activities that improve readiness and coordination before an emergency occurs.
From an administrative standpoint, this is an earmark-category opportunity offered as a cooperative agreement, meaning recipients should expect substantial FEMA involvement or collaboration during performance compared with a more hands-off grant. The funding activity category is listed as Disaster Prevention and Relief, and the CFDA/Assistance Listing number is 97.131. The award ceiling is $1,000,000, with an expected total of two awards, suggesting a relatively small number of higher-impact recipients rather than many small grants. The posting shows a creation date of July 5, 2023, and an original application closing date of August 4, 2023.
Eligibility is broadly labeled as "Others," with clarification expected in the full notice under an additional eligibility section, so interested organizations would need to confirm they fit the eligible applicant types described in the official announcement. Applications are submitted through FEMA Grants Outcomes (GO) at https://go.fema.gov/, which is FEMA's standard online system for submitting and managing grant applications. Overall, EMBAG is best understood as an investment in emergency management program quality and professionalization, using nationally recognized standards and credible assessment methods to help communities identify where they stand and what they need to do to reach stronger, more consistent levels of preparedness.Apply for DHS 23 NPD 131 00 99
- The Department of Homeland Security, Department of Homeland Security - FEMA in the disaster prevention and relief sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year 2023 Emergency Management Baseline Assessment Grant (EMBAG)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 97.131.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 05, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 04, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Fiscal Year 2023 Emergency Management Baseline Assessment Grant (EMBAG) - FAQs
What is the Fiscal Year 2023 Emergency Management Baseline Assessment Grant (EMBAG)?
EMBAG is a FEMA cooperative agreement focused on strengthening emergency management nationwide by encouraging consistent use of recognized, national-level standards. It is designed to help state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) communities build stronger preparedness before disasters occur by supporting standards-based assessments, accreditation-oriented program improvement, and professional certification-oriented efforts.
What problem is EMBAG trying to solve?
EMBAG targets underlying quality, consistency, and accountability gaps in emergency management programs. Instead of concentrating on equipment or short-term response operations, it promotes structured standards and formal assessment so jurisdictions can measure capabilities, identify shortfalls, and plan improvements ahead of incidents (natural disasters, terrorism, or other human-caused emergencies).
Is EMBAG meant to fund response equipment or immediate operational needs?
No. Based on the description provided, EMBAG is not centered on response equipment purchases or short-term operational support. It is aimed at improving emergency management program quality through standards, assessments, peer review, and related outreach and training.
What does FEMA mean by using "recognized, national-level standards"?
EMBAG emphasizes standards that are voluntary and consensus-based, meaning they are broadly accepted within the profession and maintained over time through established processes for validation and revision. The intent is to rely on stable, credible benchmarks rather than one-off or proprietary checklists.
What is meant by "baseline assessment" in this program?
"Baseline assessment" refers to evaluating current emergency management program capability, maturity, and alignment with nationally recognized standards. The purpose is to document gaps and shortfalls and support a practical path toward meeting the benchmarks.
How does peer review factor into EMBAG?
The program highlights peer review assessment processes, signaling an emphasis on credible evaluations that benefit from external expertise and structured review, rather than relying only on self-attestation.
What are the main funding priorities under EMBAG?
The funding priorities described fall into three areas: (1) supporting national-level standards and peer review processes for emergency preparedness and response that are consensus-driven and maintained through established validation and revision; (2) supporting assessments of SLTT emergency management programs and emergency managers against those standards; and (3) supporting outreach and training for participating programs and emergency managers involved in EMBAG-funded work.
Does EMBAG support assessments of both programs and individuals?
Yes. The description states that EMBAG supports assessments of SLTT emergency management programs and emergency managers against national standards.
What types of activities are supported related to outreach and training?
Outreach and training are described as helping jurisdictions understand the standards, navigate the assessment process, and build internal capacity to sustain compliance over time. The specific formats or curricula are not detailed in the provided information.
What is the legal authority cited for this opportunity?
The opportunity is tied to the Homeland Security Act of 2002, specifically 6 U.S.C. 313(b)(2)(G), which allows "other assistance" to build tribal, local, state, regional, and national capabilities needed to respond to disasters and terrorism.
What type of federal award is EMBAG?
It is offered as a cooperative agreement. This typically indicates substantial FEMA involvement or collaboration during the period of performance compared to a more hands-off grant.
Is this opportunity categorized as an earmark?
Yes. The opportunity is described as an earmark-category opportunity.
What is the funding activity category for EMBAG?
The funding activity category is listed as Disaster Prevention and Relief.
What is the CFDA/Assistance Listing number for EMBAG?
The CFDA/Assistance Listing number provided is 97.131.
How much funding is available per award?
The award ceiling is listed as $1,000,000.
How many awards does FEMA expect to make?
The posting indicates an expected total of two awards.
What does the expected number of awards suggest about competitiveness or scale?
With an expected total of two awards and a $1,000,000 ceiling, the description suggests a relatively small number of higher-impact recipients rather than many smaller awards. The provided text does not state competitiveness criteria or scoring details.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broadly labeled as "Others." The posting indicates that clarification is expected in the full notice under an additional eligibility section, so applicants would need to confirm eligibility using the official announcement.
Are SLTT communities the focus of the program?
Yes. The narrative emphasizes preparing state, local, tribal, and territorial communities by encouraging accredited emergency management programs and certified emergency managers ahead of incidents.
Where are applications submitted?
Applications are submitted through FEMA Grants Outcomes (GO) at https://go.fema.gov/.
What is FEMA Grants Outcomes (GO)?
Based on the provided information, FEMA GO is FEMA's standard online system for submitting and managing grant applications.
When was this opportunity posted?
The posting shows a creation date of July 5, 2023.
What was the original application closing date?
The original application closing date listed is August 4, 2023.
What outcomes is EMBAG trying to achieve for participating jurisdictions?
The program aims to help jurisdictions measure emergency management capabilities against nationally recognized benchmarks, identify gaps, and develop a practical path toward stronger preparedness. It also supports efforts that encourage accredited programs and certified emergency managers before incidents occur.
Does EMBAG require the standards to be consensus-based and updated over time?
Yes. The description specifically emphasizes standards that are voluntary and consensus-driven, including that they are established, validated, and revised through consensus processes.
Is the assessment approach intended to be independent and structured?
Yes. The peer review emphasis indicates an intent to support credible, structured evaluation involving external expertise rather than only internal self-reporting.
What kinds of incidents does EMBAG preparedness planning consider?
The opportunity description references preparedness ahead of natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other human-caused emergencies.
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