Fiscal Year 2023 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant

Background
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Grant Programs Directorate implements and administers the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grants. SAFER grants provide financial assistance to help fire departments increase frontline firefighters. The SAFER Program is part of a comprehensive set of measures authorized by Congress and implemented by DHS, supporting the goal to Strengthen National Preparedness and Resilience.

Grant Details
The Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Staffing for Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program provides funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to assist in increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate fire protection from fire and fire-related hazards, and to fulfill traditional missions of fire departments. The SAFER Program offers grants to support activities in two activities: Hiring of Firefighters and Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters. The program has awarded approximately $5.2 billion in grant funding since 2005.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants include fire departments operating in any of the 50 states, as well as fire departments in U.S. territories, or any federally recognized Indian tribe or tribal organization. National, regional, state, local, tribal, and nonprofit interest organizations representing the interests of volunteer firefighters are also eligible to receive a SAFER Program award under the R&R Activity.

Period of Performance
The period of performance for applications funded under the Hiring Activity will be 36 months.
For the Recruitment and Retention (R&R) Activity, the period of performance will be 12, 24, 36, or 48 months with extensions allowed.

Grant Value
$360 million is available for the NOFO with a projected number of awards at 300.

Place of Performance
The specific geographic locations where the grant will be performed include all entities operating within any of the 50 states, U.S. territories, or any federally recognized Indian tribe or tribal organization.