From our family to yours
No matter where you are or how you’re observing the season this year, all of us at First Responder Grants wish you and yours a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
– First Responder Grants
Wishing you a safe and happy Thanksgiving
Law Enforcement: Build up your grant with arrest data
Check out OJP’s Arrest Data Analysis Tool
This dynamic data analysis tool allows you to generate tables and figures of arrest data from 1980 onward. You can view national arrest estimates, customized either by age and sex or by age group and race, for many offenses. This tool also enables you to view data on local arrests.
Use this data to back up the case you’re making in your grants!
FEMA announces 2020 grant updates, opening dates for AFG, FP&S, and SAFER
Get ready for 2020 AFG, FP&S, and SAFER! FEMA is releasing details for upcoming grants. Start getting ready, but remember, dates and details are subject to change. Stay tuned!
AFG
- FY 2020 AFG will open in late November 2020 (possibly Nov. 23 or Nov. 30)
- The application period is expected to run through the holidays and close during the first week of January 2021.
- NOFO is expected to be released soon, and be similar to the 2019 NOFO
- Yes, you can hit “print!” AFG applications can be printed: Go in FEMA GO, pull up your application, and press CTRL-P
FP&S
- FY 2020 Fire Prevention & Safety grant program will open in January of 2021
- NOFOs when available can be found at www.fema.gov/firegrants
- Deadline is expected to be in February 2021.
FEMA does not yet know the parameters of the FY 2020 grant programs.
SAFER
- FY 2020 SAFER grant program open in February of 2021
- In consideration of the economic impact of the pandemic, FEMA has also authorized waivers for certain provisions of the FY20 SAFER Grant Program
- Expected deadline is during March 2021
- No cost match expected
- Departments may be able to to apply to restore firefighters laid off due to the COVID pandemic
FEMA also says…
All AFG, SAFER and Fire Prevention applications and grant awards will be through the new FEMA GO system.
- MOST IMPORTANT – Make sure that your SAM.GOV registration is and remains ACTIVE during the period of performance of your grant.
- ALSO IMPORTANT – PLEASE be sure to update SAM and FEMA GO if there are changes in your AOR. (Authorized Organization Representative)
- Make sure your FEMA GO registration is good to go NOW.
Questions? Need help with your fire grants?
Grant rejection?
Make your next grant more competitive
You did the work. Filed the grant. Waited. And waited…
Only to get a “no thanks, try again next time” letter. Getting one of these “dear john” letters can really make your heart sink. All that work. All that hope.
Was it all for nothing?
No.
Look, grants are hard. No matter how compelling your narrative, no matter how good your data, no matter how big your need, there are no guarantees. Not every application is going to be a winner.
There’s only one thing you can do.
Dust yourself off.
Take a breath.
Say whatever, ahem, “special words” you need to say.
And then?
Get ready for the next grant.
But… how?
Maybe your narrative wasn’t as solid as you thought. Maybe there was a crucial bit of data missing. Maybe your request needed to be higher-priority equipment. Maybe you didn’t make the deadline.
Grants are hard. There no guarantees. Whatever happened, you can do a better job next time, with our help. We can coach you on your grant, help you craft a better narrative, work with you on the data, and maybe—just maybe—skip the ole’ “dear john” rejection letter…
And instead find yourself in the winner’s circle.
Are you ready to write your best grant?
Closing Soon: AFG-S 2 FY 2020 COVID 19 For Volunteer/Combination Departments
Supplemental AFG-S Application Period Ends Nov. 13, 2020, at 5 p.m. ET
Reminder from FEMA! The second AFG-S COVID-19/coronavirus application period closes soon!
Ask the Help Desk
See commonly asked questions about the AFG-S 2 application below:
Question 1. Item eligibility: Are items such as self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), EMS jackets/pants, decontamination equipment, personnel costs, and fitness equipment eligible under the grant?
Answer: The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) specifies the type of PPE that is applicable under the grant, and can be found below or in the chart on page 26 of the NOFO.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) List – Funding Priorities
COVID-19 Response
- Eye Protection – Appropriately fitted, indirectly vented goggles or single use disposable face shield that fully covers the front and sides of the face.
- Isolation Gowns – Nonsterile, single use fluid-resistant and impermeable patient isolation gown.
- Protective Coveralls – 360-degree protection of whole body, including the back, lower legs and feet.
- Gloves – Patient examination gloves.
- Footwear Covers – Single use, disposable medical footwear covers.
- Respirators – Any NIOSH-approved particulate respirator (i.e., N-95 or higher-level respirator). Includes the purchase of filters appropriate for use.
- Surgical Type Face Masks – loose-fitting, single use disposable physical barrier between the mouth and nose of the wearer to allow fire and EMS personnel to meet CDC recommendations and/or state mandates for face covering when in a public setting other than direct patient contact.
