Lesson 6 Overview
Upon completion of this lesson, you should be able to:
  • Identify the information collected in the different sections of Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) and Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) subapplications
Acquisition Scenario
Businesswoman
Listen to Sally

Audio transcript

Name: Sally Watkins

Community: River City, State of Columbia

Problem: Repetitive flooding of three properties along the South Branch of the Washburn River

Proposed Solution: To acquire and demolish the properties and replace them with a community park

To Date: You created a subapplication but haven't had a chance to enter any information into it.

Your Next Step: You need to explore a subapplication and learn how to complete the different sections.

Hello. It's Sally again. Last week we created a Flood Mitigation Assistance project subapplication. I know you haven't had a chance to complete it. Before you start entering data into the subapplication, I think it is important to take a look at its different sections. To do this, we first need to find the subapplication in eGrants.
Subapplication Sections

A subapplication contains many sections. While planning and project subapplications have a few of the same sections, most of them are different.

The sections of a subapplication can be accessed using the sidebar menu, as shown in the example sections of a project subapplication on the right side of the screen. The sections also appear in the Application Status screen when a new subapplication is created. All sections of a subapplication must be completed before it can be successfully submitted to an Applicant.

Preview all the sections of a project subapplication to become familiar with the information requirements. Select each of the numbered links in the sidebar menu to the right to view the information requirements. Click on the image displayed to view a dialog box that provides important details about that section.

After you look through the information required, Sally will demonstrate how to complete all of the subapplication sections.

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The Sidebar Menu lists the application sections and navigation links.
Click on each numbered link on this sidebar menu to access information about the subapplication sections.
Application Status section pop up description
Click on the image for more information.
Screenshot of eGrants Applicaton Status screen.
Application Status
You can use this page to monitor your progress toward completing the subapplication. It is also a quick way move between sections by selecting the status link located beside the section on which you would like to work.
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Screenshot of subapplicant section.
Subapplicant Section
This section is used to collect information necessary to identify the Subgrant Applicant. You can search for the organization using the Find Organization button, and much of the information will be added automatically. If you need an explanation of any of the fields, select the hyperlinks or Help links associated with those fields.
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Contact Section
This section is used to collect contact information about personnel within the Subgrant Applicant organization, or the Grant Applicant organization acting as a Subgrant Applicant. You need to provide information for both the authorized agent and a Point of Contact (POC). The Help links provide information to help you complete the section.
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Screenshot of eGrants Community Section. Used to collect information to identify the community where the subgrant funds will be applied. See Appendix for alt text description.
Community section
The Community section is used to collect information about the community that will benefit from the federal subaward. You can search for information on a community by clicking the Find Community button. We will learn more about this section later in this lesson.
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Screenshot of eGrants Mitigation Plan section. Documents your FEMA-approved hazard mitigation plan. Search for a submitted plan in the FEMA Plans Repository by selecting the Find Plan button. See Appendix for alt text description.
Mitigation Plan Section
This is where you provide information about our FEMA-approved hazard mitigation plan. You can search for a previously submitted mitigation plan in the FEMA Plans Repository by selecting the Find Plan button.
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Screenshot of eGrants Scope of Work section. Details information about the mitigation activities proposed in your subgrant application. See Appendix for alt text description.
Scope of Work Section

This is where you provide detailed information about the mitigation activity proposed in our subapplication.

There are three parts to the Scope of Work section. Part 1 asks for the name, type of hazard to be mitigated, type(s) of mitigation activity(ies) proposed, and a description of the location of the affected area. For Flood Mitigation Assistance subapplications, it is important to specify “Flood” as the primary type of hazard to be mitigated.

Part 2 asks for latitude and longitude for the project area; an explanation for the need for the activity, who it will benefit, and how the activity will be implemented; and information on the project manager and contractors for the project. In addition, details on the technical feasibility of the project are required.

Part 3 asks for information on how the project will address the identified hazard and any residual risks that will remain after completion of the project. It also asks for information on when the activity will take place, why the activity was selected from other alternative solutions, and information on long-term maintenance that will be provided for the area impacted.

We will learn how to complete Part 1 of the Scope of Work section later in this lesson.

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Screenshot of eGrants Properties section. This is where you add information about the properties that will be affected by your project. See Appendix for alt text description.
Properties Section
This is where you add information about the properties that will be affected by your project. You can manually add property information by selecting the Add Property button.

You can also add multiple properties at one time by selecting the Import Property button and uploading an Excel spreadsheet with the property information. You can download a sample Excel file by using the link within the Import Properties screen. You must add properties for each proposed activity.

You must complete all four pages of the Properties Section to successfully submit your subapplication.

For Flood Mitigation Assistance subapplications, it is necessary to provide the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policy number for each property listed.

