Governor’s office announces $67 million in Va. Community Preparedness Grants Available

RICHMOND, VA — Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced $67 million in grants and loans from the Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund (CFPF).

“The devastation experienced in Southwest Virginia during Hurricane Helene underscores the importance of preparedness and flood resilience,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “These awards will equip communities with resources and tools to mitigate the impact of future disasters.”

The fund, administered by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, supports localities across the Commonwealth to mitigate the impacts from flooding. Newly funded projects will expand flood prevention and protection efforts including mitigation, local government capacity building, planning and studies in Virginia.

“The Youngkin Administration has prioritized investments in resilience throughout its tenure,” said Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources Stefanie Taillon. “This funding demonstrates a commitment to addressing challenges related to flooding throughout the Commonwealth.”

“Flooding is the most common natural disaster and continues to be a persistent threat across Virginia,” said Chief Resilience Officer Greg Steele. “The Community Flood Preparedness Fund empowers communities to take action to improve their flood resilience and protect lives and property.”

The fifth round of CFPF was announced in September with applications due January 24.

Local fifth round recipients include $50,000 to the Town of Wachapreague for the development of a resiliance plan,  $56,000 to Accomack County to convert paper records on resiliance to digital files and  $1,373,998 to Northampton County for the engineering and design  and drawings for bulkhead and stem wall replacement.

“We are pleased to award $67 million in grants and loans in this round of the Community Flood Preparedness Fund, supporting both shovel-ready solutions and foundational planning at the local level,” said DCR Director Matthew Wells. “The Community Flood Preparedness Fund continues to be a cornerstone of Virginia’s resilience framework, and DCR will work with localities to determine how the Fund can best benefit their communities.”

Grants and loans awarded in the fifth round of the CFPF will support over $100 million in projects and initiatives.

The agency, in cooperation with the Virginia Resources Authority, administers the CFPF fund and grant program. DCR oversees the state’s floodplain management program.

Information about the fund, eligibility rules, application procedures and instructions are available in the fund’s grant manual, which is posted at www.dcr.virginia.gov/cfpf.