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<br />. Mitigation funds should not be available to a locality unless it has in place a comprehensive <br />mitigation plan, Communities must be provided with the tools, responsibility, rewards, and a <br />workable process through which they can move toward sustainable floodplain management with <br />the participation of their citizens, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations. <br /> <br />. The successful activities of communities that participate in the Community Rating System of the <br />National Flood Insurance Program should be publicized and shared, <br /> <br />Managing State Concept <br /> <br />A "managing state" arrangement has been pilot tested under the Federal Emergency Management <br />Agency's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to enable those states that are capable and willing to <br />assume a stronger management role in the program, Managing states enjoy greater autonomy and <br />flexibility within the program, receiving funds up front rather than on a project-by-project basis, These <br />changes are expected to expedite the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program process and obligation of <br />funds to projects, and also reduce the number of structures at risk by funding only the best projects, <br />The Federal Emergency Management Agency recognizes that it is not realistic to expect to add more <br />federal staff to facilitate community mitigation, The move to a Federal Emergency Management <br />Agency/state collaborative effort is essential, and building state capability in order to assist <br />communities is an integral part of an effective solution. <br /> <br />· The Federal Emergency Management Agency's "managing state" concept should be viewed and <br />developed as an incentive to gain broader and increased state involvement and commitment in <br />mitigation, Incentives can range from funding cost shares to more independence, and should be <br />built into the concept. <br /> <br />· The "managing state" concept should be expanded to other Federal Emergency Management <br />Agency programs (like the Community Assistance Program, discussed below) as an incentive to <br />build state capability. <br /> <br />Community Assistance Program <br /> <br />Under the Community Assistance Program, states receive funds to provide assistance to communities <br />for achieving and maintaining National Flood Insurance Program compliance. Community Assistance <br />Program funds can and should be used to conduct flood mitigation and technical assistance activities <br />that support the goals of the National Flood Insurance Program, However, those funds should not <br />be the sole source of financial support for state National Flood Insurance Program operations, <br /> <br />· States should view the Community Assistance Program as an auxiliaI)' funding source for ongoing <br />National Flood Insurance Program coordination within their broader floodplain management <br />programs, <br /> <br />· To further build state capability, the "managing state" concept could be extended to the <br />Community Assistance Program, and funding for that program should reflect annual inflationaI)' <br />mcreases, <br /> <br />Association of State Floodplain Managers <br /> <br />.31- <br /> <br />National Flood Programs in Review 2000 <br />