SAFER Grant Program Application Period is Open

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The NOFO document provides applicants with the details of the requirements, processing, and evaluation of an application for financial assistance for both of these activity areas.

The Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2016 provides $345,000,000 for the SAFER Grant Program for the Department to assist fire departments and volunteer interest organizations to increase the number of trained, "front line" firefighters available in their communities. 

SAFER grants provide financial assistance to help fire departments increase frontline firefighters. SAFER offers grants to support activities in two categories- Hiring of Firefighters and Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters. The authority for SAFER is derived from the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974, as amended (15 U.S.C. §2229a et seq.).

The NOFO and technical assistance documents for this program are available at www.grants.gov, and at http://www.fema.gov/staffing-adequate-fire-emergency-response-grants. 

The application period will close on Friday, February 10, 2017 at 5 p.m, EST.