The purpose of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 NIMS Cooperative Agreement is to support EMAC, which is a congressionally ratified mutual aid compact (Pub. L. No. 104-321). The “purpose of the compact is to provide for mutual assistance between the states entering into the compact in managing any emergency disaster that is duly declared by the Governor of the affected state, whether arising from natural disaster, technological hazard, man-made disaster, civil emergency aspects of resources shortages, community disorders, insurgency or enemy attack.” The FY 2026 NIMS Cooperative Agreement The NIMS-EMAC NOFO addresses the challenge of closing funding gaps for EMAC operations, ensuring a swift and coordinated response to emergent threats and disasters. The success of EMAC rests on sustaining, maintaining and improving its operational capability and the capabilities and implementation of its members. It seeks to solve the problem of fragmented emergency management efforts by strengthening interconnectivity and collaboration between federal agencies and non-federal partners. The NIMS-EMAC NOFO supports Mission 5: Build a Resilient Nation and Respond to Incidents, Objective 5.2: Strengthen National Resilience, and Objective 5.4: Enhance Training and Readiness of First Responders, of the DHS 2023 Quadrennial Homeland Security Review (QHSR). Specifically, it aims to streamline the integration and coordination of resources during crises, allowing for quicker adaptation and mobilization across various jurisdictions.