- Other supplies are also eligible, however will be considered a lower priority than items listed above. Examples include:
- Decontamination supplies and services for PPE, station-quarters, and vehicles.
- Replacement High-Efficiency Particulate Air filters and other types of disposable filtration supplies used on EMS respiratory and/or ventilator equipment.
- Personally-issued antiseptic hand washes, antiseptic hand rubs such as alcohol-based hand sanitizers , foams or gels, and reasonable refill supply.
Questions 2. Item classification: How much leeway is there classifying an item under a category? – For example, whether EMS jackets/pants would correlate to “coveralls” in the NOFO?
Answer: It depends. The eligible items are specific to the authorization language, which only allows for the purchase of PPE used in response or preparation of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency. Applicants would need to justify how the purchase of the PPE directly relates to the COVID-19 response.
Question 3. Reimbursement: How can I get reimbursed for supplies I have already purchased?
Answer: Reimbursements are eligible for the purchase of PPE dating back to Jan 1, 2020. However, the items must also align with the eligible items list; see chart above.
APPLICATION PORTAL
The AFG-S 2 grant program application is available online through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program’s FEMA GO (FEMA Grants Outcomes) application portal at https://go.fema.gov.
All users have their own FEMA GO account. Each account is specific to the authorized user and must not be shared with other personnel. A FEMA GO Account Creation User Guide can be viewed on the AFGP website or downloaded to your computer. An application number will be assigned when the application is started. Be sure to write it down for future reference.
NOTE: When completing the Applicant Information section, the “applicant name” should be the name of the fire department or organization applying for the grant, not the name of the person who is completing the application.
To start the application process, we recommend that you review the AFG-S 2 NOFO and Application Technical Assistance Tools found on the AFG website under Guidance Documents.
USDA Community Connect Grants
Rural broadband internet grants up to $3 million
Funding Opportunity Number: RDRUS-CC-2021
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.863
Grant Deadline: Dec. 23, 2020
Bring broadband internet to rural communities
The Community Connect provides financial assistance to eligible applicants that will provide broadband service in rural, economically-challenged communities where service does not exist.
What this grant does for your agency
Rural areas that lack any existing broadband speed of at least 10 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps upstream are eligible.
Funds may be used for the construction, acquisition, or leasing of facilities, spectrum, land or buildings used to deploy broadband service for:
- All residential and business customers located within the Proposed Funded Service Area (PFSA)
- All participating critical community facilities (such as public schools, fire stations, and public libraries)
The cost of providing broadband service free of charge to the critical community facilities for 2 years.
Less than 10% of the grant amount or up to $150,000 may be used for the improvement, expansion, construction or acquisition of a community center that provides online access to the public.
Matching funds of at least 15% from non-federal sources are required and can be used for operating costs.
Agencies awarded the USDA Community Connect Grants receive $100,000 to $3,000,000 in grant funding.
Only a limited number of grants will be awarded.
Grant Eligibility
For full eligibility details, see the Grant Guidelines. Eligible applicants include:
- Incorporated organizations
- Federally-recognized Tribes
- State and local units of government
- Any other legal entity, including cooperatives, private corporations, or limited liability companies organized on a for-profit or not-for-profit basis
About USDA Rural Development
USDA Rural Development is committed to helping improve the economy and quality of life in rural America. More
Grant Deadline
Grant applications are due no later than 11:59 p.m. EST, Dec. 23, 2020.
Apply
Grant resources: Reliable data about kids and families
KIDS COUNT data can help grants that may benefit children in your jurisdiction
KIDS Count is a great resource for Juvenile Justice statistical research for your area and for comparisons regarding other geographical areas of the U.S.
The data can be viewed in the form of profiles, rankings, or raw data.
Created by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Kids Count has compiled indicators of child well-being from U.S. Census data and other sources, and created an interactive online database:
Need help writing and managing grants?
New FEMA Grant File Documentation and Recordkeeping Tool
Get to know these Grant File Documentation and Recordkeeping Tools
FEMA’s Grant Programs Directorate (GPD), Grants Management Technical Assistance (GMTA) program launched the Grants Management Digital Resource Center in partnership with the Emergency Management Institute (EMI), to provide information and resources to support the grants management lifecycle. These tools are for Non Federal Entities (NFE) who receive federal financial assistance from FEMA.
The Grant File Documentation and Recordkeeping Tools is a new tool that has been added. This tool includes:
- Grant File Management Guide
- Organizational Template
- Checklist
Tools have been created to highlight documentation management and retention practices for NFE’s to follow. These tools also recommend different types of documents that NFE’s may need to track the lifecycle of their grants.
