Creative Funding - Using Grants to Support Your Department's Training Needs

Funding is a critical issue in the fire service and among EMS providers. Since local government budgets are extremely tight, it is important for personnel to learn how to find, and successfully apply for, grant opportunities.

While there are a number of different agencies that provide grant funding, perhaps the most recognized is the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (www.firegrantsupport.com). To date, in 2009, FEMA awarded $775 million in funding, including $530 million for the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG), $210 million to Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) and $35 million for Fire Prevention & Firefighter Safety Research and Development (FP&S).

AFG Grants
AFG grants primarily meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments. Since 2001, the grants have helped fire departments obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training and other resources to protect the public and fire personnel from fire and related hazards.

SAFER Grants
SAFER grants were created to provide departments directly with funding in order to increase the number of trained “front-line” firefighters in their communities—with the ultimate goal of enabling these departments to comply with the staffing, response and operational mandates enacted by the NFPA and OSHA.

FP&S
FP&S grants support projects that enhance the safety of the public and firefighters from health-related hazards. The grants target high risk populations to mitigate high incidences of death and injury. These grants generally fund fire prevention and public safety education programs, juvenile fire setter intervention programs, media campaigns, as well as arson prevention and awareness programs.

In addition to the FEMA program, other organizations offer grants to fire and EMS departments, including:

• State governments
• Local governments
• Private agencies (such as non-profit associations)

For more resources on these types of grants, visit www.firegrantshelp.com or
www.firerescue1.com/fire-grants-help.

Knowledge is Key to Improving Grant Potential

As you research the available opportunities, one thing to keep in mind are the specific needs of your department—as many grants are designed to match needs, requiring the applicants to clearly demonstrate the need in order to even be considered for the grant.

Once you have determined your department’s need and eligibility for a particular grant, preparing a strong application is the next step. Although many grants are available, the demands of fire departments everywhere are great, creating a competitive application process.

Writing a Winning Proposal

Each grant application requires different information and it is important to clearly read the instructions and completely answer all of the questions asked. If a specific proposal format is not required, then it is recommended that the grant application include these eight components:

• Proposal summary – Outlining the project goals
• Organization introduction – Providing a broad overview of the organization (used to establish credibility)
• Problem statement or needs assessment – Clearly stating the reason the grant is needed
• Project objectives – Explaining the desired goals and outcomes
• Project methods or design – Showing a well-thought, reasonable plan of action
• Project evaluation – Detailing the expected outcomes
• Future funding – Demonstrating continuity
• Project budget – Explaining the budget

Narratives should be clear and concise. Keep in mind that those who give the grants have a lot of proposals to review. Where possible, use concrete numbers and examples.

When it comes down to it, the key to winning the grant is making the application as strong as possible.