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Screenshot of eGrants Schedule section.
Schedule Section
This section is where you add information about each task necessary to complete the mitigation activity you’re proposing in your subapplication.
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To complete the Cost Estimate section, select the Add Item button. This opens the Add Item screen with data entry fields for Item name, subgrant budget class, unit quantity, unit of measure, and unit cost. See Appendix for alt text description.
Cost Estimate section
The Cost Estimate section is for identifying the details of budgeted items described in the Scope of Work section. All costs must be based on industry standards. Note that maintenance costs are not included. Select the Add Item button to open a new screen to document estimated costs for elements listed in your proposed Scope of Work. We will learn more about this section later in this lesson.
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eGrants Cost Share section. Based on Cost Estimate section, Cost Share section to calculate the federal and non-federal share documents funding sources. See Appendix for full text.
Cost Share section
After the Cost Estimate section is complete, you use the Cost Share section to calculate the federal and non-federal share of the estimated costs and to document your funding sources. We will learn more about this section later in this lesson.
Cost Effectiveness section pop up description
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Screenshot eGrants Cost Effectiveness section. This section documents the cost-benefit analysis and the estimated total cost of mitigation projects or plans. See Appendix for alt text description.
Cost Effectiveness section
The Cost Effectiveness section collects information about the cost effectiveness of the proposed mitigation activity. The information to be provided here is based on a FEMA-approved Benefit-Cost Analysis. This section documents your analysis of the expected benefits and the estimated total cost of the proposed mitigation project or mitigation plan. Maintenance costs are included in the Benefit-Cost Analysis, so it is important to use the Total Project Costs figures generated through that analysis when completing this section.

For planning subapplications, none of the fields in this section is required. Therefore, when you first start the subapplication, the status of this section will be identified as “Complete.”
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Screenshot of Environmental/Historic Preservation Review screen.
Environmental/Historical Preservation Review section
This section gathers information on your proposed mitigation project in terms of 11 different environmental and historic preservation laws and executive orders. Most planning subapplications qualify for a Categorical Exclusion (CATEX). However, project Subapplicants must answer questions in all sections.
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eGrants Evaluation section. Pre-Disaster Mitigation Subapplicants must provide details on their projects and planning for the National Ranking and Evaluation process. See Appendix for full text.
Evaluation section
A Subapplicant must complete this section if applying to the Pre-Disaster Mitigation program. Detailed information about the proposed project or mitigation plan must be provided, which will be used by the Applicant to rank subapplications within an application. If a Subapplicant is applying to the FMA program, the “Not Applicable” box can be checked.
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Screenshot of eGrants Assurances and Certifications section. The Assurances and Certifications section provides documents listing Federal requirements for FEMA grants. See Appendix for alt text description.
Assurances and Certifications section
This link will only be available if your Grant Applicant requires Assurances and Certifications for your subgrant application. The Assurances and Certifications section provides documents listing Federal requirements for FEMA grants. There are four documents that may appear in this section. We will learn more about this section later in this lesson.
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Screenshot of eGrants Comments and Attachments section.
Comments and Attachments section
The Comments and Attachments section displays all the comments entered for and documents that have been attached to your subapplication for easy review. You can also use this section to attach additional electronic files or indicate that you are sending supporting document via regular mail. To facilitate the review of the subapplication by the Applicant and FEMA reviewers, it is best to add comments and attachments directly to the section they concern. We will learn more about this section later in this lesson.
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Screenshot of eGrants Review and Submit Application section. Displays the completion status of subgrant application sections. See Appendix for alt text description.
Review and Submit Subgrant Application section
Using this section, you can review the completion status of each section of your subapplication. All sections must have a status of "Complete" before the subapplication can be successfully submitted to the Applicant. We will learn more about this section later in this lesson.
Subapplicant Section

The Subapplicant section will appear for all types of subapplications. A complete Subapplicant section will contain detailed information about the organization requesting the subaward. The information includes type of Subapplicant, tax number, and Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN). The fields that are marked with an asterisk (*) are required, while the remainder are optional.

Sally will help you complete the Subapplicant section of the River City Floodplain Acquisition—Phase 1 subapplication. She will provide you with the appropriate information for the screens as you need it. River City is the name of the Subapplicant.

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The Find Organization button on the Subapplicant screen ensures that the Subgrant Applicant name is consistent across all eGrants applications. "River" is entered in the text field on the example.
To help you complete parts of the Subapplicant section, there are features built into eGrants that provide information. The first one is the Find Organization button. We use this to make sure that the name of the Subapplicant is consistent throughout eGrants. You need to enter the first few letters of the Subapplicant's name in the text field. In our case, River City is applying for a subaward. So, type "River" in the Name of Subapplicant text field and select the Find Organization button.
A list of organizations that match your search criteria are displayed on the Search Results screen. See Appendix for alt text description.
The Search Results screen appears and displays a list of organizations. Select the radio button in the Select column next to the name River City. Then, select the Select Organization button. This inserts the name of the Subapplicant and the State field automatically into the Subapplicant section.
This inserts the name of the Subapplicant and the State automatically into the Subapplicant section. Select the Type of Subapplicant drop-down menu to display the types of Subapplicants. This drop-down menu has six options. We need to choose the appropriate Subapplicant type. In our case, we should select the "Local Government" option. At this point, you can scroll down and complete the other fields on this screen.
Contact Section
The Contact section collects information about whom to contact if there are questions about the subapplication. The Contact section requires that contact information for an Authorized Subgrant Agent be provided such as name of the agent, name of the agency, address (i.e., of the agency/organization), phone number, and e-mail address.

