Va Dept. of Conservation and Recreation announces funding to increase flood resilience

RICHMOND — The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation today announced the opening of two major funding opportunities to increase flood resilience across the Commonwealth: the Resilient Virginia Revolving Fund and the Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund. These funds are offering communities a total of $103 million to advance projects that will improve resilience to flooding.

DCR, in cooperation with the Virginia Resources Authority, administers both funding programs. DCR also serves as the coordinating agency for the state’s floodplain management program, which helps communities address flood risk and requirements related to the National Flood Insurance Program.

Resilient Virginia Revolving Fund: $18.5 million in grants and loans

The Resilient Virginia Revolving Fund, established in 2022 as a self-sustaining program to aid communities and property owners impacted by flooding, is offering up to $18.5 million in grants and loans in its first grant round. Applications are due by midnight on Dec.12.

The following categories and amounts are available:

· Local Match for Federal Programs: $5 million in loans to localities to meet local cost-share requirements for federal flood mitigation grants.

· Hazard Mitigation of Buildings: $7.5 million in loans to localities to mitigate buildings from flood hazards.

· Establishment of Local Flood Resilience Funding Programs: $5 million in grants to localities for the establishment of local flood resilience funding programs.

· Capitalization of Local Flood Resilience Funding Programs: $1 million in loans to localities to capitalize local flood resilience revolving loan funds.

Applications and all supplementary materials must be submitted via the DCR’s grants management portal.

Information including the Resilient Virginia Revolving Fund grant manual, a link to the grants management portal, training materials and contact information are available at www.dcr.virginia.gov/dam-safety-and-floodplains/rvrf.

Community Flood Preparedness Fund: $85 million in grants and loans

The Community Flood Preparedness Fund, established in 2020 and now in its fourth round, is offering $85 million in grants and loans to address flood risk. Applications are due by midnight on Nov. 12.

The fund empowers localities across Virginia to increase their capacity for flood resilience and execution of flood protection projects. It also supports the implementation of the Commonwealth Resilience Planning Principles detailed in Virginia’s Coastal Resilience Master Planning Framework.

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