Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District Alert:
Listed below are common terms and their definitions used throughout this webpage.
"Applicant" shall mean a resident or property owner or their authorized representative that has applied for County Flood Mitigation Assistance.
"Application" shall mean the NVSWCD’s Flood Mitigation Assistance Program online application form, and all required supporting documentation submitted by the applicant to NVSWCD staff for review and consideration under this program.
"Approved List of Practices" shall mean a list of those products and services eligible for reimbursement under the County’s Flood Mitigation Assistance Program.
"Assistance" shall mean the financial support issued by the County to reimburse applicants for expenses associated with installing one or more of the practices from the Approved List of Practices. The County will reimburse applicants for 50% of eligible expenses, up to a maximum total of $5,000 per property.
"Assistance Program" or “Program” shall mean Fairfax County’s Flood Mitigation Assistance Program.
"Basement" shall mean any area of a structure having its floor below ground level on all sides.
"CIC" shall mean a Common Interest Community, such as a condominium association or homeowners association, that owns and maintains community property.
"County" shall mean Fairfax County.
"Coverage Period" shall mean the period between July 1, 2024 and the present day.
"DPWES" shall mean the County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services.
"Flood Mitigation" shall mean action(s) taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to life and property from flooding.
"Floodproofing" shall mean any combination of structural and nonstructural additions, changes, or adjustments to properties which reduces the risk of flood damage.
"LDS" shall mean the County Department of Land Development Services.
"NVSWCD" shall mean the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District.
"Place of Worship" shall mean a place of religious assembly as defined in the Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance.
"Property Owner" or "Owner" shall mean owners of 33% or more of a property identified on the Application.
"Residents" shall mean individuals that reside within Fairfax County limits.
"Renters" shall mean non-property owners who install or implement approved flood mitigation practices on property that they reside in with the approval of all property owners.
The County, working with the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District (NVSWCD) provides financial assistance to residents and property owners for buying and installing approved flood mitigation and floodproofing practices. This effort, called the Flood Mitigation Assistance Program (FMAP), is open to Fairfax County residential property owners and renters, common interest communities (such as homeowners and condominium associations), and places of worship.
Managed by NVSWCD, FMAP aims to reimburse individuals and organizations that have made improvements to their properties to protect against future flash flooding. The goal is to help property owners reduce flood-related damage and improve resilience in an equitable manner.
Participants in the program can receive reimbursement grants covering 50% of their costs, up to a maximum of $5,000 per property, after finishing the flood mitigation work and submitting a complete application. Applications can be submitted digitally for quick processing, following the guidelines outlined in this Manual. Applications are processed in the order they are received. To be eligible for reimbursement, applicants must show compliance with local permits and, if applicable, receive approvals from homeowners/condo associations or places of worship.
FMAP is funded by the Stormwater Service District Fee, details of which can be found at Stormwater Service District | Public Works and Environmental Services.
On July 8, 2019, a severe thunderstorm produced up to 5.0 inches of rain in one hour and caused damage to many parts of Fairfax County. With a changing climate, such extreme events are expected to happen more often. The County created FMAP to increase community flood resilience and minimize property damage from storms.
FMAP provides financial help to those who make improvements to their properties to lessen potential flood damage. This Policies and Procedures webpage serves as a detailed guide for applicants that explains the application process, eligibility criteria, and program assistance. FMAP focuses on the installation of floodproofing products and methods like watertight window wells, doorway floodgates, backup sump pump batteries, utility covers, temporary flood barriers, grading changes, and exterior drains.
FMAP’s maximum reimbursement is 50% of project costs, up to $5,000 per property. Applications are reviewed in the order that they are received. The program budget is set during the County’s yearly budget process and may change from year to year, which will affect how many projects can be funded annually.
DPWES and NVSWCD work together to manage FMAP. DPWES manages funding, while NVSWCD is responsible for overall program administration and accountability. NVSWCD responsibilities include working closely with applicants, processing applications, managing financial records, and maintaining an online portal for applicants. NVSWCD also maintains all program documents, including applications, correspondence, notes, funding decisions, and other records.