A Point of Contact (POC) is not required, but is suggested. Both the POC and the Authorized Subgrant Agent may be notified via e-mail by the Applicant regarding the status of the subapplication once it has been submitted.
Community Section

Subapplicants must provide information about each community that will benefit from the subaward funds. This information will help the Applicant summarize information in its application.

Subapplicants should include information defining the project area in the Community Profile field in this section. The project area information will include details such as descriptions of the general population, special populations, significant industries, and businesses.

Sally is ready to show you how to work on the Community section of the River City subapplication.

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Select the Find Community button on the Community section screen to search for a name to complete the subgrant application.
When you select the Community link on the sidebar menu, the Community section screen appears. From here, select the Find Community button.
To search for information about River City, you can complete either the Community Name or County Name field. You don't need to do both. You also don't need to type the entire name. eGrants can start a search using only a single letter. However, that can produce an undesirably long list of results. Today, just type “Rive” into the Community Name text field.
When completing the Community section, the results of a Find Community search can be sorted by several filters. The example shows Community Name selected. See Appendix for alt text description.
Next, select the Sort By drop-down menu. eGrants can sort the results by six different criteria. Select the "Community Name" option.
A Results per Page drop down menu allows you to view 5, 10, 15, or 20 listings per page of the results of your Find Community search.
Then, select the Results per page drop-down menu. This lets you determine how many search results will appear on each page. Select the “20” option. Finally, select the Search button.
Use the radio button to the left of the desired community name to populate data fields in the Community section of a eGrants subgrant application.
When the list of results appears, you'll want to select the radio button in the Select column on the left side of the community name you desire. We want to select the “River City” option.
The selected community name appears on the Community page.
You see River City's name appear on the Community screen. Now you can scroll down and complete other fields on the screen.
Mitigation Plan Section
There are two parts to the Mitigation Plan section of the subapplication. The first section is where the Subapplicant provides the status of the local, state, or tribal mitigation plan under which it is covered. The second section asks for details on the status of the Applicant's state or tribal mitigation plan. Subapplicants must complete both sections.

If there is a FEMA-approved mitigation plan in compliance with Title 44, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 201 on file with FEMA, eGrants users can use the Find Plan button to locate the electronic copy of the plan in FEMA's Plan Repository, and the system will auto-fill the plan information in this section. If the mitigation plan is not in the Plan Repository, the Subapplicant should enter the name, type, and approval date of the plan. For project subapplications, the Subapplicant must describe how the proposed activity relates to or is consistent with the local, state, or tribal mitigation plan under which it is covered as well as the status of the Applicant's mitigation plan.

If any other mitigation plan has been adopted, the Subapplicant should provide information on that plan by selecting the Add Plan button.

Mitigation Plan Section (Continued)

Sally will show you how to complete the top portion of the Mitigation Plan section for the River City Floodplains Acquisition—Phase 1 subapplication.

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A quick way to access the Mitigation Plan section of the subgrant application is by selecting the Incomplete link on the Application Status screen.
From the Application Status page, select the Incomplete link in the Status column on the right of the Mitigation Plan section.
Select a Yes, No, or Not Known radio button to indicate if community is covered by a FMEA approved Multihazard mitigation plan. If answer is Yes, select the Find Plan button. See Appendix for alt text description.
You can select the radio button on the left of the Yes, No, or Not Known options to indicate whether the community that will benefit from the proposed activity is covered by a current FEMA-approved multihazard mitigation plan. River City is covered, so select the Yes radio button. Since the River City plan is on file with FEMA, you can search for it and have the plan information automatically added to the form. To begin your search, select the Find Plan button.
You can use several criteria to search the FEMA Plans Repository including Plan type. The drop down menu displays five options including: Local Multihazard Mitigation Plan (selected).
The Find Plan screen appears. You can search the Plans Repository by entering and sorting by the following criteria: Plan Name, Plan Type, Plan Applicant, Jurisdiction Name, CID Number, Author, and Plan Status. For the River City plan, select the Plan Type drop-down menu. This drop-down menu has five options. You need to select the"Local Multihazard Mitigation Plan." Then, select the Search button.
The Search Results page shows a plan that matched the criteria selected. It is the V3MR7 Local Single Jurisdiction Plan (selected), and the Select Plan button is highlighted and emphasized. See Appendix for alt text description.
Plans that match our search are listed. Select the radio button in the Select column that corresponds with the River City local single jurisdiction plan. Then, select the Select Plan button.
After selecting a plan from the Plans Repository, you must enter a description of how the proposed activity is consistent with the FEMA-approved mitigation plan. See Appendix for alt text description.
You can see that the plan information is automatically populated from the plan you have selected. You now need to enter an explanation of how the proposed activity relates to or is consistent with the FEMA-approved mitigation plan in the text field.
highlighted Save and continue button
Then select the Save and Continue button.
Scope of Work Section

