Enhancing Stakeholder Support and Outreach for Preparedness Grants Act

Bill Summary: Enhancing Stakeholder Support and Outreach for Preparedness Grants Act (H.R. 4058)

Overview

The Enhancing Stakeholder Support and Outreach for Preparedness Grants Act is a legislative effort to improve how the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) communicates and collaborates with the governments and entities that receive federal preparedness funding.

The bill focuses specifically on two major grant programs: the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) and the State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSP). The primary goal is to codify recommendations from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to ensure that grant requirements and priority areas are transparent and shaped by actual stakeholder feedback.

Key Provisions

1. Mandated Stakeholder Engagement

The bill requires the FEMA Administrator to provide ongoing outreach, education, and technical assistance throughout the entire lifecycle of a grant (before, during, and after the award process). Specifically, FEMA must:
* Conduct Annual Surveys: Gather feedback from State, local, Tribal, and territorial stakeholders regarding the grant awarding process and the effectiveness of FEMA's outreach.
* Implement Feedback Loops: Produce summaries of these surveys and explicitly document how the feedback was used to update and improve future "notices of funding opportunities."
* Develop Additional Mechanisms: Create other feedback channels as deemed appropriate by the Administrator.

2. Accountability and Oversight

To ensure these outreach efforts are effective, the bill establishes two reporting requirements:
* GAO Review: Within two years of enactment, the Comptroller General (GAO) must submit a report to FEMA and Congress evaluating the effectiveness of the new outreach and support efforts.
* FEMA Report: Within three years of enactment, the FEMA Administrator must submit a report to Congress detailing the actions taken to implement the outreach mandates and the results of the required surveys.

Who is Affected?

• FEMA: The agency must expand its administrative capacity to manage annual surveys and technical assistance.
• State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Governments: These entities will have a formal, mandated channel to provide input on how preparedness grants are administered and prioritized.
• Non-Profit Agencies: As recipients of preparedness funding, these organizations may benefit from improved technical assistance.

Fiscal Impact

According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the bill is estimated to cost approximately $9 million over the 2025–2030 period. This includes:
* $8 million for FEMA to hire roughly seven additional employees and fund support contracts to manage surveys and outreach.
* $1 million for the GAO to conduct the required effectiveness assessment.

Procedural Status

• House Action: The bill passed the House of Representatives on November 20, 2025, with an overwhelming majority (380-45).
• Senate Action: As of November 20, 2025, the bill has been received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.