FMAP offers reimbursement grants covering 50% of the cost for the flood mitigation practices in the Approved List of Practices or other practices approved on a case-by-case basis by NVSWCD. The maximum reimbursement per property is $5,000. Applicants can apply multiple times and include several practices in one application until they reach the reimbursement limit. Applicants can receive up to $5,000 in grants for each property they own.
FMAP is open to residential property owners and renters, common interest communities, and places of worship.
FMAP funds may only be used to reimburse applicants for the purchase and installation of items from the Approved List of Practices or other items approved by the NVSWCD.
Applicants are encouraged to consult with NVSWCD for flood mitigation recommendations before purchasing or installing any practices.
If the applicant does not own the property, proof of approval from the property owner(s) is necessary for reimbursement. The approval must include a signed Waiver and Hold Harmless Acknowledgement, the text of which can be found in section 9.0 below.
Applicants must determine if homeowners or condominium association approval is needed for the project and provide proof of that approval.
All projects at a place of worship or on the community property of a homeowners or condominium association must provide proof of approval from the place or worship or association.
A property owner can authorize others to perform the work and receive grant funding.
Eligible costs may include construction permit fees.
All FMAP applications must include receipts and documentation for the purchase and installation of products or services on the Approved List of Practices or other flood mitigation practices reviewed and approved by NVSWCD. Required documentation, as applicable, includes: invoices, contracts, or receipts itemizing the costs of materials and labor; photos of the final installation; and proof of payment, such as store receipts, credit card or bank statements, cancelled checks, or zero-balance invoices. If available, photos taken before installation should also be included.
Receipts and documentation for flood mitigation practices/services must be dated on or after July 1, 2024.
Applicants can withdraw their application at any time.
Applications received after program funding is depleted will be reviewed and waitlisted for reimbursement if new funds become available, though no guarantee of funding is provided. Waitlisted applications will be funded in the order they were received and applicants may be required to validate their current address before funds are released. If FMAP policies change during the waitlist period, a project is still eligible for funding if it met all the policies at the time the of application.
Applicants must provide a tax identification number and an IRS Form W-9.
If a grant recipient sells their property, the flood mitigation practice must remain with the property for use by the new owner.
Before beginning work, applicants should review the Approved List of Practices to understand what is eligible for funding and check the FMAP webpage to ensure funding is available. Applicants may consult with NVSWCD for help identifying the most effective project(s) for their property. Flood mitigation projects not on the Approved List of Practices may be eligible for funding on a case-by-case basis, as determined by NVSWCD, but any applicant considering such a practice is strongly encouraged to consult with NVSWCD beforehand to increase their chance of successfully receiving reimbursement.
Once approved practices are chosen, applicants should take photos of existing conditions before work begins. Applicants are responsible for getting all necessary approvals and permits and completing the purchase and installation of the flood mitigation practices on their property. See Section 7.0, County Approval and Permits, for additional information and requirements. If work is done without required permits, the applicant cannot get reimbursed until after the permits are obtained.
For projects involving regrading or the installation of exterior equipment or practices, applicants should verify if the work will be in a County stormwater or sanitary sewer easement, a Resource Protection Area (RPA), a floodplain, or a Historic Overlay District and get all necessary permits/approvals. Use the Digital Map Viewer to locate stormwater and sanitary sewer easements and RPAs. Use the Flood Risk Awareness Tool to locate floodplains. View maps of Historic Overlay Districts on the county website.
Before starting work, contact Miss Utility at 811 or 1-800-552-7001 or online at https://va811.com/ to mark underground utility lines, as required by Virginia law.
Applicants must obtain detailed invoices from contractors/suppliers that clearly show material and labor costs and quantities. Applicants must also take photos of the completed work.
Submit the FMAP Grant Application to NVSWCD with all required documentation, including but not limited to:
Applications may be submitted online at the Flood Mitigation Assistance Program website. Contact NVSWCD by email at conservationdistrict@fairfaxcounty.gov or call and leave a message at 703-324-1460 if assistance with the application is needed, including options for those who cannot submit online.