The Scope of Work section is for providing more detailed, specific information about the proposed mitigation activity, including a detailed description of the activity, its location, the method proposed to complete the activity, feasibility data, and identification of the contractors and project manager. This level of detail will provide the Applicant, as well as FEMA, with sufficient information to evaluate the proposed activity for effectiveness and eligibility for a subaward.

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Note
The information required for the Scope of Work section differs for planning, project, management costs, and technical assistance subapplications.
Complete the Scope of Work Section
Sally would like to show you how to complete the first part of the Scope of Work section for the River City Floodplain Acquisition—Phase 1 subapplication.

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Select the Add Activity button on the Scope of Work section to list a proposed mitigation activity.
The Scope of Work section has three parts. In the first part, we need to identify the types of mitigation activities proposed in the River City subapplication. From the Identify Hazard(s) to be mitigated drop-down menu, select the "Flood" option. Then, select the Add Activity button.
Select up to 20 mitigation activity names and codes to be displayed using the Display Options drop-down menu on the Add Activity screen.
We need to choose the activities proposed in the subapplication from the list provided. Select the Display Options drop-down menu to see up to 20 activities at once. Select the "Show 20" option so we can see a wide selection. Then, select the Go button.
Select the checkboxes left of the activities included in the Scope of Work proposed in your subgrant application.
You can add multiple activities at the same time. You just select the checkboxes in the Select column to the left of the activity names and codes. Right now, select the checkbox next to "Activity Code 200.1" for acquisition of property near a riverine flooding area. To see more of the list of activities, select the Next 20 button. Once we have selected the checkboxes for all of the activities we need to identify, select the Add Activity button.
The Scope of Work lists activity title, hazard type, and activity code(s).
The activity that we added now appears on the list on the Scope of Work screen.
highlighted Save and continue button
You can repeat those steps to add more activities or select the Save and Continue button. That will save that information you just added and take you to Parts 2 and 3 of the Scope of Work section.
Properties Section

In a project subapplication, the Properties section allows the Subapplicant to designate the properties to be mitigated for each project activity selected in the Scope of Work section. Before you can add a property to the Properties section, you have to complete the Scope of Work section. Some of the types of activities selected in the Scope of Work will require property information and some will not. You must complete all four pages of the Properties Section to successfully submit your subapplication.

There are four steps to adding a property. First, select the Add Property button for an activity that will impact a property. Second, you will need to enter the property address and information about the owner and co-owner, if applicable. The last two parts of this section collect information about the property such as:

  • Age and type of structure
  • Purchase price
  • Latitude and longitude
  • Membership in National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and policy number
  • Identification as a FMA Repetitive Loss property
  • Identification as a FMA Severe Loss property
  • Property Locator number
  • Base Flood and First Floor Flood Elevations (if required)
  • Property action

For FMA subapplications, it is necessary to provide the NFIP identification number for all properties.

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Note
This section is only required for project subapplications.
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Note
You can also upload or import a list of properties from an Excel spreadsheet that will automatically populate the fields in the Add Property function.
Schedule Section

The Schedule section is where you add detailed information about the length of time and sequence of each proposed activity listed In the Scope of Work section. You must list each task that is required to complete the activity, the expected timeframe, and when it should occur within the overall schedule for the activity. You are also required to provide information about the personnel who will perform each task.

Sally will show you how to add a task to the River City Floodplain Acquisition Project—Phase 1 schedule.

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Select the Add Task button on the Schedule screen to add a task to the schedule for a proposed mitigation activity listed on the Scope of Work section of a subapplication. See Appendix for alt text description
To add a task needed to complete the mitigation activity listed on the Scope of Work section of the River City Floodplain Acquisition—Phase 1 subapplication, select the Add Task button on the Schedule screen.
On the Add Task screen, enter a brief description of the task to be accomplished in the Description of Task text field. See Appendix for alt text description.
The Add Task screen appears. In the Description of Task text field you need to enter the name or a brief description of the task. Finalizing the agreements between River City and the State of Columbia is the first task that must be accomplished to begin the acquisition and demolition project. So, enter "State-Local agreements" in the Description of Task text field.  
In the Starting Point text field on the Add Task screen, enter the start day of the task, then select the unit of time from the drop down menu. Example shows: 1 Month(s). See Appendix for alt text description.
You must set a starting point for the mitigation project schedule. We will measure time for the project in months. In the Starting Point text field, enter "1." Then, using the Unit of Time drop-down menu, select the "Month(s)" option.
To set the duration of the listed task, on the Add Task screen, enter a number in the Duration text field and select a unit of time from the drop-down menu. Example shows: 2 Months. See Appendix for alt text description.
Now it is time to document how long it is estimated to accomplish the task. The project manager estimated that it will take about two months to complete the state-local agreements, so enter "2" in the Duration text field. Then, using the Unit of Time drop-down menu, select the "Month(s)" option.
On the Add Task screen, type the name(s) of the people or companies that will accomplish the task listed in the Who will complete the work? text field. Example shows: CDEM, River City. See Appendix for alt text description.

