90 awards totaling over $9.7 million were awarded to fire departments nationwide on Friday, Mar. 19. Congratulations!
Today's AFGP grant award round was smaller than previous, but remember that award round sizes will vary. This week's round has some notable awards:
$1,000,000 to Blooming Grove Fire Department, Madison, WI, for Equipment
$1,000,000 to Stevens County Fire District #2, Hunters, WA, for Equipment
$625,800 to Manchester Fire Department, Manchester, NH, for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
$261,250 to University Heights Fire Department, University Heights, OH, for Vehicle Acquisition
These are just a few standouts, folks, but it goes to show what a winning application can bring in for your department. A lot of hard work went into these fire grant applications, and it is paying off today!
After a week's hiatus, Round 5 AFG awards have been announced!
300 awards totaling over $19.5 million were awarded to fire departments nationwide on Friday, Mar. 5. Congratulations!
Dear johns? Still no "dear john" rejection letters yet, and no word on when those will start dropping. Keep your hopes up, guys, but remember, there's only so much money to go around. Not everyone can win for 2009, but then again, that's why there's always next year.
Get ready for 2010 AFGP FY2010 AFGP will open for applications in the next few weeks. Regardless of how your department may come out for FY2009 AFGP, now is the time to be working on your objectives for the 2010 program.
Want to get started on fire grants, but not sure how?
I recently sat down with Mary Rose Roberts, Associate Editor at FIRE CHIEF Magazine. We discussed AFGP, other fire grants, and your department's road map to navigating the fire grant application process:
Looks like there won't be an AFG awards round this week, folks, but don't let that get you down.
Check back next Friday, and we'll see if DHS is handing out more fire grant awards. In the meantime, enjoy your weekend, and start getting ready for AFG 2010!
Sometimes people think of grants as something that only big cities get. Grants are for all localities, as shown by the town of Waskom, Texas. With a population of approximately 2,100, Waskom recently won a FEMA grant.
The Marshall News Messenger reports that DHS/FEMA have awarded $39,900 to Waskom VFD/EMS Services, Inc., in Texas. The article says, "The funding can be used for training and support operations, and to purchase firefighter safety and rescue equipment."
Waskom did it, and you can too. Whether your agency or your locality is big or small, there's grant funding out there for you.
475 awards totaling over $41 million were awarded to fire departments nationwide on Friday, Feb. 19. Congratulations!
If you don't see your department's name yet, don't worry. There's still more award rounds to come. Unless you get a "dear john" rejection letter, you're still in the running.
344 awards totaling over $20.3 million were awarded to fire departments nationwide today. Congratulations!
If you don't see your department's name yet, don't worry. There's still more award rounds to come. Unless you get a "dear john" rejection letter, you're still in the running.
665 awards totaling $54.9 million were awarded to fire departments nationwide today. Congratulations!
If you don't see your department's name yet, don't worry. There's still more award rounds to come. Unless you get a "dear john" rejection letter, you're still in the running.
To see the winners list,download this PDF from DHS. (If you just want the awards, skip to page 5. The first few pages cover info on the ARRA Transit Security Grant Program, ARRA Port Security Grant Program and ARRA Fire Station Construction Grants.)
Speaking of the FSC Fire Station Grant
Boy howdy, would I like to see that fire station grant come around again! Fourteen of my past students and clients won $21 million. They will be looking at building new stations during the next 3 years, as a result of this first Fire Station Construction Grant.
Now c'mon Washington D.C., do it again! I dare ya!
This past Friday was a big day for AFG Awards, in both the Operations and Safety (OPS) and Vehicle Acquisition (VEH) categories. Here's a breakdown by the numbers:
Appropriation for 2009:
OPS: $366,150,000 VEH: $141,250,000
Total awards as of Round 1 (announced Jan. 29, 2010):
Waiting for FY2009 AFG awards Another Friday come and gone, and still no AFG awards yet.
To say that my clients and I are frustrated is a gross understatement. You would think that a government that can mount a billion-dollar relief aid effort to Haiti within 72 hours should be able to release the AFG awards on some sort of a timely schedule, especially considering that they have known who those award winners are since a week after Labor Day. So what are we to do?
Unfortunately, no amount of wishful thinking or whining will move the Feds any faster than when they are good and ready to do so. From all indications and early signs, awards will hopefully begin on Jan. 29.
We can only wait and see.
However, that does not mean that fire departments and EMS agencies should be sitting idly by and waiting for news.
Training for FY10 AFG applications In case you haven't noticed, the 2010 AFG application period is right around the corner. Departments should be actively planning their projects and researching now.
This is also a good time to think about getting better educated on the changing world of these fire grants. Regardless of your success or failure rate with AFG or other grant programs, you should be planning to attend a workshop about these grants now. There will only be so much time and so many workshops available for you to attend in the days before the 2010 AFG grant opens for applications. More departments are starting to realize the effects of this poor economy and are seeing it reflected in lower operational budgets. Competition for the reduced funding in 2010 AFG is expected to be higher than ever.
