Grants for Fire Departments
Last updated October 19, 2026
Grantable tracks 123 active grants for fire departments in its free grants database, drawn from federal, state and foundation sources and updated daily. 1 of them have a verified open deadline or accept applications on a rolling basis. 49 list an award amount, with a median of $10K.
- Grants tracked
- 123
- from 88 funders
- Median award
- $10K
- middle half $2,500–$25K
- Total listed funding
- $9.1M
- across 49 grants that list an amount
- Rolling deadlines
- 4
- 8 with a published date
On this page: Federal State Foundation · Updated daily
Find the grants for fire departments matched to your org
Free, no account to start — Grantable's AI ranks all 123 on mission, geography, and award size in a few minutes.
| ★ | Grant |
|---|---|
| FY27 Small Equipment Grant State Fire Marshal · State Nov 30, 2026 · Varies Provides up to $50,000 for the purchase of small firefighting and ambulance equipment. Funding shall be used exclusively for the equipment approved for purchase. | |
| VFCF Best Practices in Fire Service Health & Safety Award Virginia Fire Chiefs Association Inc Co James H Johnson · Foundation ~December · $500 This awards program recognizes the health & safety efforts of Virginia fire and rescue departments. The VFCF will honor one formally established department within Virginia in each of the following categories: | |
| Virginia Fire Chiefs Foundation Memorial Scholarship Virginia Fire Chiefs Association Inc Co James H Johnson · Foundation ~December · Up to $3K Provides financial assistance for educational and professional development in the fire/EMS and public safety fields. | |
| Best Practices in Fire Service Health & Safety Award Virginia Fire Chiefs Foundation Co James H Johnson · Foundation ~December · $500 The Best Practices in Fire Service Health & Safety Awards program recognizes the health and safety efforts of Virginia fire and rescue departments. | |
| Competitive Grant Program Clinton County Community Foundation Inc · Foundation ~December · Varies | |
| Emergency Responder Health & Wellness Grant Texas Mutual Insurance Company · Foundation ~December · Up to $10K The Emergency Responder Health & Wellness Grant, sponsored by VFIS of Texas and Texas Mutual Insurance Company, offers need-based funding up to $10,000 for Texas fire departments and non-profit EMS organizations. | |
| FCCF Grant Application Franklin County Community Foundation · Foundation ~December · Varies The Franklin County Community Foundation awards grants from unrestricted endowments to organizations in Franklin County. Grant applications are available beginning in December each year. | |
| IFCA Foundation Annual Scholarship Program Illinois Fire Chiefs Association · Foundation ~March · $850 – $66K The IFCA Foundation Awards scholarships designed to permit individuals within the State of Illinois to further their formal education, certification and training through attendance at approved courses. | |
| Community Investment Program (Community Grants) Coast Central Credit Union · Foundation Not published · $3K – $25K Coast Central Credit Union's Community Investment Program provides grants to support local nonprofit organizations throughout Humboldt, Del Norte, and Trinity counties in California. | |
| Spearfish Volunteer Firefighters' Association Scholarship Grant South Dakota Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies As a statewide community foundation, we work with donors, nonprofits and community leaders to strengthen philanthropy in South Dakota every day. | |
| Range Resources Good Neighbors Fund Grant Washington County Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · Up to $10K The Range Resources Good Neighbors Fund, administered by the Washington County Community Foundation, supports fire departments and emergency management services in its core area. | |
| Critical Need/Urgent Funding Request Last Call Foundation Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies LCF may consider urgent critical need funding requests that fall outside the regular application cycle. | |
| IFCA Foundation Grant Program Illinois Fire Chiefs Association · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Foundation awards grants that support Illinois Fire and EMS organizations with education and research which ultimately benefits Illinois citizens. The Foundation prioritizes grants that result in the widest range of benefit. | |
| EMERGENCY SERVICES and PUBLIC SAFETY – Assistance to Firefighters Grant Federal Emergency Management Agency · Federal Not published · Up to $100 Funds outfitting responders with compliant personal protective equipment to enhance their safety during incident response, retrofit or modify facilities to address known health hazards, and acquire emergency response vehicles. | |
| DOD Firefighter Property Program The State Firemens and Fire Marshals Association of Texas · Foundation Not published · Varies Provides excess DoD military property to emergency service providers. Ownership of the equipment is passed from the federal government to the recipient. | |
| Community Grants Rush County Community Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies | |
| Forestry Division: Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation · Foundation Not published · Varies The Forestry Division's Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant, administered by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, provides essential funding to rural fire departments. | |
| Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) Grants Virginia Department of Forestry · Foundation Not published · Varies The Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) Grants, administered by the Virginia Department of Forestry, provide crucial funding to support rural volunteer fire departments. | |
| Rewarding Responders Grant We Energies Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $2K The Rewarding Responders Grant, offered by the We Energies Foundation, supports local public safety agencies with funding up to $2,000 per project. | |
| State Fire Assistance Maryland Department of Natural Resources · State Not published · Varies Provides leadership and technical assistance on wildfire prevention and assistance to the fire-fighting community with the suppression of wildfires when they occur. | |
| Training Grants for Licking County Firefighters Licking County Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies Specialized grant program to support training opportunities for Licking County firefighters. | |
| Firewise Virginia Community Hazard Mitigation Grants Department of Forestry · State Not published · Varies | |
| SFFMA SAFER Grant The State Firemens and Fire Marshals Association of Texas · Foundation Not published · $2,805,000 The grant covers several areas of need faced by volunteer fire departments in Texas: Accident and Health Benefit Summary (Coverage Period: February 1, 2026 - December 22, 2029) FRAP offers 24/7 confidential assistance for: As of 2/20/26… | |
| Clinton County Community Foundation Competitive Grant Program Clinton County Community Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · $800 – $50K The Clinton County Community Foundation (Lock Haven, PA) awards competitive grants to Clinton County nonprofits, fire/ambulance companies, municipalities, and cultural/betterment programs; ~$559,000 in grants/gifts/scholarships in 2025… |
Showing 1–24 of 123
Grants for fire departments by the numbers
How deadlines work
- Rolling or ongoing
- 4 3%
- Upcoming date published
- 8 7%
- Stated cycle, no date yet
- 15 12%
- No deadline published
- 96 78%
Only 8 of these grants publish a date, too few to show a seasonal pattern.