The Add Task screen asks: "Who will complete the work?" This is where you would enter the titles of individuals or companies responsible for completion of the task. For the State-Local Agreements task, the Columbia Department of Emergency Management and the River City local government will do the work. So, enter "CDEM, River City" in the text field. Then select the Save and Continue button.

The Schedule screen asks to estimate the total duration of the proposed activity. Enter a number and use the Unit of Time drop down menu to set a limit. Example shows: 23 Month(s). See Appendix for alt text description.
The Schedule screen appears. The screen asks to "Estimate the total duration of the proposed activity." If you total up all the time needed to finish all the tasks for the acquisition and demolition project, it comes to 23 months. So enter "23" in the Duration text field and select the "Month(s)" option from the Unit of Time drop-down menu. Then, select the Save button to add another task. When all tasks are entered, you can select the Save and Continue button to move onto the next section of the subapplication.
Cost Estimate Section

The Cost Estimate section provides the detailed line item budget for each proposed activity. If more than one mitigation activity is proposed, then the Cost Estimate is broken out by the activities identified in the Scope of Work section. The cost estimate must be itemized rather than listed as a lump sum. You’ll need to have at least two line items for the section to be considered complete. Personnel and Equipment are two common line item costs listed.

You must click the Add Item button to add each new cost item.

Information required for each cost item includes:

  • Item Name (i.e., general description of the cost)
  • Subgrant Budget Class (selected from a drop-down list)
  • Unit Quantity (e.g., 1 ,2 ,3 ,...n)
  • Unit Measure (e.g., each, acres, cubic feet, etc.)
  • Unit Cost per item
  • Cost Estimate

The total of all cost items will be the total Cost Estimate for the subaward.

After selecting Cost Estimate from the Sidebar menu, select the Add Item button to add a line item to the project budget. See Appendix for alt text description.
Complete the Cost Estimate Section
Sally will help you complete the Cost Estimate section for the subapplication.

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After selecting Cost Estimate from the Sidebar menu, select the Add Item button to add a line item to the project budget. See Appendix for alt text description.
After selecting the Cost Estimate link from the sidebar menu, select the Add Item button to add a line item to the River City floodplain acquisition project budget. The budget must be itemized and can't be listed as a single, lump sum.
After selecting Cost Estimate from the Sidebar menu, select the Add Item button to add a line item to the project budget.
Select the Item Name field to identify the first budget item. For our first item, type “Appraisal” into the Item Name text field.
Select the appropriate Cost Classification for the budget line item from the 16 choices on the drop-down menu.
Next, select the Cost Classification drop-down menu. This menu has 14 options. Select “Preliminary Expense" for the appraisal budget item.
Select the quantity of units for the budget line item by typing a number in the Unit Quantity text field.
Now you need to select the Unit Quantity field. This is where you indicate the number of items that need to be purchased. Since there are three structures that will need to be appraised as a part of the floodplain acquisition project, enter in the number “3.”
Select the unit of measure for the budget line item from the drop-down menu on the Add Item screen. There are 18 choices.
Select the Unit of Measure drop-down menu. This menu has 18 options. We want to select the “Each” option.
Enter the unit cost for the budget line item in the Unit Cost text field on the Add Item page.
Then, select the Unit Cost field. This is where you input the dollar amount for one unit of the item identified. Each appraisal is going to cost $900. So, enter "900" in the text field. Then, select the Save and Continue button.
The details of a budget line item is identified on the Cost Estimate screen.
You can see that the appraisal line item has been added to the Cost Estimate section. eGrants automatically calculated the amount of the Cost Estimate for the Appraisal item by multiplying the Unit Quantity by the Unit Cost. The Cost Estimate section requires a minimum of two (2) line items. The floodplain acquisition project will have more than that. You'll need to repeat these steps to add the other items.
Cost Share Section

The Cost Share section allows the Subapplicant to identify the total amount and sources of the Non-Federal Cost Share for the subaward. For example, the PDM grant program allows a maximum of 75% of the total cost estimate to be met by federal funds, and so a minimum of 25% of the total cost estimate must be met by non-federal funds. You can adjust the Proposed Non-Federal Share dollar amount to reflect the actual non-federal contribution to the subaward.

