IMPORTANT UPDATE – November 7, 2024


AFG Notice of Funding Opportunity released.

Application Submission Cycle:
  • Start date: 11.12.24
  • Ending date: 12.20.24

Our Grants Department can help with your submission.

Application Submission Announcement begins from November 2024 to January 2025.

The registration process can take up to four weeks to complete. To ensure an application meets the deadline, applicants are advised to start the required steps well in advance of their submission.

Organizations must have an UEI number, an EIN, an active SAM registration and FEMA GO account to apply for grants.

Application preparation reports and information for submission can take up to 8 weeks. Submission requires a needs assessment report and risk analysis along with other predetermined forms.

FEMA evaluates each application on its merit, veracity, and accuracy to ascertain how the narrative statement(s) outlined within the application depicts the applicant’s and their community’s uniqueness, their particular risks, and how selecting them over a similarly situated applicant advances the objectives of AFG to provide critically needed resources that equip and train emergency personnel to recognized standards, enhance operational efficiencies, foster interoperability, and support community resilience.

Let’s get started now!
  • Previous Grant Cycle application and submission dates:
  • Application Start Date – January 29, 2024
  • Application Submission Deadline – March 8, 2024

Applicant Eligibility Criteria

AGF Program has three activities:

  • Operations and Safety – Training;
  • Vehicle Acquisition; and
  • Regional Projects.

See the funding priorities list marked as “high”, “medium” or “low”. FEMA will fund items and activities with the highest priority first.

Maximum Funding of Previous Awards Cycle:

  • Population of 100,000 or fewer = Up to 1 million
  • Population of 100,001 to 500,000 = Up to 2 million

Cost Share or Match:

  • 20,000 residents or fewer = 5% of grant award
  • 20,000 to 1M residents = 10% of grant award

Economic hardship waivers are available.

Performance Measures:

It is required to collect data to allow FEMA to measure performance of the awarded grant in supporting AFG Program metrics, which are tied to the programmatic objectives and priorities. In its final performance report submitted at closeout, the recipient must submit sufficient information to demonstrate it has met the performance goal as stated in its award.

 
Allocations and Restrictions of Available Grant Funds by Organization Type:
  • Fire Departments: Not less than 25% of available grant funds shall be awarded to career, combination, or volunteer department types (total of 75%).
  • Nonaffiliated EMS Organizations: Not more than 2% of available grant funds shall be collectively awarded to all nonaffiliated EMS organization recipients.
  • Emergency Medical Services Providers: Not less than 3.5% of available grant funds shall fund emergency medical services provided by fire departments and nonaffiliated EMS organizations.
  • State Fire Training Academy: Not more than 3% of available grant funds shall be collectively awarded to all SFTA recipients. Further, not more than $500,000 of available federal grant funds may be awarded per SFTA applicant.
  • Vehicles: Not more than 25% of available grant funds may be used by recipients for the purchase of vehicles. Of that amount, based on stakeholder recommendations, FEMA intends to allocate 10% of the total vehicle funds for ambulances.
  • Micro Grants: The selection of the voluntary Micro Grant option (cumulative federal funding of $75,000) for eligible High Priority Operations and Safety activities does not impact an applicant’s request or participation under the Vehicle Acquisition or Regional projects. Applicants who select Micro Grants under Operations and Safety as a funding opportunity choice may still apply for a Vehicle Acquisition or Regional project. Of the 25% allocated to each of the career, combination, and volunteer departments, FEMA will aim to fund no less than 25% of the allocation for Micro Grants.