Rules & Tools | FEMA.gov

This section provides quick access to popular links on the AFG web site. This section is intended for fire departments and nonaffiliated Emergency Medical Service organizations (EMS).

Frequently Asked Questions

Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG)

Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grants (SAFER)

Fire Prevention & Safety (FP&S) Grants

System for Award Management (SAM) Registration is Required to Apply or Receive a Grant Award

Applicants that have not completed the SAM registration process, or have not completed the required annual renewal and revalidation of data, will not be able to draw grant funds. Please click here to complete the SAM registration as soon as possible. For questions about SAM, contact your State Assigned Grants Management Specialists
As part of the SAM.gov registration process, every eligible grantee must have their SAM.gov account validated through the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and have their CAGE (Commercial and Government Entity) code validated in order to be eligible for award. These validations are conducted as part of the registration process after the organization has submitted their SAM.gov registration. A valid SAM.gov registration is now also required for any payment or amendment request to an existing, open award.
SAM.gov is administered through the Government Services Administration (GSA). Technical assistance may be obtained through the Federal Service Desk at 866-606-8220.

AFG Economic Hardship Waiver Policy

The purpose of this guidance is to provide AFG and FP&S grantees with guidance on requesting a waiver or reduction of their non-federal funds cost share requirement, maintenance of effort requirement, or both, in cases of demonstrated economic hardship (an "Economic Hardship Waiver"). This guidance provides the minimum requirements for eligibility to request an Economic Hardship Waiver and the process and mechanism for requesting an Economic Hardship Waiver.

Please contact the AFG Program Help Desk with questions or comments by calling 1-866-274-0960 or email at firegrants@dhs.gov.

Environmental Historic Preservation

Environmental Historic Preservation (EHP) Screening Form

This form is designed to initiate and facilitate the environmental and historic preservation (EHP) compliance review for your FEMA preparedness grant-funded project(s). FEMA conducts its EHP compliance reviews in accordance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other EHP-related laws and executive orders. Learn more
There is no need to complete and submit this form if the grant scope is limited to planning, management and administration, classroom-based training, tabletop exercises and functional exercises or purchase of mobile and portable equipment where no installation is needed.
Information Bulletin 345, Grant Programs Directorate Programmatic Environmental Assessment, September 1, 2010, provides details on these activities please visit www.fema.gov/grants/grant-programs-directorate-information-bulletins

Grants Management Assistance

AFG Grants Management Guide
SF-425 Federal Financial Report Filing Instructions
Closeout Tutorial
Excess Funds Worksheet For Grantees (PDF 181 KB, TXT 5.13 KB)
Return of Funds to FEMA Form

All AFG grantees must return any grant funds left unused (plus interest earned on federal funds) to FEMA. To return leftover grant funds, grantees must complete and attach the "Return of Funds to FEMA" Form with any remittance. Unused grant funds can occur when:
- A balance of grant funds exists after all submitted payment requests have been processed
- A balance of grant funds exists because some grant funds were not requested prior to the end of the grantee's Period of Performance.
To return grant funds that remain in the organization's bank account after all expenses have been paid, grantees must complete and submit the "Return of Funds to FEMA Form" with a refund check.

Other Resources

Last Updated:

11/02/2016 - 08:14