Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant
This program provides funding to rural fire departments with populations of 10,000 or less to help them purchase essential wildland firefighting equipment.
The Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant (VFA) program is designed to provide funding to fire departments in rural areas for the purchase of wildland firefighting suppression equipment. This grant is a 50/50 matching funds program, meaning that fire departments must match the grant amount with their own funds. The goal is to enhance the firefighting capabilities of rural fire departments, ensuring they have the necessary equipment to respond effectively to wildfires. Eligible applicants include single fire departments serving rural communities with populations of 10,000 or less, as well as certain aggregations of fire departments that meet specific criteria. The application deadline for this grant is November 15, 2024, and the maximum grant amount available is $2,500.
Award Range
Not specified - $2,500
Total Program Funding
$826,990
Number of Awards
Not specified
Matching Requirement
Yes - 50/50 Match Required
Additional Details
Fire departments are required to equally match (50/50) the amount of the grant award. As an example, a fire department is required to spend up to $5,000 on the purchase of approved firefighting equipment in order to be reimbursed an equal grant amount up to $2,500.
Eligible Applicants
Additional Requirements
Eligibility Criteria A single fire department serving a rural area or rural community with a population of 10,000 or less is eligible (latest census). Area fire departments (fire districts, townships, etc.) may serve an aggregate population of greater than 10,000 as long as the service area of the fire department includes a rural area or rural community having a population of 10,000 or less. The VFA funding must be used to benefit the rural population. A single county or town with a population of over 10,000 that is served by two or more fire districts operating entirely within the bounds of the county or town may qualify as long as the service area of a given fire department includes a rural area or rural community or the population of the fire department's jurisdiction is 10,000 or less. The VFA funding must be used for the rural area. A single community with a population greater than 10,000 and having a single fire department with one or more fire stations may qualify. The fire department must have a service area that includes a rural area or community that does not exceed 10,000 populations. The VFA funding must be used only for the benefit of the rural population. Similarly, a single community with a population greater than 10,000 that also provides fire protection to an adjoining rural community of 10,000 or less population by contract may also be eligible provided the VFA funding is used entirely to support the rural community. A single community fire department serving a population greater than 10,000 and not providing protection to a rural area or to a rural community is not eligible for VFA financial assistance.
Geographic Eligibility
All
Application Opens
Not specified
Application Closes
Not specified
Grantor
Division of Forest Protection
Phone
518-402-8839Subscribe to view contact details