NVSWCD reviews and processes applications for reimbursement in the order received. See Section 8.0 for more details on the Application Review and Approval process. Funds are released to applicants within approximately 60 days after completing the review and finding the application to be complete and accurate.
Funding for FMAP is limited, and applicants will be notified if funds are depleted. If this occurs, program funding in the next fiscal year will be applied to waitlisted projects as described in the Program Policies section.
To qualify for reimbursement through the FMAP Program, applicants must ensure that their flood mitigation projects have received all necessary permits, and final inspection approvals from Fairfax County. Land Development Services (LDS) issues most permits and approvals—land disturbance, Resource Protection Area, floodplain, building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing—that may be required for an FMAP-eligible flood mitigation project.
Key questions to determine if an LDS permit or approval is needed:
For information on Building and Site Permits, visit the LDS Permit Library.
Any applicant unsure of which (if any) permit they might need may contact the Engineer of the Day by email or at 703-324-2268.
Upon receiving the application, NVSWCD will notify the applicant and begin the review. If incorrect or missing information is found, NVSWCD will inform the applicant who can then correct the issue. Funds will be distributed in the order that applications are approved.
NVSWCD will verify the information provided in the application against established County records (name, address, ownership, etc.). If there are any errors or omissions, the application will be returned to the applicant for correction and resubmission.
NVSWCD will confirm the flood mitigation practice is on the Approved List of Practices, check that the costs to purchase and/or install the practice are documented, and ensure that necessary permits or approvals were obtained.
Flood mitigation projects not on the Approved List of Practices will undergo individual review for potential reimbursement. Applicants are encouraged to consult with NVSWCD before installing practices not on the Approved List.
NVSWCD will review such items as receipts, photographs, designs/drawings, and County approvals/permits. If there are errors or omissions, the application will be sent back to the applicant for clarification, adjustment, and resubmission.
All expenses for flood mitigation practices and services must be dated on or after July 1, 2024.
At its discretion, NVSWCD may require an on-site inspection of the flood mitigation practice.
Once Phase 1 and 2 verifications are complete, NVSWCD will send an approval letter to the applicant and a check will be sent to the name and address provided on the IRS Form W-9. The check will be issued within approximately 60 calendar days after NVSWCD confirms the completeness and accuracy of the application.
For questions about the amount of grant funds awarded, contact the NVSWCD at conservationdistrict@fairfaxcounty.gov or call and leave a message at 703-324-1460.
As part of the application, all applicants must agree to the following waiver and hold harmless acknowledgement. For applicants required to include a letter of approval from the property owner(s) as part of their application, the text of the acknowledgement must be included in the letter, and the letter must be signed by the owner(s)
I understand that it is the responsibility of the applicant and/or property owner to obtain all required permits, approvals or other permissions related to this project and that the information in the project application is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
I (we), certify that I (we) have paid in full for the installation of floodproofing measures at the above-named property. As a condition of accepting the reimbursement allowance, I (we), if requested by NVSWCD, will permit NVSWCD to verify the installation without delay as a condition of receiving the reimbursement allowance.
Further, as a condition of accepting the reimbursement allowance, I (we) agree to accept full responsibility for operation and maintenance of the floodproofing measures funded in part by this Assistance program. I (we) agree to hold the County, NVSWCD, and their agents and employees harmless for and waive any and all damages, accidents, casualties, occurrences or claims which might arise or be asserted against the County, NVSWCD, and their respective agents and employees, related to the construction, installation, operation, presence, existence, or maintenance of the floodproofing measures.
Per Zoning Ordinance 5104.3.A, I (we) further confirm that the flood mitigation practice does not obstruct, interfere with, or change the drainage of land or adversely impact neighboring properties.
This waiver is applicable only to claims related to the floodproofing measures and any services provided by the above-named entities or individuals in association with the Flood Mitigation Assistance Program.