Community Rating System

An overview of the Community Rating System

The Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary incentive program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that an NFIP community in good standing can apply to join and actively participate. A community that conducts floodplain management activities that exceed the NFIP minimum requirements can earn points for each activity. The number of points a community accumulates decides what percent discount some of their residents and businesses will receive on their annual flood insurance premiums.

Currently, five New Hampshire communities (Keene, Marlborough, Nashua, Peterborough, and Winchester) participate in CRS.
 

NH CRS Users Group

The NH CRS Users Group is a support and educational resource for communities that participate in CRS or who are interested in joining or learning more about the program. During the group’s quarterly meetings, attendees can share ideas, best practices, and hear from guest speakers about CRS-related topics. If your community is interested in attending a future meeting, please contact the NH Floodplain Management Program Team.
 

CRS Resources

The CRS Coordinator's Manual is the guidebook for the CRS and sets the criteria for CRS classification. It explains how the program operates, what is credited, and how credits are calculated. Although it is primarily a reference for CRS activities and credits, it can also help guide communities that want to improve their floodplain management programs.

Additional information about CRS is available through the following resources:

• CRS 2021 Changes Fact Sheet
• CRS Fact Sheet
• CRS Community Application Process in New Hampshire
• CRS Community Self Assessment (web version)
• CRS Community Self Assessment (hard copy version)
• CRS for Community Resilience – Green Guide
• The Nature Conservancy
  • Coastal Resilience and the Community Rating System
  • Community-Incentives for Nature-Based Flood Solutions – A Guide to FEMA’s CRS for Conservation Practitioners
• NOAA Digital Coast
  • How to Map Open Space for CRS Credit
• Small Communities in CRS
• The Surging Seas CRS Guide and Risk Tools
• CRS Webinars and Training
• CRS Community Responsibilities and Costs & Benefits to the Community
• CRS Classes, Points, and Discounts Table

For additional information or questions, please contact New Hampshire's Floodplain Management Program staff.