News
DHS Offers Assistance to Firefighters Grant Workshops
NVFC Collecting Successful Grant Narratives to be Posted Online
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is conducting a schedule of workshops around the country from now through the middle of March to assist fire and EMS departments in applying for funding through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (also known as FIRE Grants). FIRE Grants provide direct assistance to agencies to purchase equipment, apparatus, and training.
“Information will be presented on program changes, program priorities, eligibility requirements, and on the application process,” according to a message posted at www.firegrantsupport.com. “Also, general assistance in the writing of a competitive narrative for a department’s grant application will be discussed.”
For the second consecutive year, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is collecting successful grant narratives from past years and will post them in its AFG and SAFER Grant Narrative Resource Center as a guide for fire and EMS departments applying for FIRE Grants. In addition to the model narratives, the NVFC has posted a grant-writing guide created by DHS.
Applicants should use the posted narratives as a reference only and not plagiarize from them. DHS uses software to detect language recurring in multiple grant applications. Submitting an application that includes false information is a crime punishable by law.
FIRE Grant criteria is reviewed and updated every year based on recommendations from the fire service community. Applicants should review the grant criteria for FY 2008 once it becomes available in order to ensure that their narrative reflects current program priorities. The updated grant criteria will be made available when the application period opens in early March.
The NVFC is asking departments that have received FIRE Grants in the past to submit the narratives from successful applications to be included in the Resource Center. Narratives can be sent to:
National Volunteer Fire Council
c/o Dave Finger, Director of Government Relations
7852 Walker Dr., Suite 450
Greenbelt, MD 20770
Fax: (202) 887-5291 (Attn. Dave Finger)
E-mail: dfinger@nvfc.org
Search
Kimberly Ettinger
Director of Communications
202-887-5700 ext. 19
David Finger
Director of Government Relations
202-887-5700 ext. 12