Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 National Incident Management System (NIMS) | DHS 19 NPD 107 00 01

FY 2019 NIMS (EMAC) Cooperative Agreement - FAQs

1) What is the FY 2019 National Incident Management System (NIMS) grant opportunity?

This opportunity is a FEMA discretionary cooperative agreement (DHS/FEMA) intended to strengthen how states and territories coordinate and share emergency resources during major incidents. It is designed around the idea that catastrophic disasters can overwhelm any single jurisdiction, so effective response and recovery require many partners to work together quickly using common structures, shared terminology, and proven coordination processes aligned with NIMS principles.

2) What is the main purpose of this funding?

The funding is meant to reinforce nationwide readiness by improving and sustaining a consistent national system for requesting, dispatching, using, and returning resources that support local capabilities during incident response and recovery. A key emphasis is making mutual aid more predictable and reliable across state lines during large-scale, complex, or catastrophic events.

3) How does this opportunity relate to EMAC?

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) specifically supports the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), a congressionally ratified, non-federal mutual aid agreement that enables state-to-state resource sharing across state lines during governor-declared emergencies. The cooperative agreement supports EMAC's role in coordinating interstate assistance and strengthening the systems that move resources where they are needed.

4) What is EMAC in practical terms?

EMAC provides a consistent approach for states and territories to request help from one another, deploy resources across state lines, manage those resources while they are operating in another state, and handle their return. The overall goal is to make interstate mutual aid faster, more consistent, and operationally reliable.

5) Who participates in EMAC?

EMAC has nationwide participation. Signatories include all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

6) What kinds of resources can be shared through EMAC?

EMAC can help move a broad range of assets to where they are needed, including personnel, equipment, and commodities. The program is framed as helping the whole community provide life-saving and life-sustaining commodities, equipment, and personnel when incidents exceed local or state capacity.

7) What specific systems or mechanisms does the NOFO emphasize strengthening?

The NOFO emphasizes developing and maintaining a consistent national system for the request, dispatch, use, and return of resources. It also highlights building multi-jurisdictional and interstate mechanisms that can coordinate incident management and obtain assistance during large-scale, complex, or catastrophic events.

8) How does this funding connect to NIMS and national preparedness priorities?

FEMA positions this opportunity as strengthening coordination under NIMS principles so partners can integrate smoothly into unified response and recovery efforts. The NOFO is tied to the National Preparedness System (NPS) and the National Preparedness Goal, with the intent of strengthening and sustaining core capabilities needed for a secure and resilient nation.

9) How does FEMA frame the need for this program?

FEMA notes that catastrophic disasters can overwhelm any single jurisdiction. Because major incidents often require resources beyond local or state capacity, response and recovery depend on many partners being able to work together quickly using common structures and coordination processes. FEMA also connects this to its 2018-2022 Strategic Plan focus on posturing the whole community to provide life-saving and life-sustaining support from all available sources.

10) Does this opportunity support any broader DHS or homeland security strategy?

Yes. The program is described as supporting the Quadrennial Homeland Security Report (QHSR), particularly Mission 5, which focuses on strengthening national preparedness and resilience and the goal of ensuring effective emergency response.

11) What type of federal funding instrument is this?

This is a discretionary cooperative agreement from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), specifically FEMA.

12) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 97.107 (Disaster Prevention and Relief).

13) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The award ceiling is $2,000,000.

14) How many awards did FEMA anticipate making?

FEMA anticipated making one award.

15) Who is eligible to apply for this cooperative agreement?

Although the eligibility category is listed broadly as 501(c)(3) nonprofits (other than institutions of higher education), the NOFO states that there is only one eligible recipient for this specific cooperative agreement: the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA).

16) Is this a competitive funding opportunity open to multiple applicants?

No. Based on the NOFO description provided, this cooperative agreement is structured for a single eligible recipient (NEMA) rather than a competitive grant open to multiple applicants.

17) What is NEMA and why is it the sole eligible recipient?

NEMA is the nonprofit organization that manages and administers EMAC and represents emergency management directors across the states, territories, and the District of Columbia. The funding is structured to flow to the organization responsible for EMAC operations.

18) What are the key dates for this opportunity?

The opportunity listing indicates it was created on July 22, 2019, with an original closing date of August 23, 2019.

19) What is the overall operational outcome FEMA is trying to achieve with this award?

The intended outcome is improved nationwide readiness and smoother multi-partner operations when incidents escalate beyond local capacity. By strengthening the systems behind interstate mutual aid under EMAC and supporting NIMS-aligned coordination, assistance can be mobilized efficiently and integrated into unified response and recovery efforts.

20) Which federal agency administers this opportunity?

The program is administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through FEMA.