Federal Grant Award Summary

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awarded Hillsborough County a Project Grant totaling $11.29 million under the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program (CFDA 97.083) on March 23, 2026, with a completion date of March 22, 2029. The SAFER program provides financial assistance to local fire departments to enhance emergency response capabilities by supporting the hiring of new firefighters and the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters. Through this three-year award, Hillsborough County will utilize the funding to strengthen firefighter staffing and deployment capabilities across the county's fire departments, ensuring adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards for the approximately 1.48 million residents served.

The grant represents a significant investment in the county's emergency response infrastructure and continues FEMA's substantial commitment to supporting local fire departments nationwide. Hillsborough County's Grants Management Division will administer the award to distribute resources across the county's constituent fire agencies, supporting operational capacity and community safety initiatives in the Tampa, Florida area. This award is consistent with the county's history as a major recipient of SAFER program funding, having received approximately $60 million in such grants across multiple awards from fiscal years 2022-2026.