Widseth Blog

2020 Assistance to Firefighters Grants

Written by Gail Leverson, MBA, EDFP - Senior Funding Specialist | Sep 11, 2020 5:33:32 PM

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) 2020 Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) application period is coming up. Dates have not been announced yet, but we want to give you a heads-up to start preparing for your application now.

WHO'S ELIGIBLE:

Grants are available for fire departments, nonaffiliated Emergency Medical Service organizations, and State Fire Training Academies.

WHAT IT'S FOR:

The primary goal of the AFG is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and nonaffiliated Emergency Medical Service organizations. Since 2001, AFG has helped firefighters and other first responders to obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources needed to protect the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.

TYPE OF FUNDING:

All funding assistance is provided through grants. Cost sharing requirements for 2020 will be announced when the program opens. In most cases, a 5% local match is required, with a 95% grant provided by the AFG program.

APPLICATION PROCESS AND DEADLINE:

If you are considering applying, now is a great time to make sure you have everything in order.

  • Do you have a DUNS number? Visit http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform to set one up.
  • Is your SAM registration current and what is the expiration date? SAM must be updated every 365 days, so make sure it will be current for the date that you want to apply.
  • Are you registered in FEMA GO?
  • Have you completed your final report for previous AFG awards?
  • Widseth can help you with these tasks. ($100 for SAM registration or FEMA GO assistance. $250 for final report preparation)

RESOURCES:

FEMA AFG Website

FUNDING SUCCESS:

Our team has helped dozens of fire departments successfully secure AFG grants. Here’s the Widseth difference:

  • We work in partnership with your city and fire department to customize your application.
  • We visit each fire department in person.
  • Our team of grant writers is trained on the most current AFG program regulations. We have more than 30 years of combined experience working on AFG applications.

Widseth is committed to rural communities in Minnesota and North Dakota by supporting the safety and fire protection needs of residents.