Sally will show you how to work on the Cost Share section of the River City subapplication.

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The Cost Share screen displays the funding sources and dollar amounts. The Proposed Non-Federal Share is the amount of money that will come from local government and community funds. The cash and in-kind contributions that River City has earmarked for the floodplain acquisition project total $150,870, so enter that amount in the Proposed Non-Federal Share text field. Then, select the Recalculate Share button to determine the percentage of the total cost estimate that is represented by the revised non-federal share contributions.
The percentage of non-federal funds in relation to the federal funds is adjusted and the funding totals are displayed after the Recalculate Share button is selected.
The recalculated dollar amounts and percentages for both the Proposed Federal Share and Proposed Non-Federal Share are displayed.
Cost Share (continued)

The Cost Share section also allows the Subapplicant to identify all of the sources of the non-federal funds and whether each source will be cash or in-kind services. You may list the funding sources by selecting the Add Cost Share button.

Information required for each cost share includes:

  • Source agency (e.g., state, local, private non-profit, tribal, etc.)
  • Name of source agency
  • Funding type (cash or in-kind)
  • Amount

This section also has an Attach File button to use to attach a funds commitment letter.

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Note
If cost share funds are added, then the total amount of cost share funds must equal the proposed non-federal share dollars in order for the Cost Share section to be complete.
Complete the Cost Share Section
Sally will show you how to complete the Cost Share section for River City Floodplain Acquisition—Phase 1 subapplication.

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List matching Non-Federal funds sources, whether cash or in-kind services by selecting the Add Cost Share button.
To complete the rest of the Cost Share section, select the Add Cost Share button.
Then select the Funding Source drop-down menu. This menu has four options. Select the "Local Agency Funding" option to provide details about the funds promised by the River City community.
To identify a matching non-federal funding source, select the Name of Funding Source field and type the source.
Select the Name of Funding Source field and type the name of the source. The bulk of the funds will come from the River City government. So, type “Office of the Mayor” in the Name of Funding Source field.
To identify the type of matching non-federal funds, select the Funding Type drop-down menu.
Select the Funding Type drop-down menu. This menu has nine options. Select "Cash." The total promised by the River City government also includes an in-kind donation of labor. You will add that cost share later.
To identify the amount of matching non-federal funds, select the Amount field and type amount. The example shows “130,870.00” in the Amount field. See Appendix for alt text description.
Select the Amount field. River City will contribute $130,870 to the floodplain acquisition project. So type “130,870” in the Amount field.
Select the Date of availability field. The funds will be released in August 2017. So type “08-20-2017" into the Date of availability field.
To record the date of the matching non-federal funds commitment letter, select the Funds commitment letter date field.
Next, select the Funds commitment letter date field. The letter from the Mayor's office detailing the budgeted funds is dated May 12, 2017. So enter “05-12-2017” into the Funds commitment letter date field. Then, select the Save button.
On the Cost Share screen, select the Attach File button to attach an electronic file of the funds commitment letter or indicate it is being sent through the mail. See Appendix for alt text description.
Now, select the Attach File button. You will follow the steps to attach an electronic file like I showed you earlier.
On the Cost Share screen, the file name of the attached letter (Acquisition_AttachmentR_FundAuthorizationResolution_Draft.docx) appears. Select the Save and Continue button. See Appendix for alt text description.
The file name now appears on the Cost Share screen. Select the Save and Continue button.
At the end of the Add Cost Share process, the details about the matching non-federal funds appear on the Cost Share page.
You can see that the Cost Share you added is now listed on the Cost Share screen.
Cost Effectiveness Section
The Cost Effectiveness section collects information about the cost effectiveness of the proposed mitigation activity. The information to be provided here is based on a FEMA-approved Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA). The Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) is calculated by dividing the Net Present Value of the Project Benefits by the Total Projected Cost Estimate for the project. Select the Attach button to upload Benefit-Cost Analysis documentation.

Maintenance costs are included in the BCA, so it is important to use the Total Project Costs figures generated through that analysis when completing this section.

This section is not required for planning subapplications.
Select the Attach button the Cost Effectiveness screen to attach the Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA) for the project. List the Net Present Value of Project Benefits and the Total Project Cost Estimate below. See Appendix for alt text description.
Environmental/Historic Preservation Review Section

The Environmental/Historic Preservation Review section is required for project subapplications only. The EHP Review section does not appear on planning, management costs, or technical assistance subapplications.

The EHP Review section is broken down into 11 parts covering relevant environmental laws and executive orders. Responses to each of these sections allow FEMA Reviewers to identify any potential environmental impacts that may result from the mitigation activity and to identify remedies to eliminate or lessen any adverse impact.

To complete this section, you can either move through Sections A–K sequentially using the Save and Continue button, or use the drop-down menu to navigate to any of the sections.

