Grants for Fire Departments

Last updated October 1, 2026

There are currently 122 open grants for fire departments in Grantable's free grants database, drawn from state and foundation sources and updated daily. 50 list an award amount, with a median of $10K.

Open grants: 122; from 87 funders
Median award: $10K; middle half $2,750–$30K
Total listed funding: $13.3M; across 50 grants that list an amount
Rolling deadlines: 4; 8 with a published date

On this page: State Foundation · Updated daily

Find the grants for fire departments matched to your org

Free, no account to start — Grantable's AI ranks all 121 on mission, geography, and award size in a few minutes.

Start finding grants

Sort

Type

State

Amount

Eligibility

Include closed grants

Grant	Deadline ▲	Amount
EMERGENCY SERVICES and PUBLIC SAFETY – Jeremiah Lucey Grant Program The Leary Firefighters Foundation · State Rolling · $500K – $3.5M Supports training, equipment, and technology for both paid and volunteer departments.	Rolling	$500K – $3.5M
Conference and Education Assistance Department of Fire Programs · State Rolling · Varies	Rolling	Varies
Chief John Raaflaub Memorial Firefighter Scholarship Fund Grant Duluth-Superior Area Community Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Up to $5K The Chief John Raaflaub Memorial Firefighter Scholarship Fund, supported by the Boreal Waters Community Foundation, empowers students from Douglas County and the Twin Ports Area to pursue careers in firefighting.	Rolling	Up to $5K
WDNR: Forest Fire Protection (FFP) Grant Program - Fire Department Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources · Foundation Rolling · $750 – $25K The WDNR Forest Fire Protection Grant Program provides 50% cost-share funding to Wisconsin fire departments and county fire associations.	Rolling	$750 – $25K
California Statewide Wildfire Safety and Preparedness Funding California Fire Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies The California Fire Foundation (CFF) is a statewide nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization based in Sacramento, CA. Formed in 1987, CFF’s mandate includes an array of survivor assistance projects and community initiatives.	Rolling	Varies
Maryland Volunteer Fire Assistance Grants Maryland Department of Natural Resources · Foundation Rolling · Up to $4K The Maryland Volunteer Fire Assistance Grants provide crucial support for rural volunteer fire departments, offering financial assistance of up to $3,500 on a 50/50 cost share basis.	Rolling	Up to $4K
VFIRS Hardware Grants Program Department of Fire Programs · State Rolling · Varies	Rolling	Varies
Discoveries in Safety Grants Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) · Foundation Rolling · Up to $600K The Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) offers grants aimed at enhancing fire safety research to address critical risks and challenges.	Rolling	Up to $600K
MI Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant Michigan Department of Natural Resources · Foundation Rolling · Up to $5K The MI Volunteer Fire Assistance program aids rural fire departments in obtaining essential firefighting equipment.	Rolling	Up to $5K
Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program Grant National Volunteer Fire Council Inc · Foundation Rolling · $10K The Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program Grant, initiated by State Farm and the National Volunteer Fire Council, aims to support volunteer fire departments in acquiring critical safety equipment.	Rolling	$10K
Oklahoma Rural Fire Defense 80/20 Reimbursement Grant Oklahoma Forestry Services · Foundation Rolling · Up to $30K The Oklahoma Rural Fire Defense 80/20 Reimbursement Grant supports rural fire departments in communities with populations under 10,000.	Rolling	Up to $30K
Chief William M. Feehan Fire Safety Education Award FDNY Foundation Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies Award given annually to a New York City school that demonstrates ongoing commitment to fire safety education and participation with the FDNY Fire Safety Education Unit.	Rolling	Varies
WFACF Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) Grant Cycle Wichita Falls Area Community Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies	Rolling	Varies
DVFA Scholarship Delaware Volunteer Firefighter's Association · Foundation Rolling · Varies The DVFA Foundation awards scholarships to members and their families of the Delaware Volunteer Fire Service through an application process. This provides recipients with continuing college educational opportunities.	Rolling	Varies
California Fire Foundation Community Grants California Fire Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies The California Fire Foundation offers competitive grants to fire departments, agencies, and community groups statewide (awarded ~$1.3-1.95M/year across 86-116 projects).	Rolling	Varies
Watauga County Community Foundation- Dr. Don Saunders Endowment Grant North Carolina Community Foundation · Foundation Rolling · $500 – $5K The Watauga County Community Foundation's Dr. Don Saunders Endowment Grant supports charitable, educational, religious, and scientific purposes, providing grants ranging from $500 to $5,000.	Rolling	$500 – $5K
Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) Grant Program Ohio Department of Natural Resources · Foundation Rolling · Up to $10K The Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) Grant Program, administered by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, provides a 50/50 cost-share opportunity aimed at enhancing rural fire departments.	Rolling	Up to $10K
San Francisco Fire Department Division of Training Grant San Francisco Arts Commission · Foundation Rolling · $1.4M The San Francisco Arts Commission is seeking qualifications from artists and teams for the San Francisco Fire Department Division of Training Grant.	Rolling	$1.4M
Federal Excess Personal Property Loan Program Grant North Carolina Forest Service · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Federal Excess Personal Property Loan Program enables North Carolina's fire departments to access surplus federal property for fire suppression activities.	Rolling	Varies
Firefighters Relief Fund Grant North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Firefighters Relief Fund, managed by the North Carolina State Firefighters' Association, assists firefighters injured or killed in the line of duty.	Rolling	Varies
TIFMAS Grant Assistance Program The State Firemens and Fire Marshals Association of Texas · Foundation Rolling · Varies Provides reimbursement grants to career and combination fire departments.	Rolling	Varies
Talbot Paramedic Foundation Equipment Grant Talbot County Paramedics Foundation Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies	Rolling	Varies
Brothers Helping Brothers: Backing Safety Initiative Grants Brothers Helping Brothers · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Brothers Helping Brothers initiative aims to provide essential equipment to small fire departments and EMS organizations in the U.S. Established in 2014, the program offers grants to eligible agencies serving communities with…	Rolling	Varies
Western State Fire Managers Grant Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) · Foundation Rolling · Up to $240K The Western State Fire Managers provide funding to mitigate wildland fire risks within the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) through a competitive process.	Rolling	Up to $240K

Showing 73–96 of 121

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.

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.

Create your grants department

Frequently Asked Questions

How much money do grants for fire departments award?

Of the 122 open grants for fire departments Grantable lists as of October 1, 2026, 50 publish an award amount. The median listed award is $10K, and the middle half fall between $2,750 and $30K. 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 open listings, the most active 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, 87 funders have at least one open grant in this category.

When are grants for fire departments due?

Of 122 open grants, 4 accept applications on a rolling basis, 8 have a published upcoming deadline, 14 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 me

Your AI grants department