An independent analysis by Headwaters Economics shows that the first round of funding from the Community Wildfire Defense Grant program prioritized high-risk, low-income communities.
Equity
The American Community Survey in our data tools
Find the latest American Community Survey data in all of our tools, including the Economic Profile System and Neighborhoods at Risk.
Match requirements prevent rural and low-capacity communities from accessing climate resilience funding
Many federal grant programs require communities to provide a local match, creating barriers for rural and underserved places.
A decline in accuracy of equity-related measures in the 2020 American Community Survey
Due to new methods and pandemic disruption, the 2020 American Community Survey shows some decrease in accuracy for equity-related measures.
Yellowstone Flood reveals Montana’s mobile home flood risk
Montana’s mobile home residents face disproportionate flood risk and traditional solutions leave them behind.
Capacity-limited states still struggle to access FEMA BRIC grants
Places with lower capacity are failing to get funding through FEMA’s flagship grant program, Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC).
Mobile home residents face higher flood risk
Mobile homes are the most common unsubsidized, affordable housing in the United States but have disproportionately higher flood risk than other housing types.
A rural capacity map
A new map helps identify communities where investments in staffing and expertise are needed to support infrastructure and climate resilience projects.
Improving benefit-cost analyses for rural areas
Benefit-cost analysis, required for many federal funding sources, puts smaller, rural, and low-income communities at a disadvantage.
Housing costs broke records across the U.S.
Unaffordable housing came to a head during the pandemic as communities across the country saw unprecedented rises in housing costs.
Unaffordability for renters made worse during the pandemic
The unprecedented rise in housing prices since 2020 has affected renters more than homeowners—especially in places that were already unaffordable.
The unequal impacts of wildfire
See where wildfire risk intersects social and economic factors that can make it difficult for people to prepare for, respond to, and recover from wildfire.
Mountain, Midwest, and Gulf States fail to secure FEMA resilience funding
Rural and lower capacity communities failed to successfully compete for FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) funding in FY 2020.
How state and local budgets are vulnerable to climate change
Climate change has the potential to destabilize general operating budgets and constrain access to lending markets. These presentations share promising solutions for “climate-proofing” budgets.
Wildfire Risk Report for every U.S. community
A new report in our Economic Profile System provides community-level data about wildfire hazard and potentially vulnerable populations.
Census response rates in communities of color
People of color are at a high risk of being undercounted in the 2020 Census, jeopardizing federal funding, social services, and government representation.
Census response rates in Asian Communities
Asian communities are at a high risk of being undercounted in the 2020 Census, jeopardizing federal funding, social services, and government representation.
Census response rates in Black Communities
Black communities are at a high risk of being undercounted in the 2020 Census, jeopardizing federal funding, social services, and government representation.
Census response rates in Hispanic and Latino Communities
Hispanic and Latino communities are at a high risk of being undercounted in the 2020 Census, jeopardizing federal funding, social services, and government representation.
Census response rates in Native American Communities
American Indian and Alaska Native communities are at a high risk of being undercounted in the 2020 Census, jeopardizing federal funding, social services, and government representation.