The Volunteer Fire Capacity (VFC) Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, makes funding available to rural fire departments. This federal funding is passed through and administered by the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC)
Donor Name: The Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation
State: Montana
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 06/02/2026
Size of the Grant: Not Available
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service, administers the Volunteer Fire Capacity (VFC) Grant Program. The VFC program was established to enhance the capacity and capability of fire departments serving rural areas and communities by providing funding for the purchase of wildland firefighting equipment and suppression supplies. These fire districts play a critical role in protecting rural communities and serve as key partners in the cooperative suppression of wildland fires.
The VFC grant has been an excellent resource for local fire organizations, and encourage your participation. These grants have certainly benefited all 56 counties within Montana.
Eligible Projects
Approved Projects
- Wildland Training for Department Personnel
- Wildland Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Wildland Equipment and Water Handling
- Radio Communications (P25 Compliant)
- Fire Department Organization and Planning.
- Formation of a NEW rural or volunteer fire district
Unapproved Projects
- Any single item costing $9,999.99 or more will not be eligible for grant funding consideration.
- Construction or improvement of fire stations for housing equipment, normal operational expenses and maintenance do not qualify for VFC funds.
- Structural PPE and equipment.
- Boots
- Medical supplies and equipment
Eligibility Criteria
- A rural fire department which is defined as “an organized, not for profit, fire protection organization that provides service primarily to a community or city with a population of 10,000 or less to a rural area, as defined by the Secretary of Agriculture, whose firefighting personnel is 80 percent or more volunteer, and that is recognized as a fire department by the laws of the State. 16 U.S.C. 2106.
- Area fire departments (fire districts, townships, etc.) may serve an aggregate population of greater than 10,000 if the service area of the fire department includes a rural area or rural community having a population of 10,000 or less. The VFC 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 borders of the county or town may qualify if 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 VFC 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 VFC 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 VFC 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 VFC financial assistance.
Requirements
- National Fire Incident Reporting (NFIRS) compliant by reporting ALL fire occurrences to NFIRS as required by Montana Law (ARM 23.12.402).
- National Incident Management System (NIMS) compliant.
- At the time of application for a VFC grant, the applicant must be registered in Systems for Award Management (SAM) and hold an active registered Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).
- Taxpayer/Federal Identification Number (TIN)/Employer Identification Number (EIN).
- Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion – Lower Tier Covered Transactions, Form AD-1048.
- Each Grantee must certify that no vendor or contractor debarred or suspended from being able to work under a federal grant, according to the terms of 2 CFR Part 180, has received any money under this grant project by signing the Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion – Lower Tier Covered Transactions, Form AD-1048.
- Financial assistance on any project requires a non-federal match for project expenditures. The funding must be matched on a 10 percent basis (90% VFC-10% match).
- Purchase(s) must be made following the date of the last signature to the VFC grant agreement and ends on the agreement’s expiration date. No purchase(s) may be made prior to the date of the last signature to the VFC grant agreement will be eligible for reimbursement.
For more information, visit TMDNRC.
