Grant assistance

What we provide

• Grant-ready quotes. Itemized by line, with the current NFPA standard each item meets, delivery, installation, and training broken out the way reviewers expect to see them.
• Spec sheets and justification language. Plain-English descriptions of what the equipment does and why your department needs it, which you can adapt to the narrative section.
• Quotes that stay good. Grant cycles take months. We note how long pricing holds and re-quote when the award comes through.
• Help prioritizing. Replacing out-of-date SCBA, out-of-life cylinders, or an untested compressor usually scores better than nice-to-haves. We'll tell you what tends to land.

Programs departments in our area use

Program	What it funds	Notes
AFG (Assistance to Firefighters Grant, FEMA)	SCBA, PPE, apparatus, compressors and fill stations, rescue tools, training, wellness	Annual federal cycle with a small local cost share for most volunteer and small-town departments. The biggest single source for equipment. The FY2025 round ran late — it opened May 19 and closed June 22, 2026 — so watch FEMA's announcements rather than the calendar. Reviewers favor replacing SCBA and gear that is 10+ years old and want itemized quotes kept on file.
Arkansas: ADEM Fire Protection Service Grant & Act 833 funds	Equipment and apparatus for volunteer departments	ADEM's grant currently runs $5,000–$30,000 for volunteer departments serving under 20,000 people. Act 833 insurance-premium funds pay for equipment at many Arkansas departments. Both want a clean itemized quote.
State rural fire programs	Varies: equipment, apparatus, turnout gear, matching funds	Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee each run their own programs through forestry, emergency management, or fire marshal offices. See the notes on our state pages.
Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA)	Wildland and brush equipment, skid units, PPE for small communities	Federal money passed through state forestry agencies; well suited to brush trucks and skid units.
Local and private	Smaller equipment, matching funds	County funds, community foundations, co-op and utility programs, and corporate giving. Often overlooked and less competitive.

Program rules, deadlines, and cost shares change from year to year. We'll point you to the current guidance when you request a quote, but your grant office or state fire marshal is the final word on eligibility.

How to start

Request a quote and choose "Grant" as the funding source. Tell us the program if you know it and when the application is due. We'll send a quote and spec sheet formatted for the application, and we're glad to get on the phone with whoever is writing it.