Funders with the most active grants for fire departments
- The State Firemens and Fire Marshals Association of Texas 11 active
- California Fire Foundation 5 active
- Department of Fire Programs 5 active
- Department of Forestry 3 active
- Maryland Department of Natural Resources 3 active
- National Volunteer Fire Council 3 active
88 funders have at least one active grant in this category.
Source: Grantable's grants database, compiled from funder websites, Grants.gov and state grant portals. Figures cover all 123 active grants for fire departments (with a deadline today or later, or none published) as of October 19, 2026, and refresh daily. Award amounts are each grant's listed maximum.
About grants for fire departments
Grants for fire departments fund apparatus, personal protective equipment, breathing apparatus, training, staffing, and prevention programs that local tax bases often cannot fully cover. The cornerstone is FEMA's Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) program, which includes the AFG, Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER), and Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) grants. State fire marshal offices, corporate foundations, and national fire service organizations provide additional funding for gear, vehicles, and recruitment.
A long list is the starting point, not the shortlist. Our grant prospecting guide shows how to narrow grants for fire departments down to the funders most likely to say yes, using their giving records.
Grants for Fire Departments by state
Browse grants for fire departments available to organizations in 8 states.
Want new funders like these found for you every week?
This page is a snapshot. Funders change, and a list stops being true the day it's made. A grants department keeps looking for you, and tells you when it finds something that fits — with the grant history it reasoned from attached.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money do grants for fire departments award?
Of the 123 grants for fire departments Grantable lists as of October 19, 2026, 49 publish an award amount. The median listed award is $10K, and the middle half fall between $2,500 and $25K. The largest is $3.5M. Amounts are each grant's stated maximum, so a typical award can be smaller.
Which funders offer the most grants for fire departments?
By number of active listings, the leading funders are The State Firemens and Fire Marshals Association of Texas (11), California Fire Foundation (5), Department of Fire Programs (5), Department of Forestry (3), and Maryland Department of Natural Resources (3). In all, 88 funders have at least one active grant in this category.
When are grants for fire departments due?
Of 123 grants listed, 4 accept applications on a rolling basis, 8 have a published upcoming deadline, 15 run on a stated cycle (such as annual or quarterly) without a published date, and 96 don't publish a deadline, so check the funder's site.
What grants are available for fire departments?
Fire departments can pursue grants for engines and apparatus, turnout gear and SCBA, wellness and fitness programs, training, fire prevention education, and firefighter staffing. The primary federal sources are FEMA's three Assistance to Firefighters programs: AFG (equipment and operations), SAFER (hiring and retaining firefighters), and FP&S (prevention and safety research). State agencies and private foundations supplement these with equipment and community risk reduction grants.
What is the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG)?
The Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) is a competitive FEMA program that helps fire departments and non-affiliated emergency medical services organizations meet their firefighting and emergency response needs. Funds can be used for personal protective equipment, apparatus, training, and health and wellness initiatives. AFG sits alongside FEMA's SAFER grant (which funds firefighter hiring and recruitment) and FP&S grant (which funds prevention and safety projects) under the broader Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program.
Can volunteer fire departments apply?
Yes. Volunteer and combination fire departments are eligible for AFG, SAFER, and FP&S grants, and FEMA's scoring criteria are designed so that smaller and volunteer departments compete fairly against larger career agencies. SAFER in particular funds recruitment and retention campaigns aimed squarely at the volunteer service. A strong application ties each request to documented community risk, call data, and a clear gap that local funding cannot close.
Get a shortlist of grants for fire departments built for your organization
Tell Grantable's AI about your nonprofit and it ranks these grants on mission, geography, and award fit — then emails you a personalized shortlist with the reasoning for each. Free, no account to start.
Find my grants — emailed to meHere's the math on clicking through this list.
You, clicking into all 24 grants
~2.8 hrs
at ~7 min per grant profile
Your agents, the same 24
~1 min
every profile evaluated and scored, with reasoning
Grants for Fire Departments: let your agents sort the fits.