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FEMA announced $648 million in three funding opportunities to help firefighters and other first responders stay safe while protecting lives and communities nationwide. Through these three funding opportunities, FEMA is empowering fire stations and other first responder organizations to get the equipment, staff and support they need.
The funding opportunities span three separate grant programs:
- FEMA will award $291.6 million though Assistance to Firefighters Grants to fire departments and other emergency medical services agencies. Recipients can use the money to acquire personal protective equipment and emergency response vehicles. They can also use it to fund health, wellness and resiliency initiatives to prepare responders for incidents.
- FEMA will award $324 million in Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response funding to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations. Recipients can use this money to pay salaries for firefighters, enabling them to stay well-staffed. They can also use the money to train and recruit more people into the fire service.
- FEMA will award $32.4 million through the Fire Prevention and Safety Grant Program to fire departments and non-profit organizations, academic and other research-oriented institutions. Recipients can use this money to fund research and clinical studies focused on community fire prevention and firefighter safety, health and well-being.
The application period for all three grant programs opened today, May 19, and will close on June 22.
Eligible applicants can review the full funding opportunities for all three programs on Grants.gov. Before applying, review the various resources published on FEMA's Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program webpage, which will help you develop strong applications.
FEMA is currently accepting applications for the Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025 Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) funding opportunity. Through this program, FEMA is making $1 billion in federal funding available to state, local, tribal and territorial governments, empowering them to take decisive, proactive steps to protect their communities from disasters like fires, floods, earthquakes and hurricanes.
FEMA recently held two national webinars to provide an overview of the funding opportunity. These sessions covered eligibility requirements and application guidance for states, local communities, and tribal and territorial governments.
Watch the Fiscal Year 2024 and 2025 BRIC webinars at the links below:
The deadline to submit applications is Thursday, July 23.
Interested applicants and subapplicants may review the Notice of Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov. For a summary of the Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025 funding opportunity, refer to this fact sheet.
For more information on the BRIC program, applicants should contact their FEMA Regional Office or visit the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities webpage.
On May 13, FEMA announced more than $237 million to reimburse states, local, tribal and territorial governments for expenses related to previous natural disasters.
The funds will be distributed through FEMA's Public Assistance Program to support 61 projects across the country. This money is disbursed to states and local communities who are best positioned to know how these funds should be most effectively spent. These projects include repairs to critical infrastructure, restoration of public buildings, road repairs and reimbursement for costs incurred to ensure public health and safety after a disaster.
Four additional projects are funded from FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which empowers states, local, tribal and territorial governments to complete projects that prevent, eliminate or reduce disaster-related damage.
These projects are the latest examples of billions of dollars in disaster recovery provided by FEMA to support state and local communities as they rebuild from natural disasters. FEMA will continue to work with state, local, tribal and territorial governments to streamline recovery funding for past natural disasters.
Learn more and view examples of approved projects in the press release at: FEMA Approves Additional $237 Million to Help Rebuild Communities Affected by Disasters
On May 13, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced more than $5.4 billion to reimburse states, local governments and health facilities for their costs to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The funds will be distributed through FEMA's Public Assistance Program to support 458 projects across the country. Four additional projects are funded through FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
In alignment with President Donald J. Trump’s executive order establishing the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, FEMA conducted thorough reviews of claimed costs to identify duplication of benefits, specifically with patient care revenue. These actions help ensure that the COVID-19 Public Assistance funds being obligated are consistent with the executive order’s focus on preventing fraud, waste and abuse. Based on these reviews, FEMA is confident that the costs being reimbursed are eligible and not fraudulent.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, every state, territory and the District of Columbia received a major disaster declaration. Under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, hazard mitigation is available for all eligible mitigation activities that reduce risk to people and property from future disasters.
FEMA remains focused on closing out pending COVID-19 projects as the recovery phase for this disaster has continued far beyond the agency’s timeline. While delays over the past six years have caused setbacks, this unprecedented disaster continues to outpace other disasters of similar size and scope. FEMA will continue to work with Public Assistance applicants to ensure proper documentation of COVID-19 expenses and confirm that claimed activities are consistent with program eligibility criteria.
Learn more and view examples of approved projects in the press release at: FEMA Approves More Than $5.4 Billion in Recovery Funding
After Super Typhoon Sinlaku disrupted critical communications across the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), voluntary, territorial and federal partners came together to deliver life-sustaining communications equipment and technical assistance.
The Information Technology Disaster Resource Center donated generators, communications trailers, radios and technical support equipment to help restore emergency communications and support ongoing response operations. CNMI Homeland Security and Emergency Management worked closely with FEMA to coordinate the transport of these donated resources from Fort Worth, Texas, to Saipan, CNMI.
The effort highlighted the power of strong partnerships during disasters, especially with organizations such as the Information Technology Disaster Resource Center that bring specialized expertise and trusted community relationships together. While the donated equipment is being utilized to support immediate response needs, it will remain on the island to strengthen CNMI’s long-term communications resilience and preparedness for future disasters.
To learn more about the critical partnerships helping CNMI's road to recovery and other partnership stories, read the full Voluntary Agency Liaison Snapshot (VAL) report.
To receive the monthly VAL newsletter, subscribe at GovDelivery.
After Helene struck Western North Carolina in September 2024, a recovered American flag from the Rocky Broad River became a powerful symbol of resilience for the local community and first responders. On his first official visit to Western North Carolina, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin joined FEMA officials to meet with first responders impacted by the storm and recognize their perseverance.
Three weeks later, FEMA Region 4 Acting Regional Administrator Robert Ashe returned to the area to present the framed flag to Chimney Rock Volunteer Fire Chief and Lake Lure Deputy Fire Chief Chris Melton and his team, highlighting ongoing support for recovery.
Read the story and watch the video on the FEMA blog: A Rescued Flag, A Symbol of Recovery, Finds its Home
Join FEMA Today for the May Business and Industry Call
FEMA’s Office of Business, Industry and Infrastructure Integration hosts monthly business and industry calls to update organizations and FEMA partners on the tools available during all stages of the disaster lifecycle.
Webinar Details:
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Date: Tuesday, May 19
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Time: 3-4 p.m. ET
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Location: Virtual
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Registration Link: FEMA Zoom Webinar
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Submit Comments on the FEMA Review Council Recommendation Report by June 8
On May 7, the FEMA Review Council approved its final report. The recommendations result from approximately a year of meetings, deliberations and public input. They focus on empowering state, local, tribal and territorial governments to assume control over their disaster management and recovery efforts.
The FEMA Review Council members, appointed by President Donald J. Trump, conducted a thorough review of FEMA. Comprised of top disaster response experts, including individuals from states ravaged by recent natural disasters, the Council provided actionable recommendations to streamline federal response to national emergencies. The report and all Council documents are available at DHS.gov/FEMA-Review-Council.
The report provides recommendations to the President. The public can submit comments on the report until Monday, June 8, on the Federal Register website: Federal Register: Federal Emergency Management Agency Review Council; Notice of Meeting.
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Submit or Update Your Flood Mitigation Assistance Application by August 6
Up to $600 million is available to states, local communities, tribes and territories to reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings insured under the National Flood Insurance Program.
The funding opportunity was originally published on January 6, 2025. Then on April 30, FEMA published an amendment to the funding opportunity that incorporates recent federal guidance and aligns with overarching national goals.
Applicants have until Thursday, August 6 at 3 p.m., to submit or revise and re-submit their application to FEMA. Applications received after this deadline will not be considered. Learn more about this funding opportunity and its recent amendments.
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