- What it funds
- Capital grants for local flood mitigation: buyouts, elevations and relocations of flood-prone buildings, flood control projects such as dams, levees and stormwater detention, automated flood warning systems and watershed studies. It can also pay up to 50% of repair and emergency costs for a jurisdiction with at least $1 million in infrastructure damage from a flood since January 1, 2009.
- Who can apply
- Counties and municipalities only. State law requires the jurisdiction to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, and capital projects must be part of a comprehensive flood management plan the jurisdiction has adopted.
- Match
- Without federal money, MDE may pay up to 75% and the local share is at least 25%. When a federal program pays 75%, MDE may cover up to half of the remaining 25%, and applicants must show they can fund their share.
- Award
- No per-project cap is published; the Governor's FY2027 plan funded five projects at $1.0 million to $4.0 million each ($13.9 million total), and state law lets the Governor budget up to $20 million a year, with at least 40% for projects in or directly benefiting underserved or overburdened communities.
How Maryland applicants apply
Apply to MDE during the annual solicitation. MDE's most recent posted flood form (state FY2024) required one signed application with attachments and a project location map (such as a FEMA FIRMette), emailed to mde.wqfa_announcement@maryland.gov with 'Flood Application' in the subject line; check MDE's Water Infrastructure Financing page for the current form when the round opens. Awards follow the state capital budget and Board of Public Works approval.
The program on mde.maryland.govDates
- December 1, 2026 · Annual application window expected to open (MDE says applications reopen in December 2026 and the window typically starts December 1) (expected)in 32 days · source
- January 31, 2027 · Typical last day of the annual application window; not yet confirmed for this round (expected)in 93 days · source
What has changed
- May 12, 2026Governor approved Chapter 356 of 2026 (SB 189, Mason's Law), effective October 1, 2026: municipalities must inventory and secure open drainage inlets, may apply to this program to cost-share the work, and $250,000 a year of program money in fiscal 2029–2031 is set aside for those matching grants. (mgaleg.maryland.gov)
- July 1, 2025State fiscal 2026 began, the first year under Chapters 516 and 517 of 2024: the Governor may budget up to $20 million a year for the program, and at least 40% of its funding must go to projects in or directly benefiting underserved or overburdened communities. (mgaleg.maryland.gov)
Sources
Checked against the funder’s own pages on October 29, 2026. Rules and dates change; confirm with the funder before you apply.
- mde.maryland.gov/programs/Water/StormwaterManagementProgram/Pages/floodmgmt.aspx
- mde.maryland.gov/programs/Water/StormwaterManagementProgram/FloodHazardMitigation/Pages/index.aspx
- mde.maryland.gov/programs/water/WQFA/Pages/index.aspx
- mde.maryland.gov/programs/water/WQFA/Documents/Prepare%20to%20apply_FY2026.pdf
- mde.maryland.gov/programs/water/StormwaterManagementProgram/Documents/Flood%20Management%20Grant%20Announcement%20FY24.pdf
- mde.maryland.gov/programs/water/WQFA/Documents/FY24%20Flood%20Application.pdf
- mde.maryland.gov/programs/Water/StormwaterManagementProgram/FloodHazardMitigation/Pages/Currently-Funded-Projects.aspx
- mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/chapters_noln/Ch_356_sb0189E.pdf
- mgaleg.maryland.gov/pubs/budgetfiscal/2027fy-budget-docs-capital-U00-Department-of-the-Environment.pdf
- mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/chapters_noln/Ch_6_sb0284E.pdf
Frequently Asked Questions
As of October 29, 2026: Opens soon. MDE's water infrastructure financing office says its funding solicitation is closed and will reopen in December 2026. The flood grant page says the window typically runs December 1 to January 31; MDE has not posted exact dates for this round.
Capital grants for local flood mitigation: buyouts, elevations and relocations of flood-prone buildings, flood control projects such as dams, levees and stormwater detention, automated flood warning systems and watershed studies. It can also pay up to 50% of repair and emergency costs for a jurisdiction with at least $1 million in infrastructure damage from a flood since January 1, 2009.
Counties and municipalities only. State law requires the jurisdiction to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, and capital projects must be part of a comprehensive flood management plan the jurisdiction has adopted.
Without federal money, MDE may pay up to 75% and the local share is at least 25%. When a federal program pays 75%, MDE may cover up to half of the remaining 25%, and applicants must show they can fund their share.
Apply to MDE during the annual solicitation. MDE's most recent posted flood form (state FY2024) required one signed application with attachments and a project location map (such as a FEMA FIRMette), emailed to mde.wqfa_announcement@maryland.gov with 'Flood Application' in the subject line; check MDE's Water Infrastructure Financing page for the current form when the round opens. Awards follow the state capital budget and Board of Public Works approval.
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