FEMA encourages you to explore this page/site and share relevant resources with recipients and stakeholders as appropriate. GMTA will continue to update the Digital Resource Center at https://training.fema.gov/grantsmanagement/ with new information and resources, so check back often to see what has been added.
For any questions, please contact: FEMA-GPD-Training@fema.dhs.gov
ATTENTION all FY 2018 SAFER grantees
Changes in SAFER grant reporting requirements
Good news for SAFER grantees!
FEMA is delaying the timelines for required reports that FY 2018 SAFER grantees are responsible for submitting:
“Submittal of the Federal Financial Report (SF-425) and Quarterly Performance Reports will be completed within the FEMA GO system and is deferred until the system functionality has been successfully deployed. Recipients will be provided with a timeline for submission of these reports as soon as it is available.”
Need help writing and managing grants?
Volunteer and Combination Fire Departments only: AFG-S Round 2 Fire Grant Application Period Open Oct. 6-Nov. 13, 2020
FY 2020 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program – COVID 19 Supplemental (AFG-S)
FEMA is providing a second opportunity for volunteer and combination fire departments to apply for funding under the Fiscal Year 2020 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program – COVID 19 Supplemental (AFG-S):
- Through this AFG-S Round 2 funding opportunity, FEMA will directly award funding for personal protective equipment (PPE) and other supplies to support coronavirus (COVID-19) response.
- This includes reimbursement for applicable PPE expenditures made since Jan. 1, 2020.
- Grants will be awarded, using a competitive process, to applicants whose requests best address the priorities of the AFG-S grant opportunity.
The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is available for $31 million in funding for the Fiscal Year 2020 Assistance to Firefighters Grant – COVID-19 Supplemental Program (AFG-S) to help provide personal protective equipment to firefighters and first responders who are managing emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
FEMA will begin accepting AFG-S applications at 8 a.m. ET on Tuesday October 6, 2020. The application period will close at 5 p.m. ET on Nov. 13, 2020 .The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program Office (AFGP) has developed tools to help potential applicants plan their AFG-S application ahead of the application period. These documents can be viewed on the AFGP website at FY 2020 AFG-S COVID-19 Guidance Documents (https://www.fema.gov/media-collection/fy-2020-assistance-firefighters-grant-program-covid-19-supplemental-afg-s) and/or downloaded to your computer.
FY 2020 AFG-S Notice of Funding Opportunity
Cost Share Calculator: This calculator will help you understand and determine your organization’s cost share for AFG-S grants
Key Questions about the FY20 AFG-S Round 2 application
Why are only volunteer and combination fire departments eligible in round 2?
By law, 25 percent of available AFG-S funds must be awarded to volunteer fire departments and another 25 percent must be awarded to combination fire departments. This second application period will be limited to those categories of fire departments to fulfill this requirement.
Can my department apply again?
Volunteer and combination fire departments are eligible to apply in the FY20 AFG-S Round 2 even if they were awarded a grant under the first application period of the FY20 AFG-S. However, such applications must support new capabilities. Departments that applied in the first application period but were unsuccessful must reapply to be considered for funding in this second application period. Applications from the first application period will not automatically carry forward to Round 2 for automatic consideration.
Application Portal
The online application is available through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program’s FEMA Grants Outcomes (FEMA GO) portal at https://go.fema.gov.
All users need their own FEMA GO account. Each account is specific to the authorized user and must not be shared with other personnel. A FEMA GO Account Creation User Guide can be viewed on the AFGP website or downloaded to your computer.
An application number will be assigned when the application is started. Be sure to write it down for future reference.
NOTE: When completing the Applicant Information section of the application, the “applicant name” should be the name of the fire department applying for the grant, not the name of the person who is completing the application.
FEMA GO is compatible with Internet Explorer (version 11 or higher), Firefox (version 73 or higher), or Chrome (version 80 or higher). Users who attempt to use tablet type devices or other browsers may encounter issues with using FEMA GO.
AFG-S Round 2 Webinars
Please see FEMA’s Webinar Schedule page for information on upcoming live webinars related to the AFG-S application. Webinars will be offered on various dates through the month of October. The presentations will outline important information and reminders about program priorities, eligible costs, how to navigate the grant application, and tips for preparing an AFG-S application.
SAM.gov Refgistration
SAM.GOV REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR AND RECEIVE GRANTS
All eligible applicants must be registered and active in the System for Award Management (SAM) before they can both begin and submit an application. Per 2 CFR § 25.205, FEMA may not make an award to an entity until the entity has complied with the requirements to provide a valid DUNS number and maintain an active SAM.gov registration with current information. SAM.gov consolidates federal procurement systems and the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA). To register, or validate your information, please visit: https://www.sam.gov/
Find more information on this funding opportunity at https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/firefighters