Trump Administration Aims to End the Nation’s Largest Disaster Preparedness Program

(Washington D.C. - April 4, 2025) – On Friday, the Trump administration’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced plans to eliminate the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, the nation’s largest disaster preparedness program. This decision will eliminate significant funding intended to help communities reduce their risks ahead of natural disasters and extreme weather. 

“Defunding essential disaster preparedness efforts will endanger communities and leave families more vulnerable to more intense and frequent natural disasters. It limits their ability to prepare, which in turn will cost taxpayers more money on disaster relief,” said Environmental Defense Fund Associate Vice President for Political Affairs Joanna Slaney. “This decision comes on the heels of deadly wildfires in California, unprecedented flooding across the South and Midwest and after one of the most active and costly hurricane seasons on record.  

“Congressional lawmakers should urge the administration to restore this bipartisan, popular and successful program. Such federal initiatives and resilience funding opportunities are essential for hazard mitigation and pre-disaster preparedness and resilience. As disasters continue to threaten lives, infrastructure and livelihoods, and incur hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of damages across the United States, disaster resilience and preparedness is more important than ever, and this is a step in the wrong direction.” 

In 2018, BRIC was established on a bipartisan basis by Congress and signed into law by President Trump. This program has played a critical role in FEMA’s hazard risk reduction and disaster preparedness efforts and acted as a primary source of pre-disaster funding for states and communities vulnerable to impacts from extreme weather. The funding would have saved taxpayers significant costs as well as the protection of life and property. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and Allstate found that one dollar invested in resilience saves $13 in avoided damages.