December 20, 2023

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This year marked another step forward for flood resilience. We grew our Coalition membership and roster of Federal Champions and successfully ensured resilience priorities made it into bills and funding at the state and federal levels.

And as once-in-a-generation federal investments flow to state and local governments, we’re helping communities on the front lines of flooding access and take advantage of these resources.

As we look back on another year, we celebrate achievements and prepare for the challenges ahead.

Coalition milestones

400 members

This year marked a member milestone for our Coalition: We achieved another milestone for our coalition: We grew to 400 members across 22 states!

Senate Federal Champions

We added 13 members of Congress to our bipartisan roster of Federal Champions, recognized for their leadership, public service, and commitment to finding proactive solutions to flooding. With the addition of 12 new U.S. Representatives and Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, we’re proud to work with 40 Federal Champions from 16 states.

Making it easier to access federal infrastructure funds

AFC launched two Flood Resilient Communities Cohorts, one in the Carolinas and one in Iowa, to help communities navigate funding opportunities for flood resilience in the bipartisan infrastructure law.

By working with local leaders on the ground to identify and apply for funding — and connecting communities with each other to explore challenges and solutions — we’re advancing local resilience projects. We’re also taking what we’ve learned to federal officials, ensuring programs are more accessible and equitable.

Elevating local perspectives to state and federal officials

High Country Flood Resilience Tour

AFC convened county staff, elected officials, and state agency representatives for a tour of flood-prone sites in Western North Carolina. The tour gave local leaders an opportunity to share challenges with flood impacts directly with state officials.

Working with Iowa farmers on innovative solutions

AFC hosted a site visit to a family-owned farm in Guthrie Center, Iowa, where local partners are carrying out an AFC project to reduce flood risk on working lands. The visit included local farmers, researchers, and practitioners, alongside federal leaders, including Rep. Zach Nunn (R-IA).

Driving resilience at the state level

AFC was proud to provide input at state legislatures, working closely on the following state wins:

• In Florida, the legislature made another strong investment in planning and constructing flood projects, as well as the data and modeling that underpin them, which will lead to more resilient infrastructure.
• In Texas, the legislature directed billions of dollars toward water infrastructure and flood protection through its first statewide flood plan, which covers everything from risk assessments to large-scale capital projects.
• In North Carolina, the new budget builds off of the historic Blueprint investment — which provides communities with information to drive investments and jumpstart projects — including renewed funding for transportation resilience.
• In South Carolina, the state developed a statewide resilience plan, which identifies major flood risks and provides strategies to boost flood resilience.

Connecting senior state resilience leaders

In March, AFC brought together 15 senior state resilience and water leaders in Miami Beach, giving them a chance to learn from each other on flood solutions. Later in the year, we brought those same leaders to Washington, D.C., for a three-day workshop on state-level flood resilience.

Leading new research on state-level resilience

The AFC-led State Resilience Partnership released new research on state leadership, including recommendations for states to better collaborate and coordinate at the watershed level.

Leading a congressional delegation to the Netherlands 

AFC, alongside members of Congress and their staff, participated in a trip hosted by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to learn about one nation’s approach to flooding and water management.

Advocating for federal policy

Elevating the urgent need for accurate, forward-looking rainfall data

States and communities must use historic federal infrastructure funds to ensure our roads, bridges, and water systems can withstand today and tomorrow’s storms. We’re working with NOAA as it develops new rainfall data, and we’re pushing for an interim dataset to guide infrastructure decisions being made now.

Injecting flood resilience into the Farm Bill

With Congress’s reauthorization of the Farm Bill coming up, AFC unveiled several tested, community-driven, and bipartisan priorities to advance flood resilience through agriculture policy. AFC will continue to elevate these priorities with key Congressional leaders throughout 2024.

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AFC is thankful for all those who supported our work and advanced and shared solutions to address flooding. We look forward to driving adaptation to stronger storms, rising seas, and more frequent flooding into 2024 and beyond.

To set up a call with a member of our staff, send us an email at info@floodcoalition.org. Meanwhile, learn more about joining the Coalition.