Screenshot of Environmental/Historic Preservation Review screen.
Evaluation Section

The Evaluation section is used for entering detailed information on the Subapplicant and the proposed project or planning activities for use by the Applicant during the review process, and for PDM subapplications, during the National Review Process.

Specific details that need to be collected include:

  • Community participation in programs such as the Community Rating System and Firewise Communities
  • Community's adoption of building codes
  • Desired outcomes, methodologies, performance expectations, timelines, milestones, and staff and resource plans
  • Partners' involvement, long-term financial and social benefits, and outreach activities
  • Percentage of population benefitting, as well as the cost-effectiveness (BCA) of projects

 

Note Icon
Note
The Evaluation section is required only for PDM subapplications. If the subapplication is being submitted to the FMA grant program, the Subapplicant may check "Not Applicable."
Screenshot of the Evaluation section.
Assurances and Certifications Section

This section of the subapplication will appear only if Assurances and Certifications is enabled by the Applicant in the administration preferences. The Assurances and Certifications section is intended to provide documents listing federal requirements for FEMA federal awards. There are three documents that may appear in this section. The form contained in Part I differs based on whether or not the proposed activities entail construction.

FEMA Form 20-16A, Assurances Non-Construction Programs: This document asks the Subapplicant to certify that it will comply with a series of requirements including non-discrimination, environmental standards, and audits. If the subapplication circumstances do not include a Non-Construction program, select “Not Applicable” for this form.

or

FEMA Form 20-16B, Assurances Construction Programs: This document asks the Subapplicant to certify that it will comply with a series of requirements including non-discrimination, environmental standards, and audits. If the subapplication circumstances do not include a Construction program, select “Not Applicable” for this form.

FEMA Form 20-16C, Certification Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements: This document asks the Subapplicant to certify that it will adhere to requirements regarding lobbying, debarment, suspension, and other responsibility matters as well as drug-free workplace requirements.

SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities: This document asks the Subapplicant to disclose its lobbying activities. Complete this only if you are applying for a subaward of more than $100,000 and have lobbying activities using non-federal funds. If those circumstances do not apply, select “Not Applicable” for this form.

Assurances and Certifications section may be required by the Grant Applicant. In it you agree to comply with various Federal and FEMA regulations for FEMA grants. See Appendix for alt text description.
Comments and Attachments Section

Many sections of the subapplication form have a Comments text field and an Attachment button. To facilitate the review of the subapplication by the Applicant and FEMA reviewers, it is best to add comments and attachments directly to the section they concern.

  • Comments are text only and may provide additional information.

  • Attachments may be any file type up to 50 MB (e.g., Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PDF files, etc.). For larger files or paper documents, you may indicate to the Applicant that you will be sending additional documentation by mail and provide tracking information. The attachment file name should clearly reflect the contents of the attachment.

This section will appear for all types of subapplications and it consolidates all the comments and attachments in the subapplication for easy review. It also provides the Subapplicant with an opportunity to provide information not covered by the subapplication sections. This may include any information that could potentially help the Applicant or FEMA come to a decision regarding this subapplication or provide documentation to support information provided in the subapplication.

Completing the Comments and Attachments Section
Sally is ready to show you how to complete the Comments and Attachments section for the River City Floodplain Acquisition subapplication.

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To attach an electronic file or paper document to your eGrants application, select the Add button on the Comments and Attachments screen.
We are going to need to attach some supporting documents to the subapplication. While it is best to attach a document directly to the section to which it pertains, you can also do it in the Comments and Attachments section of the subapplication. On the Comments and Attachments screen, select the Add button.
To identify which section of the application to which you wish to attach the document, select the Name of Section drop-down menu.
Select the Name of Section drop-down menu to identify to which section of the subapplication you want to attach the document. The menu has seven options. We have a Word document we want to attach to the Scope of Work section, so select the “Scope of Work” option.
To provide comments regarding the attachment to your eGrants subgrant application, select the Comments field and type a brief description.
You need to provide a short explanation about the document you are attaching. The document we want to attach explains the rationale for the project. So, select the Comments field and type “Rationale and Plan for Acquisition Project.” Then, select the Attachments button. You can either attach the document as an electronic file or send it as a paper document through the mail. I will show you how to provide information for both processes in eGrants.
Electronic Files

Within the Comments and Attachments section, Subapplicants are provided with the opportunity to attach various files that provide additional information to the Applicant. These files may be either paper or electronic files.

Sally will show how you how to attach an electronic file in the Comments and Attachments section of the River City Floodplain Acquisition—Phase 1 subapplication.

