- NOFO Title and Funding Number: Fiscal Year 2025 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program
- Funding Opportunity Number: DHS‑25‑GPD‑083‑00‑99
- Agency: U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Grant Programs Directorate
- Deadline for Proposals: June 22, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time
- Grant Amount: Not fixed per award (varies based on project scope and staffing needs). Funding supports multi‑year personnel costs and recruitment/retention activities.
- Total Program Available Funding: $324,000,000
- Match Required: Yes (for Hiring Activity only):
- 25% non-Federal match in Years 1–2
- 65% non-Federal match in Year 3
- No match required for Recruitment & Retention (R&R) Activity
- Purpose of Funding: The SAFER Grant Program provides funding to help fire departments increase the number of trained firefighters and improve staffing levels.
- The program supports:
- Hiring new full-time firefighters
- Converting part-time or paid-on-call firefighters to full-time positions
- Recruiting and retaining volunteer firefighters
- The program is designed to help communities meet national staffing standards (NFPA 1710/1720), improve emergency response capabilities, and enhance overall public and firefighter safety.
- Eligibility: Eligible applicants include:
- Fire departments (career, volunteer, and combination)
- National, regional, state, local, or Tribal nonprofit organizations representing volunteer firefighters (for R&R activity only)
- Ineligible applicants include:
- Federal agencies, for-profit organizations, and individuals
- Standalone EMS organizations or entities without fire suppression responsibility
Link to more information: https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/firefighters/safer
Website To View Current Postings: https://akfederalfunding.org/grant-opportunities/