The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is now accepting applications for the Volunteer Fire Assistance grant funding to help rural fire departments protect public safety and natural resources.
Donor Name: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
State: New York
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 11/15/2023
Size of the Grant: Up to $2,500
Details:
The Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant (VFA) program is made possible by the Federal Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978. The grant is a 50/50 matching funds program. Its purpose is to make funds available to fire departments in rural areas and rural communities for the purchase of eligible wildland firefighting suppression equipment such as portable pumps, portable backpack pumps, firefighting hand tools, fire hose, approved lightweight fire-resistant clothing, hard hats, turnout gear, PPE (personal protective equipment), portable radios, portable generators, chainsaws and dry hydrant installation.
The Volunteer Fire Assistance grant program is funded by the U.S. Forest Service and administered by DEC Forest Rangers.
Only expenses directly related to wildland firefighting suppression efforts are eligible for funding. These include the purchase of portable pumps, portable backpack pumps, hand tools, fire hose, approved lightweight fire-resistant clothing, hard hats, turnout gear, portable radios, generators, and dry hydrants. Expenditures not directly related to firefighting, such as search and rescue, acquisition of land, construction of buildings and facilities, major apparatus purchases, and maintenance items are not eligible for funding.
Eligible fire departments:
- those that serve a single town with a population under 10,000;
- those that serve multiple communities, one of which is a rural town of less than 10,000 residents; and
- fire departments in towns with a population of 10,000 or more that meet the application requirements.
Funding Information
- The Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant program is funded by the U.S. Forest Service and administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (The Department). New York State was named a grant recipient of $976,622 for the 2023 federal fiscal year.
- Fire departments eligible to apply may receive grant funding up to $2,500 for the purchase of firefighting equipment. 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.
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.
For more information, visit DEC.