AFG training coming to your area What are the usual areas you see being hit in your budgets? Training, equipment purchases, etc. These are also areas of priority for AFG grants. You will need to have a competitive edge here, and those educated properly will have that edge.
Don't miss me when I get into any regional area where you are located. The full training schedule is located on my website at www.hdgrants.com.
All right everyone, put the champagne back in the fridge for now.
Checking in at the AFG website this morning, there's no new info there. Plus, the general lack of celebration across firefighter message boards says today's not looking like "Eagle has landed" day. Keep those party hats handy though — we're getting there, folks, we're getting there.
Quick reminder, folks: The final deadline for SAFER grant applications is 5 p.m. ET, Friday, January 15, 2010. Dot those "i"s, cross those "t"s and get 'em in!
Here's one for your "must read" list today, folks. The Office of Justice has published their grant funding Program Plan for 2010. Denise Schlegel at PoliceOne.com breaks down the Program Plan into 5 steps that can help you get ahead of the 2010 grants process.
Fire departments take note here. According to Fire Chief.com, this grant could be of use in your efforts to deal with haz-mat calls:
"The application period will remain open until Jan. 18, and is available to government and nonprofit organizations, including fire departments, which often have to respond to hazmat incidents related to pipeline. The program will provide grants up to $50,000 for technical assistance related to the scientific analysis of pipeline safety issues or used for public-information and -education programs."
The new application deadline is Jan. 18. To apply, go to www.grants.gov.
Happy Holidays! As grant awardees go, 2009 looks like it will wind down slowly. While a challenging year for public safety agencies, significant amounts of grant funding have been a welcome bright spot.
A good year for fire grants and police grants 2009 turned out to be a great year for grants, especially for Law Enforcement. Fire departments also got an unexpected bonus this year, with fire station construction grants.
Both Law Enforcement and the Fire Service benefited from the Federal Government's ARRA stimulus grants. At least 12 of my clients were successful with fire station construction grants. They are looking forward to being in new digs before the end of the next 24 months.
Law enforcement got some good reinforcement too. Many agencies were even allowed to hire back some officers that have been laid off. By using the knowledge they had learned, I saw a lot of my clients scoring well on grant applications this year. That knowledge has paid off for many agencies.
Keep an eye out for AFG awards Fire departments with 2009 AFG applications in are seeing preliminary award notifications happening in their applications. This is a positive sign of a good start to 2010.
Grants outlook for 2010 Grant funding still looks healthy for 2010 and beyond, though many departments are going to face this next year with leaner budgets than ever before. It seems as though the budget axe always swings at public safety, first in the areas of training budget. Purchasing new equipment or replacing equipment takes a backseat to other operational issues. The good news, though, is that the grants can take up some of that slack if you know where to look and what to apply for.
During 2010 I expect the competition to be more intense than ever for what grant funding is available. Don’t let yourself be caught on the losing side of that equation. You will need all the help you can get to gain that competitive edge. I have a full schedule of training classes for those seeking to improve or learn the crucial skill sets needed to be successful at writing grants. Don’t miss the opportunity to take those courses when they are near you.
From me here at Homeland Defense Grants, and from all the staff at CHIEF, we wish each of you a better year than this past one has been. Remember, I am here to help you out, and my trusted colleagues at CHIEF are always there to help also.
Fire departments, have you been sweating over how in the heck you were going to get your SAFER grant application done in time for today's deadline? Well, you just got lucky.
New SAFER grant deadline DHS announced on Dec. 17 that they've extended the SAFER application deadline to 5:00 p.m. ET, January 15, 2010. The big thrust came from budget and economic concerns departments discussed with DHS. The new extended deadline allows departments to take new conditions into account. This is good news for departments who were concerned about budget impacts:
During the present difficult economic circumstances being experienced by local jurisdictions, many potential Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant applicants have expressed concern regarding the prohibition against using SAFER funds to supplant local budgets and the Secretary's ability to waive the prohibition. DHS has revisited the existing policy on supplanting for the 2009 SAFER funding cycle. The Secretary has decided that DHS will consider petitions for waivers on supplanting from 2009 grantees on a case-by-case basis and under certain conditions
Holidays, schmolidays — keep working on that application SAFER is already a boon for departments trying to address staffing concerns, and these new guidelines could be a big help to a lot of you. So guys, look, I know Christmas is getting close and you've got shopping to finish, lights to hang, and all that. I'm right there with you. But you just got thrown a bone, don't waste it! Take some time now, before the holidays, and check out how this updated SAFER grant information affects your department. 2010 will roll in before you know it. Following fast will be the new deadline.
Keep an eye on: The clock. And the ball. The new deadline will be here before you know it, so watch the clock and don't let this extra time slip away. Keep your eye on the ball and knock that SAFER grant application out of the park!
