FEMA | Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program

FY 2009 Application Period: April 15, 2009 - May 20, 2009

Application Period Now Open
The FY 2009 AFG Grants application period has opened. Applications for these grants must be received by May 20, 2009, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

The primary goal of the Assistance to Firefighters
Grants (AFG) is to meet the firefighting and emergency
response needs of fire departments and nonaffiliated
emergency medical services organizations.

AFG Grants Home

Important AFG Grants Information
Program Guidance | Applicant Tutorial | Frequently Asked Questions |

Workshop Presentation

Help Desk: 1-866-274-0960 or firegrants@dhs.gov
During the application period, the help desk will operate Monday to Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., but is prepared to revise hours of operation based on volume, demand, holidays and urgency to complete the AFG Grants application period and processing for FY09.

Next Application period: Summer 2009

The SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency
Response) Grant was created to provide funding
directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter
interest organizations in order to help them increase
the number of trained, "front-line" firefighters available
in their communities.

SAFER Grants Home

Help Desk: 1-866-274-0960 or firegrants@dhs.gov

2008 FP&S application period closed. Next application period: Fall 2009

The Fire Prevention and Safety Grants (FP&S) grants
support projects that enhance the safety of the public
and firefighters from fire and related hazards. The
primary goal is to target high-risk populations,
firefighter safety and mitigate high incidences of death
and injury. Examples of the types of projects supported
by FP&S include fire prevention and public safety
education campaigns, juvenile fire setter interventions,
media campaigns, and arson prevention and awareness
programs.

FP&S Grants Home

Help Desk: 1-866-274-0960 or firegrants@dhs.gov

Stimulus Package

As many of you are aware, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Public Law 111-5) provided FEMA with $510 million dollars in grant funds for the following programs:

$150M for the Port Security Grant Program;
$150M for the Transit Security Grant Program; and
$210M for Fire Station Construction

The Grant Programs Directorate (GPD) of FEMA, which includes the AFG Program Office, has been working closely with a number of stakeholders over the last six weeks to solicit input on how these programs should look. We are very appreciative of all of the good information we've received from a number of constituencies. We have developed draft guidance, which is currently going through leadership review. At present, we plan on announcing these three guidance packages in late May. We will ensure that notification is issued when the Fire Station Construction application becomes available.

Application Period Now Open: Fiscal Year 2009 Assistance to Firefighters Grant

The Department of Homeland Security has posted the FY2009 Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) Program Guidance on the AFG Website. The application period began on Wednesday, April 15, 2009, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). Applications for these grants must be received by Wednesday, May 20, 2009, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

Nationally, the AFG awards, which will be distributed in phases, will ultimately provide approximately $510 million to fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations throughout the country. AFG awards aim to enhance response capabilities and to more effectively protect the health and safety of the public with respect to fire and other hazards. The grants enable local fire departments and emergency medical services organizations to purchase or receive training, conduct first responder health and safety programs, and buy equipment and response vehicles.

An applicant tutorial is now available. The tutorial provides you with valuable grant information and will walk you through the preparation and submittal of competitive applications. In addition, the applicant tutorial will provide an overview of the funding priorities and evaluation criteria. Applicants who have questions regarding the Assistance to Firefighters Grants opportunity should contact the help desk at 1-866-274-0960 or at firegrants@dhs.gov. During the application period, the help desk will operate Monday to Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (EDT) and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., but is prepared to revise hours of operation based on volume and demand.

May 1, 2009
Round 35 of the FY 2008 AFG Awards
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today the thirty-fifth round of Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 Assistance to Firefighters Grants, awarding 3 grants totaling $374 thousand to fire departments within the United States.

May 1, 2009
AFG Federal Register Notice
From the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This Notice provides guidelines that describe the application process for grants and the criteria for awarding grants in the 2009 Assistance to Firefighters Grant program year, as well as an explanation for any differences with the guidelines recommended by representatives of the Nation’s fire service leadership during the annual Criteria Development meeting.

April 24, 2009
Awards for the 2008 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Announced
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today awards for the Fiscal Year 2008 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant (SAFER) awarding 2 grant to fire departments in the United States.

April 22, 2009
AFG Applicant Workshop Presentation Now Available
The Workshop presentation that was presented at the AFG workshops conducted throughout the country by AFG regional representatives is now available. Information was presented on program changes, program priorities, eligibility requirements, and on the application process. Also, general assistance in the writing of a competitive narrative for a department's grant application was discussed.

April 15, 2009
FY 2009 AFG Grants Program Guidance, FAQs and Applicant Tutorial Posted
The Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program Office has posted the Program Guidance, FAQs and Applicant Tutorial for the FY 2009 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG). Applicants are strongly encouraged to review these materials.

June 2008
NFPA 1001/State Equivalent Training Standard for FY2008

In the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG) a stronger emphasis has been placed on the importance of training. In their recommendations to DHS about priorities and areas of emphasis for AFG, fire service representatives have underscored the criticality of having trained firefighters to carry out daily operations. It improves the effectiveness of the operation, it enhances the safety of the firefighter, and it provides interoperability in the sense that similarly trained individuals have similar concepts of operations and expected roles and responsibilities in the incident command. Read More..