COLUMBIAMEMORIAL.ORG Fall 2026 3 FEMA restores $20 million grant for CMH resiliency measures Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant completes construction budget for BuildCMH Expansion Project CMH is thrilled to share that BRIC grant funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been restored. “This $20 million grant completes the BuildCMH Expansion Project budget and ensures that our community will receive a fully resilient, modern health care facility,” says Erik Thorsen, CEO. In August 2023, after a rigorous national competition, CMH was selected for a $20 million FEMA BRIC grant to help achieve resiliency goals outlined in the BuildCMH Expansion Project plans. The BRIC funds were to help offset the cost of constructing a deeppile foundation and a tsunami vertical evacuation structure (TVERS) capable of accommodating 1,900 people. The project plans include locating critical infrastructure, generators and the helipad on the roof of the new hospital — important features that will help ensure the facility can remain operational when the community needs it most. In April 2025, FEMA informed CMH that the entire BRIC grant program, including the previously awarded grant, had been canceled, leaving CMH without the promised $20 million in funding. Seeing it through CMH made the decision to continue the construction of the resiliency features in the expansion. At the same time, it continued working tirelessly with federal, state and local government representatives to restore the grant funding. At long last, those persistent efforts have paid off. FEMA has restored the full portion of the BRIC grant. “CMH wishes to express its sincerest appreciation to Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, Sen. Jeff Merkley, Sen. Ron Wyden, Rep. Cliff Bentz, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, Oregon State Rep. Cyrus Javadi, Oregon State Sen. Suzanne Weber, former State Sen. Betsy Johnson, the members of the Oregon Ways and Means Committee, and all our locally elected officials for their unwavering support and tireless efforts to secure these funds,” Thorsen says. “We are incredibly grateful for their partnership and commitment to the safety and resilience of our community.” Weatherproofing continues through the end of the year By the end of the year, the building should be weathertight, with windows, roof and siding completed. By April of next year, we anticipate the first floor will be nearly complete, though we will have to wait until the end of summer for substantial completion of the building’s interior. We are hopeful we will see the first patients in the building in early 2028. BUILDCMH UPDATE Have more questions? Visit columbiamemorial.org/buildcmh.
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