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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Cooperating Technical Partners (CTP) Grant Opportunity

What is the Cooperating Technical Partners (CTP) grant opportunity?

The Cooperating Technical Partners (CTP) grant opportunity is a discretionary FEMA program administered through a cooperative agreement. It provides funding to approved CTP partners to carry out mapping-related work that supports flood hazard identification and flood risk management under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

What is the Funding Opportunity Number and CFDA number for this program?

The Funding Opportunity Number is DHS 08 GPD 045 005, and the CFDA number is 97.045.

Is this program a grant or a cooperative agreement?

It is administered through a cooperative agreement (as part of a discretionary FEMA program).

What is the primary purpose of this funding?

The basic goal is to fund mapping-related work that supports flood hazard identification and flood risk management under the NFIP.

What kinds of activities can be funded through this opportunity?

Eligible activities are those set out in the CTP program guidance for each fiscal year. This means the program is structured to align projects with FEMA's current mapping priorities and standards rather than allowing an open-ended set of uses.

Are projects required to be geospatial or GIS-focused?

No. The announcement notes that eligible projects may or may not involve geospatial issues. This leaves room for mapping-adjacent activities tied to flood hazard identification, data development, and related technical or programmatic work even when a project is not strictly GIS-focused.

Who is eligible to apply?

To be eligible, an applicant must already be a recognized CTP partner and must either be, or represent, an NFIP community that is in good standing.

Do applicants need to be an NFIP community themselves?

Not necessarily. The eligibility requirement states the applicant must either be an NFIP community in good standing or represent an NFIP community that is in good standing.

What does "in good standing" mean for an NFIP community in this opportunity?

The opportunity states that applicants must be, or represent, an NFIP community in good standing, but it does not provide the definition of "good standing" within the information provided here.

What is FEMA looking for in terms of applicant capacity?

The program is aimed at entities that can demonstrate real capacity to perform the proposed work and that already have non-federally funded processes and/or systems supporting flood hazard identification. This signals FEMA intends to invest in partners with established technical workflows, staffing, governance, or data management capabilities that can be leveraged and sustained beyond the grant period.

Can an applicant use this funding to build flood mapping capability from scratch?

The information provided suggests FEMA is prioritizing partners that already have non-federally funded processes and/or systems in place. That indicates the program is not designed primarily to build capability from scratch using federal funds alone.

What types of organizations are listed as eligible applicant types?

Eligible applicant types include state governments; county governments; city or township governments; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; and certain other entities (with additional eligibility detail referenced in the full announcement), including multi-jurisdictional entities.

Are multi-jurisdictional entities eligible?

Yes. Multi-jurisdictional entities are specifically mentioned as included among eligible entities (with additional eligibility detail referenced in the full announcement).

What does the inclusion of multi-jurisdictional entities suggest about project approaches?

It suggests the program can support collaborative approaches where flood risks and watershed boundaries cross local government lines, which is common for floodplain mapping and related hazard identification efforts.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity does not require cost sharing or matching.

What is the funding category for this opportunity?

This funding opportunity is categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

When was this opportunity posted, and what are the closing dates?

The opportunity was posted on February 25, 2008. It originally set a closing date of March 28, 2008, and was later extended. The current closing date listed is July 31, 2008.

Which FEMA office administers this opportunity?

The administering office is FEMA Region 5.

Where can applicants find additional program background information?

FEMA referenced a CTP information page at: http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/fhm/ctpmain.shtm

Who is the point of contact for access issues related to the full announcement?

The listed contact for access issues is Bianca Costa, DHS/FEMA GPD Systems Branch Chief, at bianca.costa@dhs.gov.

Does the information provided list specific allowable costs or a detailed scope of work?

No. The information provided states that specific activities are set out in the CTP program guidance for each fiscal year, but it does not list specific allowable costs or a detailed scope of work in the text provided here.

Does the information provided describe the application steps or submission platform?

No. The information provided does not include the application steps, submission platform, or required forms; it references that additional eligibility detail and the full announcement contain more information.