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Fire departments can, and should, apply for other grants besides the FIRE grant. Fire departments can use all the hard work they put into their FIRE grant applications to fill out other applications. Below is a listing of many sources of grants that fire departments can qualify for, but don't be limited by these. The federal government gives out billions of dollars in grants, but so do private groups. Last year 47,000 private foundations gave out $15.5 billion for programs in health, human services, education and public benefit, and fire departments can qualify in several different ways in these categories. Many foundations also support volunteerism, and volunteer fire departments can take advantage of that angle. Another usually untapped source of money is local civic clubs. Groups like the Rotary, Lions and Elks may agree to help their local fire department, and even if it's not a large sum of money, it can help a small department get what it needs. But the federal government is still the reliable old standby, pumping out millions of dollars every year. Here are federal grant programs that fire departments might tap into: Other Non-Federal grant programs include: There are several different grant programs in the National Fire Plan under several different federal agencies, all under the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho. The U.S. Forest Service has grant programs to help volunteer and combination fire departments across the country, even if they are not near Forest Service land. Start planning now for next year's allotment.
Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)States (and cities with more than 50,000 people) apply for CDBG grants under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, but the fire department can often qualify for the money that will be passed on to local communities. Most of the money that goes to fire departments is to build or improve fire stations. In most states the Commerce Department or other similar office is the contact point for applying in the larger cities, city governments run the CDBG programs. For more information go to: www.hud.gov U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development ProgramThe USDA's Rural Housing Service and Community Facilities Grant program can pay up to 75% of costs for fire and rescue buildings and equipment under certain circumstances. The grants are designed to make essential community services available in rural areas with populations under 20,000. Grant amounts depend on median household income and population. Departments should apply to their USDA Rural Development field office or state office or check: www.rurdev.usda.gov Volunteer Fire Assistance ProgramThe purpose of the Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) Program, formerly known as the Rural Community Fire Protection (RCFP) Program under the U.S. Forest Service, is to provide federal financial, technical, and other assistance to state foresters to train and equip fire departments in rural areas and rural communities to prevent and suppress fires. The state forester passes the money along to the fire departments. Departments must serve a community with 10,000 or less population. This 10,000 population limit helps gat available VFA funding to the most needy fire departments. Most grants will be less than $5,000. Funding must be matched on a 50-50 basis by non-federal dollars or in-kind, and can be used for fire equipment, training and start-up organization of fire departments. Contact your state forester. For a list go to: http://www.stateforesters.org State, County and Municipal Agency Domestic Preparedness Equipment Support Program The office of Justice Programs of the Department of Justice provides funding to the states and local governments to equip fire and emergency medical services, law enforcement agencies, and hazardous materials units to respond to weapons of mass destruction terrorist incident. Contact: Office of Justice Programs Indian Community Fire ProtectionThe Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) provides funds for fire protection services for Indian Tribal Governments that do not receive fire protection support from state or local government. Funds may be used to support staff, train volunteer firefighters, repair existing fire fighting equipment, and purchase additional equipment. Contact: Office of Tribal Service For More Information New grant programs may spring up down the road that are not listed here or your department may have special circumstances that qualify it for other federal grants. For fire department leaders who want to do a little grant research , there are two helpful web sites: Check out the Federal Emergency Management Agency's list of grants at : http://www.usfa.fema.gov Also check out the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance at: http://www.cfda.gov It's a huge list of grants for all kinds of agencies and groups, but it can be searched, and may be especially helpful for fire departments with special circumstances or locations. Fire departments can also get a free book, "Funding Alternatives for Fire and Emergency Services" manual from the U.S. Fire Administration at: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/usfapubs/pubs_display.cfm?p_id=39 Minnesota Council on Foundations The Minnesota Council on Foundations produces the Guide to Minnesota Grant makers, a directory of foundation and corporate grant making programs. They are dedicated to helping non-profit organizations identify potential partners and financial supporters to help sustain and improve Minnesota communities. For more information about their organization, visit their website at www.mcf.org or call them at 612-338-1989
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