City of Annapolis Receives More than $33M in Promised Federal FEMA Grant Funding
The funding was announced during a Friday press conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
The City of Annapolis team that worked on this grant, as well as securing both State and Local funds, included the Office of Emergency Management, the Department of Public Works, the Department of Planning and Zoning, and the Mayor’s Office. This project is urgently needed: in 2024 alone, the City recorded 120 flood events, double the previous record, highlighting the increase in flooding over recent decades, with the heart of downtown Annapolis bearing the brunt of direct losses.
Mayor Littmann has been clear that “City Dock is the heart of our downtown waterfront. Protecting our vibrant and historic community from flooding and associated costly damages will ensure that our small businesses, residents, and maritime and tourism industries thrive for generations to come.”
"Resilience is about infrastructure, but it's also about protecting our people. Maryland is leading through partnership, showing that we respond to challenges together with urgency and get ahead of them," said Gov. Wes Moore. "Securing this funding for Annapolis means protecting residents, strengthening small businesses, and preserving the maritime traditions in one of America's great cities."
In addition, the City extends its gratitude to our federal partners, including the federal congressional delegation of Sen. Chris Van Hollen, former Sen. Ben Cardin, Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, Rep. Sarah Elfreth, and former Rep. John Sarbanes. This success would also not have been possible without the ongoing commitment from our partners at the United States Naval Academy and Naval Support Activity Annapolis, and its Superintendent, Lt. Gen. Michael Borgschulte, FEMA, as well as Governor Moore and his administration.
“This is a very big win for Annapolis and our state. City Dock is Annapolis’ crown jewel – it’s a top tourist destination, a hub for small business, and a symbol of Maryland’s history and heritage. With these significant federal investments in hand, Annapolis is equipped with the resources it needs to move forward in earnest with its plans for protecting this iconic fixture against frequent flooding – while preserving the unique character and accessibility of this historic waterfront,” said Senator Chris Van Hollen.
The grant process began in the spring of 2022 and included extensive engineering analysis, environmental and archeological reviews, and coordination with federal and state compliance. The funding will allow the City to advance the essential resilience work at City Dock, a transformative infrastructure project designed to protect downtown Annapolis from more frequent and severe flood and storm events.
“Rising tides won’t wait – and neither will Team Maryland. I’m thrilled to help deliver this federal funding after decades of partnership and collaboration across all levels of government. Today, we are marking an important step in preserving our capital city’s deep history, supporting the world-class Naval Academy, and addressing the very real impacts of climate change. This funding for City Dock is deeply meaningful to Annapolitans – past, present, and future – in preserving our culture and remembering our history,” said Congresswoman Elfreth.
We are also grateful for our state partners, led by Governor Wes Moore and the Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM) in securing the grant and obtaining final approvals. Our District 30 state partners Sen. Shaneka Henson, Del. Dana Jones, and Del. Dylan Behler were instrumental in providing both advocacy for the project and strategic support for the grant.
MDEM serves as the state administrator for FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. “Mitigation is the center of the universe, which is one of our guiding principles at MDEM because it is the most effective way to break the cycle of disaster damage and reconstruction,” said MDEM Secretary Russ Strickland. “The City Dock project is an example of how proactive investment saves taxpayers significant money in the long run. For every dollar we invest in mitigation, we see a 6-fold return in avoided disaster costs. This achievement is a testament to the power of collaboration and whole community effort, from residents and businesses to local, state, and federal governments. We are not just fixing infrastructure; we are shaping a more resilient Maryland where communities thrive.”
This grant is the result of years of advocacy and partnership from regional leaders and community champions, including former Mayor Annapolis Gavin Buckley, Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman, the City Dock Action Committee (CDAC), and the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Resilience Authority as well as the City’s partner Rodney Moss, Sr. V.P. Hunt/Amber. Everyone listed has worked tirelessly to secure these grant funds to protect our State Capital from the impact of future flood disasters.
The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding will be used to:
Elevate low-lying areas on Annapolis City Dock
Install deployable flood protection barriers
Upgrade drainage and pump infrastructure
Rebuild public waterfront spaces in a more resilient configuration
This essential infrastructure will be integrated into a world-class public gathering space where all Marylanders can access this amazing waterfront.
Flooding at Annapolis City Dock is not only a local concern but a regional one. As the gateway to the Chesapeake Bay and home to the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis plays a critical role in America's national maritime heritage and military readiness. Strengthening flood resilience at City Dock helps safeguard transportation access, waterfront infrastructure, and emergency routes that support residents, visitors, and the Naval Academy community.
Completion of Phase 1 of the project will reduce the impacts of chronic flooding while preserving Annapolis’ historic character and its role as Maryland’s capital city and maritime center. With funding now secured, the City is proceeding with construction and delivering long-planned flood mitigation protections to the downtown waterfront.
For more information and construction timeline, and details about the City Dock Flood Mitigation and Resiliency Project, visit accessannapolis.com.
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