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To upload an electronic file from your computer as an attachment to your subgrant application, select the Electronic File radio button from the Attach Document screen.
After you have selected the Attach File button, you will see the Attach Document screen appear. You will need to upload the Word document to be able to attach it to the Scope of Work section of the subapplication. Select the Electronic File radio button to upload the file to the subapplication.
To attach an electronic file to a subgrant application you must identify operating system.
It is necessary to identify the computer operating system that was used to create the file. To do that, select the Operating System drop-down menu. This menu has four options: Windows, Macintosh, Unix, and Other. We have Windows ® on this computer, so select the “Windows” option.
To attach an electronic file to your subgrant application, you must identify the software used to create the file.
We also need to identify the software used to create the file being attached. Select the File Format drop-down menu. This menu has 12 options. Since we want to upload a Word document, select the “MS Word” option.
To attach an electronic file to a subgrant application, you must indicate if the file is compressed.
Sometimes large files are compressed (or zipped) to make it easier to upload and download them. You need to indicate if you have compressed the file you wish to upload. Select the Compression Format drop-down menu. This menu has four options: None, Zip, Win RAR, and Other. The Word document we want to attach doesn't have a very large file size, so we won't need to compress it in order to upload it. So, select the "None" option.
To locate the electronic file you wish to upload as an attachment to your subgrant application, select the Choose File button on the Attach Document screen.
To find the file you want to upload, select the Choose File button.
Locate and select the electronic file you wish to attach to your subgrant application from list of files on your computer.
This opens the file navigator on your computer so you can navigate to and select the file you want to attach. Select the document titled “Rationale and Plan for Acquisition Project” and select the Open button.
highlighted Save and continue button
Then, select the Save and Continue button.
As a confirmation that the electronic file has uploaded, an abbreviated version of name of the file will appear to the right of the Choose File button on the Attach Document screen.
You will see an abbreviated version of the file name appear to the right of the Choose File button. That serves as a confirmation that the document uploaded successfully. Select the Save and Continue button to move onto the next section.
Attaching Paper Files

In many cases, Subapplicants find that documents they want to attach within the Comments and Attachments section may exist only as a hard copy, or in a paper form. In that case, they must mail the files directly to the Applicant. However, information about the mailing should be entered into the eGrants system. This ensures that you create a complete subapplication file with reference to any non-electronic information that was mailed. Once received, the Applicant should make every effort to scan those documents to create an electronic file.

Sally wants to show you how to complete the Comments and Attachments section of the River City subapplication to reference a supporting paper document that was sent through the mail.

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To indicate that you are sending a document via the U.S. Postal system, select the Regular Mail radio button to the right of the Select Option label.
If the document we want to attach is not available as an electronic file or is too large to upload, we can still include it as supporting evidence in the subapplication. We just need to send it to the Applicant through the mail. To indicate that you are sending a document via the U.S. Postal system, select the Regular Mail radio button to the right of the Select Option prompt on the Attach Document screen. 
You need to record when you sent a document through Regular Mail, to do so select the Mail Date field and enter the date.
To create a record of the transaction, you’ll need to enter the date when the document was put into the mail. I mailed the document yesterday. So select the Mail Date field and type “05-21-2017” into the text field.
To document the item being sent via Regular Mail, select the Mail Description field and type a brief description.
Next, select the Mail Description field. Like with the electronic file, you need to type a brief description of the item being sent. You can type “Rationale and Plan for Acquisition Project” in the text field. Then, select the Save and Continue button.
The Documents Mailed screen displays the details about the items sent via Regular Mail including the mail date and a description of the item.
The Document(s) Mailed screen appears and displays the mail date and the description of the item being sent via Regular Mail.
Lesson 6 Summary
You have finished the lesson on completing subapplications. In this lesson, you learned that:
  • You can search for an un-submitted subapplication.
  • You can review your progress toward completing your subapplication from both the Application Status and Review and Submit sections.
  • Information regarding the Subapplicant, the community impacted, and affected properties are captured in the Subapplicant, Contact Information, Community, and Properties sections. Planning, management costs, and technical assistance Subapplicants do not need to complete the Properties section.
  • The hazard mitigation activities that are planned, the proposed schedule, details about the estimated costs, funding sources, and the analysis of the benefit of the activities vs. the cost are documented in the Mitigation Activity Information, Scope of Work, Schedule, Cost Estimate, Cost Share, and Cost Effectiveness sections. Planning, management costs, and technical assistance Subapplicants do not need to complete the Cost Effectiveness section.
  • Agreements to adhere to a variety of federal employment, environmental, historic preservation, and other laws and FEMA regulations are documented in the Environmental/Historical Preservation Review and Assurances and Certifications sections. An Applicant may or may not require a Subapplicant to complete the Assurances and Certifications section.
  • If applying to the PDM grant program, Subapplicants must complete the Evaluation section so their subapplication can be assigned a priority status.
  • Many of the subapplication sections include a Comments text field and an Attachments button for uploading electronic document files. However, Subapplicants can add additional information to their subapplication using the Comments and Attachments section. Subapplicants can also indicate that they are sending additional documentation to the Applicant by mail.