Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program
Grant Opportunity Analysis
The Department of Homeland Security’s FEMA is offering the Fiscal Year 2025 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program to help fire departments increase frontline firefighters. The program supports two activities: hiring firefighters and recruiting and retaining volunteer firefighters, with eligibility extended to fire departments and organizations representing volunteer firefighters. It is designed to strengthen staffing levels, help departments meet industry standards, and support 24-hour coverage, and applications are evaluated through pre-scoring and peer review with attention to project description, operational impact, financial need, and cost-benefit. The projected application period is May 19, 2026, through June 22, 2026, and the FEMA GO Help Desk is listed at 1-877-585-3242 and femago@fema.dhs.gov.
Eligible Applicants
Fire Departments, National, state, local, or federally recognized tribal organizations representing the interests of volunteer firefighters