On May 11, Enterprise submitted comments on FEMA’s proposed policy to implement its Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, a new pre-disaster hazard mitigation program that replaces the existing Pre-Disaster Mitigation program and aims to shift the federal focus away from reactive disaster spending and toward research-supported, proactive investment in community resilience. We offer recommendations on how FEMA can best guide and support grantees in their use of BRIC funds for mitigation. Our recommendations seek to provide context, requirements and incentives that would allow FEMA and grantees to have a greater impact in reducing risk to natural hazards for a generation or more. These recommendations are predicated on the notion that these taxpayer dollars are down payments on disaster mitigation and must be invested with long-term risks and goals in mind and must be oriented toward activities that improve the local understanding and capacity of grantees and communities to address risks from all hazards.