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"Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) Grant Program" is currently closed and not accepting applications.
Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) Grant Program is sponsored by Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service. The Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) Grant Program provides financial and technical assistance to rural volunteer fire departments in Maryland.
It awards sub-grants on a 50/50 cost-share basis to enhance wildland fire suppression capabilities, improve firefighter safety, and promote basic wildland fire training classes for volunteer members. Funds can be used for personal protective equipment, firefighting tools, and essential training.
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Volunteer Fire Assistance Program Accessibility Information Fire Statistics for Maryland History of the Fire Program in Maryland Volunteer Fire Assistance Program Volunteer Fire Assistance Program Objectives of the Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) Grant Program Provide financial, technical, and related assistance to rural volunteer fire departments and their communities.
Award VFA sub-grants of up to $3500 per department on a 50/50 cost share basis to enhance wildland fire suppression capabilities. Enhance firefighter safety and promote the use of wildland personal protective equipment. Provide basic wildland fire training classes for volunteer fire department members.
Key Qualifying Guidelines A single fire department serving a rural area or a rural community with a population of 10,000 or less is eligible (latest Census). Area fire departments (fire districts, first due area, etc.) may serve an aggregate population of greater than 10,000 if the service area of the fire department includes a rural area or a rural community having a population of 10,000 or less.
Federal funds will reimburse up to 50 percent of the cost to the fire department after approval and certification that items have been received and paid for by the department (50/50 match grant – maximum payment of $3500). Grants will not be approved for medical, rescue, or HAZMAT equipment; capital construction projects; or vehicle purchases.
Annually, VFA Grants requests from Volunteer Fire Departments exceed the amount of money that we receive, to distribute. This makes applying for the VFA grants a competitive process. Grant applications are rated using a “points system” applied to each of the questions in the application.
There is a standard points deduction for grants awarded to your VFD for each of the three years prior to the grant year that you would be applying for. The type of equipment requested receives a different priority (points).
Equipment that is primarily for wildland firefighting receives the highest priority (most points) and equipment that is primarily for structural firefighting, but also useful for wildland firefighting, receives a slightly lower priority (less points). Equipment with no application to wildland firefighting is disqualified from the VFA grant process.
After all the applications are scored using the points system and ranked (highest total points to lowest), grants are then awarded until that year’s federal funding is depleted.
VFA Grants can be used for (but not limited to): NFPA approved Wildland firefighting personal protective equipment (PPE) such as lightweight flame-resistant clothing (pants, shirts, coveralls, jackets), hard hats, eye protection, leather gloves, hearing protection, chainsaw chaps, and fire shelters. Wildland fire fighting power tools such as chainsaws or leaf blowers. Wildland firefighting equipment such as fire hose (Less than 2.
5 inches in diameter), nozzles (1. 5 inch and smaller), adapters, reducers, gated Y’s (1. 5 inches or less), bladder bags & bladder bag hand pumps, wildland gear, and chainsaw supplies (bars, chains, wedges, scabbards, etc.).
Wildland fire engine and UTV pumping units (tanks, pumps, hose reels, slip-on units, etc.). Rehabilitating wildland firefighting related equipment obtained through federal excess programs (FFP, FEPP). Fire Communications equipment (pagers, portable and mobile radios).
Offroad all-terrain and utility vehicles (ATVs/ UTVs). Equipment for ATVs & UTVs that support wildland fire fighting. Wildland firefighting training (includes tuition for VFD personnel to take National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) wildfire or chainsaw training.
VFA Grants Cannot be used for (but not limited to): Any type of capital improvements (purchasing land, purchasing buildings, constructing buildings, or rehabilitating buildings). Purchasing any type of equipment that has the sole use of structural firefighting, hazardous Material response, rescue, or emergency medical services. Fire hose larger than 2.
5 inches in diameter. Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) Grant Application Package for 2025 The 2025 Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) Grant application period is now open and closes on September 15, 2025 at 4:00 p. m.
Purchases must occur between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025 for approved grants. You can submit a VFA application for purchases relevant to wildland firefighting made since January 1, 2025. The 2025 grant application can be found at: If you have any questions or issues applying online, please contact Dakota Albers at 410-490-9100 or The Grant Application Process & Timeline: Submit your web-based application before 4:00 p.
m. September 15, 2025. After you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation email with a copy of your responses.
You will be notified by October 15, 2025, if your VFA application was approved or denied. If awarded a VFA grant, you will receive supporting documentation that will need to be submitted after purchases have occurred. This will include a Memorandum of understanding.
Purchases would then need to occur before December 31, 2025 and supporting documentation must be submitted by January 15, 2026. After the requested supporting documentation is submitted and received, the Maryland Forest Service will reimburse the VFD based on the 50/50 cost share agreement ($3500 maximum payment). The payment cannot exceed the amount the VFD requested in the original VFA grant application.
After the necessary documentation has been received, the MD Forest Service will have 45 days to reimburse the VFD. Volunteer Fire Assistance Grants Award VFA grants help volunteer fire departments build the capacity for wildland fire protection in the communities they serve. In 2024, Volunteer Fire Assistance grants were awarded to 55 Volunteer Fire Departments in eighteen counties for $159,234.
Below is VFA grant award information for 2004-2024. We're available on the following channels. ensures HTML content is downloaded and parsed first.
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According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Rural volunteer fire departments in Maryland. Area fire departments may serve an aggregate population of greater than 10,000 if the service area includes a rural area or community with a population of 10,000 or less. Grants will not be approved for medical, rescue, or HAZMAT equipment, capital construction projects, or vehicle purchases. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
The current listing shows up to $3,500. Verify award ceilings, matching requirements, and allowable costs in the official notice.
The published deadline was September 15, 2025, which has passed. Check the official notice for any future application windows before investing time in a proposal.
Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) Grant Program is funded by Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service. Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
This opportunity targets applicants in Maryland. If your organization operates elsewhere, check the official notice for location requirements.
Start from the official opportunity page linked in this listing — it carries the sponsor's submission instructions.
Past winners and funding trends for this program
USDA-FS-2026-CFP puts $4.95 million behind fee-simple forest acquisition, caps requests at $600,000, and requires a 50 percent non-federal match. But the deadline that will actually disqualify you is October 13 — the date your application must be in your State Forester's hands, two weeks before the Forest Service ever sees it.
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