Mr. Grimm serves as the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Assistant Administrator for Risk Management within the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration (FIMA). Throughout his more than 20-year career at FEMA, Mr. Grimm has worked to improve coordination, collaboration, and transparency across the various levels of government, to align the larger national mitigation policy agenda on reducing risk nationally and creating more disaster-resilient communities. Mr. Grimm was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 2011.
Under Mr. Grimm’s direction, the Risk Management Directorate delivers quality risk data, modeling, and programs that increase the public's awareness of risk across the range of natural hazards. Mr. Grimm directs FEMA’s Risk Management programs ensuring the Federal Government is a leader in prioritizing federal investments for mitigation and resilience, implementing higher codes and standards for federal action, and assisting communities in reducing disaster costs. These programs include the Risk Mapping, Analysis, and Planning (RiskMAP) Program which includes the Flood Hazard Mapping Program under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), the Building Sciences Program, the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program (NEHRP), and the National Dam Safety Program. He also directs the national hazard mitigation planning requirements under the Stafford Act and FEMA’s actuarial and catastrophic modeling responsibilities. Additionally, the Risk Management Directorate is responsible for the inter-agency Mitigation Framework Leadership Group (MitFLG) that coordinates mitigation and resilience efforts across the Federal Government in consultation with state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments as well as the private sector including the development of the National Mitigation Investment Strategy (NMIS).
From 2014-2018, Mr. Grimm directed FEMA’s pre- and post-disaster mitigation programs that support sustainable, disaster-resilient communities, to avoid or reduce the loss of life, property, and financial impacts of natural hazards. These programs included the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program, the Flood Mitigation Assistance grants, the Floodplain Management component of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), and the Community Rating System under the NFIP. In addition, Mr. Grimm led the hazard mitigation disaster workforce cadre and overall disaster operations for the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration.
From 2011-2014, Mr. Grimm directed FEMA’s Individual Assistance Division and was responsible for FEMA disaster response and recovery programs including the Individuals and Households Program, the Temporary Housing Program, Disaster Case Management Program, Crisis Counseling Program, Disaster Unemployment Assistance Program, Disaster Legal Services, Emergency Food and Shelter Program, as well as Mass Care and Emergency Assistance under Emergency Support Function #6 of the National Response Framework. He served as co-Chair (with American Red Cross and National Voluntary Agencies Active in Disasters (NVOAD)) of the Mass Care Council and as FEMA representative on Board of Directors for NVOAD.
Prior to joining FEMA, Mr. Grimm worked in other governmental positions including with the City of Fort Collins, Colorado, emergency and floodplain management program; with the State of Wyoming, Department of Environmental Quality; and for the United States Geological Survey, National Research Program, in Denver, Colorado. Mr. Grimm holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Vermont and a Master of Science in Earth Resources from Colorado State University. Mr. Grimm also received a certificate in Public Leadership from the Brookings Institution and Washington University in St. Louis, Olin Business School.