The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Review Council released its final report this month. Public comments are due on June 8, 2026.
The report outlines recommendations to President Donald Trump on the future structure and mission of FEMA. The report proposes a major shift in federal disaster policy by reducing FEMA's direct operational role and increasing state, local, tribal, and territorial responsibility.
Throughout the council’s final meeting on May 7, its members repeatedly emphasized that disaster response should be "locally executed, state managed, and federally supported."/p>
The recommendations focus on:
- Accelerating disaster and mitigation funding;
- Streamlining FEMA assistance programs;
- Reducing administrative burdens;
- Expanding state flexibility;
- Strengthening state and local emergency management capacity;
- Simplifying individual and public assistance programs;
- Using direct funding models;
- Increasing reliance on mutual aid, nonprofit, and private-sector partnerships; and
- Reviewing FEMA staffing and organizational structure.
Many recommendations align with longstanding concerns regarding FEMA reimbursement delays and bureaucracy, but several proposals may create concerns for local governments.
One of the most consequential recommendations involves the future of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The report recommends gradually shifting more flood insurance responsibility from the federally managed NFIP toward the private insurance market. While council members argued this would improve long-term financial stability and risk pricing, it could create affordability and coverage concerns for communities near coasts, rivers, and other flood-prone areas that rely heavily on NFIP availability to support property owners, mortgages, and local economic stability.
The report also recommends reassessing and increasing FEMA disaster declaration thresholds, including adjustments to per-capita indicators and greater consideration of state and local capacity, before federal assistance is approved. These higher thresholds could make it more difficult for smaller and mid-sized communities to qualify for federal disaster assistance following moderate or localized disasters, while reserving federal assistance for more catastrophic events.
The report now moves to the administration for review. Some recommendations may be implemented administratively through FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security, while others would likely require congressional or regulatory action.
You can read the current comments and provide your own public comment on the report by Monday, June 8, 2026.
Take the FEMA Review Council’s survey on emergency management by July 23
July 17, 2025
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Review Council is working to make recommendations about the future of FEMA. Your survey input could help.
The FEMA Review Council is conducting a comprehensive survey of the 32 core capabilities outlined in the National Preparedness Goal. The purpose of the survey is to gather insights from state, local, tribal, and territorial agencies regarding FEMA's current support for their jurisdiction and to explore the potential for transferring certain responsibilities. This assessment is crucial in ensuring that FEMA continues to align its strategies and approaches with the evolving needs and capabilities of its partners.
It's very important that cities are heard in this process. The results of this survey will impact the final report's recommendations concerning the future of FEMA and federal emergency management, including resources to local governments. Mayor Jane Castor of Tampa, Florida, was appointed to the Council by President Trump to represent local governments.
Your city can help impact federal emergency management outcomes by taking the council’s survey.
The surveys are linked below and organized into four categories based on FEMA's mission areas. These surveys should ideally be completed by the person in your city tasked with emergency management, such as a city emergency manager or similar by 2 pm PDT on Wednesday, July 23, 2025.
FEMA LOCAL Core Capabilities Survey
Cities should review each core capability, considering both FEMA's current support and the potential for city to assume these responsibilities if FEMA support were no longer available.
As you complete the survey, consider the following topics to inform your responses:
- Alignment with National Preparedness Goals
- Application of the THIRA/SPR process (Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment / Stakeholder Preparedness Review)
- Regulatory frameworks and compliance considerations
- Requirements outlined in Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs)
- Use of guidance documents, such as the Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide (PAPPG)
- Implementation of standards, including NIMS, ICS, EOCs, and team typing and credentialing
- Engagement of subject matter experts in specialized programs
- Incident scalability considerations
- Disaster programs, including available funding, implementation guidance, and operational frameworks
- Grant management and administration best practices and challenges
Your feedback is instrumental in helping the FEMA Review Council understand which capabilities could be administered at the state level and how the federal government can best support your city in the future.
If you have any questions or require further assistance, you can contact the FEMA Review Council at FEMAreviewcouncil@hq.dhs.gov.