|
|
Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grants
| |
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 97.083 |
Program
web site |
http://www.firegrantsupport.com/safer/
|
| Sponsor |
U.S. Department of Homeland Security |
| Deadlines |
September 17, 2010 |
| Purpose |
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Grant Programs Directorate is responsible for the implementation and administration of the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grants. SAFER grants provide financial assistance to help fire departments increase their cadre of frontline firefighters or to rehire firefighters that have been laid off. The goal is to assist local fire departments with staffing and deployment capabilities so they may respond to emergencies whenever they occur, assuring their communities have adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards. SAFER offers grants to support activities in two categories: (1) Hiring of Firefighters and (2) Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters.
Key Changes: As a result of the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) and the Supplemental Appropriation Act, 2009 (P.L. 111-32), the Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grants for the Hiring of Firefighters Activity will be awarded under conditions significantly different from those in effect prior to the passage of these Acts. The content of this Program Guidance and its official issuance reflects the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary’s and FEMA’s implementation of the provisions provided by these Acts. NOTE: These changes ONLY affect the FY 2010 SAFER grants. The new conditions are NOT retroactive to prior year grants nor will they remain in effect beyond FY 2010. Under authorities provided under ARRA and P.L. 111-32, the following requirements are being waived for the FY 2010 SAFER Grant Program:
Salary limits: There are no annual salary limits.
Cost-share: There is no prescribed cost-share.
Retention commitment: Grantees that are rehiring laid off firefighters do not have to commit to retaining the SAFER-funded firefighters. • Period of performance: For Hiring of Firefighters Activity grants, the period of performance has been reduced to 2 years with a commitment to retain the newly hired firefighters for 1 year after the completion of the period of performance.
Attrition of firefighters during the period of performance: FY 2010 grantees who are unable to back-fill firefighting positions that were vacated due to documentable economic hardship may petition FEMA for a waiver of staffing maintenance requirements. In order to qualify for this waiver, the economic hardship must affect the entire public safety sector in your jurisdiction, and not only the fire department.
Under the Hiring of Firefighters Activity, they will distinguish between grants to hire new firefighters and grants to rehire laid-off firefighters, giving applications for the rehiring of firefighters who have been laid off the highest priority over any other hiring request. |
| Eligibility |
County governments
City or township governments
Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification) |
Geographic
coverage |
Nationwide |
Amount of
funding |
Expected Number of Awards: 400
Estimated Total Program Funding: $420,000,000 |
Application
process |
Address to Request Application Package At the start of the application period, an online tutorial will be available for applicants at www.firegrantsupport.com. The online tutorial provides guidance regarding the preparation of a competitive grant application and the SAFER application requirements. All applicants are strongly encouraged to complete the applicant tutorial prior to beginning their application. The tutorial explains the eligible activities by illustrating many of the application screens. It provides tips for navigating the application screens and summarizes the changes in the SAFER grants for FY 2010. In addition, the tutorial provides a review of the lessons learned from previous years. FEMA makes all funding opportunities available through the common electronic “storefront” grants.gov, accessible on the Internet at http://www.grants.gov. If you experience difficulties accessing information or have any questions please call the grants.gov customer support hotline at (800) 518-4726.
A link to the application is available through Grants.gov at: http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do;jsessionid=0gqpMqFL2RGrM0PNSNGhjjZTZNLCs
QL20dnHxcSb6pFHyvjLgZVn!30263611?oppId=56660&mode=VIEW. |
| |
For more information contact:
Grant Programs Directorate (GPD). FEMA GPD’s Grants Management Division will provide fiscal support, including pre- and post-award administration and technical assistance, to the grant programs included in this solicitation. Additional guidance and information can be obtained by contacting the FEMA Call Center at (866) 927-5646 or via e-mail to ASK-GMD@dhs.gov.
SAFER Help Desk. The SAFER program staffs a help desk throughout the application period. The help desk can provide assistance with navigation through the automated application as well as provide programmatic assistance with respect to questions of eligibility. The help desk can be contacted at 1-866-274-0960 or via email at firegrants@dhs.gov. The help desk hours of operation during the application period are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. All times listed are eastern daylight times.
FEMA Regional Fire Program Specialists. Each of the FEMA Regions has specialists that can assist applicants with the application process. Interested parties may contact the SAFER helpdesk for information on the nearest regional specialists. Summaries of funding programs are provided by RAC for your convenience. Please contact the funder directly for the most complete and current information. |
|