Awards begin soon At long last! Looks like the delays are just about at an end on this year's Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) awards. AFG has started posting award numbers to vehicle grant applications on the 2009 AFG awards. That means that the "10 questions" sent to winning departments will be coming out soon, as will the first round of awards.
At the current rate the first award round may be as soon as end of December or very shortly into the new year.
What to look out for Fire apparatus awards usually go out first. This is because fire truck awards involve manufacturing and long lead times. In most cases, a full 8-10 months is required to put the trucks together before delivery, so DHS likes to get apparatus award notices out the door first.
OPS grant notifications should also begin in earnest soon.
The Eagle lands soon Everything that is happening right now is a good sign that awards are about to begin. That is welcome relief and music to my ears. Yours too, I bet.
Get ready, folks! The Eagle has not landed yet — but at least it has left its nest and taken flight!
Oh Where Oh Where Have The AFG Grants Gone, Oh Where Or Where Can They Be?
Yep, a full 5 months behind the 2008 awards release date and still not a word from AFG program headquarters. When they actually start announcing 2009 AFGP grant awards?
We have heard October. Then Thanksgiving. Now we're hearing Christmas. Let's hope Santa's sleigh is stopping by DHS headquarters and loading up a bag of goodies for all our fire and EMS personnel.
Why are AFG awards late this year?
Everyone wants to know why AFG grant awards are late this year and when awards are going to happen. Now, I can't give you the official word, as none exists. But maybe I can shed a little light into this area for you, based on my experience with federal grants.
We all know that the President brought forth the ARRA economic stimulus package as soon as he took office. Within that series of grants was the Fire Station Construction Grant (SCG). BAM! Suddenly, a new grant program for building and constructing fire stations was on the table — the first in about 20 years. Not only that, it came with a quick turnaround time for developing an application.
Boy, did that catch everyone by surprise. Departments scrambled to get positioned to apply, and/or decide if they even had a chance at this program.
The new station grant caught the AFG program office flat-footed as well. With no new personnel, they suddenly had to deal with a new $210 million grant, right smack in the middle of the award process for AFG. Couple that with the new requirements for transparency and reporting requirements never previously required... well, hey, is it any wonder they had their hands full? Oh, by the way, and then here comes the application period for Fire Prevention and Safety Grants (FP&S), plus the application period for Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grants (SAFER)!
Boy howdy, am I ever glad I am not the Program Director at DHS/FEMA right now. They all have their hands full. I imagine sales of antacids and aspirin are not waning at all up on the hill...
The bright side
Delays aside, there is activity afoot. I believe the Eagle is stretching its wings and about to take flight for a boatload of awards to land within the next 30 days.
For those of you skeptical at this point, there is a lot of activity taking place in the technical review side of AFG apps right now. Project budgets in some applications are being lowered and visible if you log in. That activity should be a positive indication that awards will be starting pretty quick.
The best thing to do right now is to keep checking and stay patient. Log in regularly to your AFGP application to check its status, and keep on top of your email inbox. I can't tell you when this year's AFGP awards will start to drop, but I will tell you, they are on the way.
Have you heard anything about your AFG application? When do you think AFG awards will begin? Speak your piece in our Comments section below.
Grants are not easy. There's a maze of funding sources. It takes time to research and write applications. And, by the way, this is on top of your day-to-day duties at the station and in the community.
Grants are not easy, but they are essential. Grants can help a department add new personnel, replace aging equipment, or introduce new gear or programs that wouldn't be possible with current budgets. Your department needs grants, but it's not easy to figure out the why's and how's of getting them.
That's why CHIEF is bringing you our new grants blog. We want to keep you in the know on grants. Where to look for them. How to apply. The tips and tricks that separate a funded grant from the "try again next year" pile.
Once a week, America's leading public safety grants expert, Kurt Bradley, will bring you grant news, advice and commentary. Part of the team at Homeland Defense Grants, Kurt is certified by the National Grant Writers Association as a Senior Grants Specialist, Grants Reviewer, and Grants Consultant. Kurt also has 30 years of law enforcement experience, regularly publishes grant articles and commentaries, and leads national grant-writing seminars for public safety grants.
He's not the only one with something to say about grants, though. Every update on our grants blog has a "comments" area, where you can ask questions and give your 2 cents.
We hope this new blog helps you and your agency in the ongoing quest for winning grants. Want to follow along? It's easy and free to get updates:
Kurt Bradley has helped public safety agencies nationwide win over $123,000,000 in grant awards since 2004. America's leading expert on public safety grants, Kurt is certified by the National Grant Writers Association as a Senior Grants Specialist, Grants Reviewer, and Grants Consultant. Kurt also has 30 years of law enforcement experience, regularly publishes grant articles and commentaries, and leads national grant-writing seminars for public safety grants. Learn more about Kurt, his services and seminars as Homeland Defense Grants.
