American Flood Coalition

Advancing solutions to flooding

Our work

Our mission

Driving transformational adaptation to protect communities from higher seas, stronger storms, and more frequent flooding.

Floods are devastating local communities, families, and businesses across the country

It's getting worse. But we haven't had meaningful flood policy reform in decades

AFC empowers a diverse coalition of leaders advancing flood solutions at the local, state, and federal levels

This is the decade to transform U.S. adaptation policy with innovative and community-informed solutions

AFC is leading the way

How we do it

We work at the local, state, and federal levels, driving meaningful, lasting, and transformational change.

We work with cities, towns, and counties; elected officials; and military, business, and civic leaders to build and advance solutions that help keep their communities safe.

Local

480+ members delivering change on the ground

State

$8B+ invested in statewide flood resilience

Federal

50+ bipartisan federal leaders driving solutions

Why this matters

We work to save lives, spare communities from the hardship caused by flooding, and save taxpayer dollars. Every $1 invested in resilience ahead of a disaster saves $13 in recovery and economic costs, and untold heartache.

What you can do

Join the American Flood Coalition for free today and gain access to powerful tools and resources to address flooding. Advocate for funding and solutions through our nonpartisan platform, access educational materials and media opportunities, and connect with others to share best practices and develop effective local and state responses.

Join our membership

Our stories

  • Blog

One year after Helene: Western North Carolina leaders highlight ongoing need for resources

  • Press release

Charlotte Observer - With Helene money caught in red tape, NC is ground zero for calls to reform FEMA

  • Press release

WLOS - Asheville joins national flood coalition to boost preparedness and recovery efforts

Read more

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Help Me Choose

Which characteristics is your community looking for in funding opportunities?

Disaster declaration
A Presidential Disaster Declaration unlocks a suite of federal programs that assist local governments with disaster recovery. This is a good filter for communities included in recent Disaster Declarations related to flooding.
Nature-based solutions
The program has a strong focus on providing assistance to promote a healthy ecosystem as a critical defense against flooding impacts. Eligible activities may include floodplain restoration, environmental stewardship, projects that use natural features to mitigate erosion, and living shorelines.
Encourages public-private partnerships
The program encourages or requires collaboration between government entities and stakeholders, including the private sector, to fund, develop, or implement projects.
Offers rolling deadlines
The program accepts applications on an ongoing basis with no fixed deadline.

Is your project in the planning, design, or construction phase?

Planning
The gathering of data and information regarding the extent and impacts of flooding. Eligible activities may include data acquisition, risk assessment, and environmental analysis.
Design & scoping
Covers pre-construction activities, such as defining project scope, developing technical designs, and securing funding to prepare for implementation.
Construction & implementation
Involves carrying out flood resilience projects, including building infrastructure and deploying solutions to reduce flood risks.

Are you looking for grants, loans, or technical assistance for your project?

Funding (grants)
A monetary award that does not need to be repaid. Many federal grants are reimbursable, meaning recipients must cover project costs upfront and then request reimbursement from the government.
Financing (loans)
A government-issued loan that must be repaid. These loans typically provide funding upfront, helping communities cover project costs before repayment begins.
Technical assistance
Assistance from the government in the form of services — such as project planning, engineering and design support, data analysis, training, capacity building, or collaboration through a cooperative agreement — instead of direct funding.

Some programs provide extra support for specific project types or communities. Do any of these apply to your project?

Small or rural communities
Programs that set aside funding, offer loan forgiveness, or adjust cost share requirements for communities with smaller populations.
Small or low-cost projects
Programs that offer reduced requirements for smaller projects, such as waived cost-sharing or exemptions from benefit-cost analysis.
Regional or watershed focus
Programs that support projects that take a watershed management approach or address flooding at a regional scale, requiring coordination beyond a single town or community.
Tribal communities
Programs that dedicate resources or adjust cost share requirements specifically for tribal governments or organizations.
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