FY24 SAFER NOFO Final_508 (2).pdf

FEMA Version 25-01

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Fiscal Year 2024 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program

Fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, and other criminal or noncriminal misconduct related to this program may be reported to the Office of Inspector General (OIG) Hotline. The toll-free numbers to call are 1 (800) 323-8603 and TTY 1 (844) 889-4357.

Contents

1. Basic Information A. Agency Name B. NOFO Title C. Announcement Type D. Funding Opportunity Number E. Assistance Listing Number F. Expected Total Funding G. Anticipated Number of Awards H. Expected Award Range I. Projected Application Start Date J. Projected Application End Date K. Anticipated Funding Selection Date L. Anticipated Award Date M. Projected Period of Performance Start Date N. Projected Period of Performance End Date O. Executive Summary P. Agency Contact

2. Eligibility A. Eligible Entities/Entity Types B. Project Type Eligibility C. Requirements for Personnel, Partners, and Other Parties D. Maximum Number of Applications E. Additional Restrictions F. References for Eligibility Factors within the NOFO G. Cost Sharing Requirement H. Cost Share Description, Type and Restrictions I. Cost Sharing Calculation Example J. Required information for verifying Cost Share

3. Program Description A. Background, Program Purpose, and Program History B. Goals, Objectives, and Priorities C. Program Rationale D. Federal Assistance Type E. Performance Measures and Targets

F. Program-Specific Unallowable Costs G. General Funding Requirements H. Indirect Costs (Facilities and Administrative Costs) I. Management and Administration (M&A) Costs J. Pre-Award Costs K. Beneficiary Eligibility L. Participant Eligibility M. Authorizing Authority N. Appropriation Authority O. Budget Period P. Prohibition on Covered Equipment or Services

4. Application Contents and Format A. Pre-Application, Letter of Intent, and Whitepapers B. Application Content and Format C. Application Components D. Program-Specific Required Documents and Information E. Post-Application Requirements for Successful Applicants

5. Submission Requirements and Deadlines A. Address to Request Application Package B. Application Deadline C. Pre-Application Requirements Deadline D. Post-Application Requirements Deadline E. Effects of Missing the Deadline

6. Intergovernmental Review A. Requirement Description and State Single Point of Contact

7. Application Review Information A. Threshold Criteria B. Application Criteria C. Financial Integrity Criteria D. Supplemental Financial Integrity Criteria and Review E. Reviewers and Reviewer Selection F. Merit Review Process G. Final Selection

8. Award Notices A. Notice of Award B. Pass-Through Requirements C. Note Regarding Pre-Award Costs D. Obligation of Funds E. Notification to Unsuccessful Applicants

9. Post-Award Requirements and Administration A. Administrative and National Policy Requirements B. DHS Standard Terms and Conditions

a. Ensuring the Protection of Civil Rights C. Financial Reporting Requirements D. Programmatic Performance Reporting Requirements E. Closeout Reporting Requirements

F. Disclosing Information per 2 C.F.R. § 180.335 G. Reporting of Matters Related to Recipient Integrity and Performance H. Single Audit Report I. Monitoring and Oversight J. Program Evaluation K. Additional Performance Reporting Requirements

10. Other Information A. Period of Performance Extension B. Other Information

11. Appendix A – FY 2024 SAFER Program Updates

12. Appendix B – Programmatic Information and Priorities A. Ineligible Applications and Organizations B. Supporting Definitions for this NOFO C. Application Tips D. Funding Limitation E. Funding Priorities F. Hiring Activity Overview G. R&R Activity – Fire Departments Overview H. R&R Activity – National, State, Local, Territorial, or Federally Recognized Tribal Nation

Volunteer Firefighter Interest Organizations (Interest Organizations) Overview I. Eligible and Ineligible Costs and Requirements

13. Appendix C – Award Administration Information A. Help FEMA Prevent Fraud, Waste, and Abuse B. Grant Writer/Preparation Fees C. Maintenance and Sustainment D. Taxes, Fees, Levies, and Assessments E. Excess Funds F. Payments and Amendments G. Disposition of Grant-Funded Equipment H. Post-Award Recipient Responsibilities

1. Basic Information A. Agency Name Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency

Management Agency (FEMA), Resilience/Grant Programs Directorate

(GPD)

B. NOFO Title Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant

C. Announcement Type

Initial

D. Funding Opportunity Number

DHS-24-GPD-083-00-99

E. Assistance Listing Number

97.083

F. Expected Total Funding

$324,000,000

G. Anticipated Number of Awards

300 awards

H. Expected Award Range

N/A

I. Projected Application Start Date

05/23/2025 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time (ET)

J. Projected Application End Date

07/03/2025 5:00 p.m. ET

K. Anticipated Funding Selection Date

No later than 08/18/2025

L. Anticipated Award Date

Beginning on approximately Aug 18, 2025, and continuing thereafter until all FY 2024 SAFER Program grant awards are issued (but no later than September 30, 2025).

M. Projected Period of Performance Start Date

N/A1

N. Projected Period of Performance End Date

N/A

1 FEMA funds SAFER Program awards on a rolling basis; as such, the date the FEMA Assistant Administrator for the Grant Programs Directorate signs the obligating document dictates the unique Period of Performance start and end dates for each award.

O. Executive Summary

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program (hereafter referred to as the SAFER Program) is one of three grant programs that constitute the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) focus on enhancing the safety of the public and firefighters with respect to fire and fire-related hazards.

The SAFER 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 protection from fire and fire-related hazards, and to fulfill traditional missions of fire departments. Since 2005, the SAFER Program has awarded approximately $5.8 billion in grant funding to provide critically needed resources to hire new, additional firefighters (or to change the status of part-time or paid-on-call firefighters to full-time firefighters), as well as recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters. Information about success stories for this program can be found at Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program | FEMA.gov.

P. Agency Contact a. SAFER Program Office Contact The SAFER Program Help Desk provides technical assistance to applicants for the online completion and submission of applications into FEMA Grants Outcomes (FEMA GO), answers questions concerning applicant eligibility, recipient responsibilities, and helps in the programmatic administration of awards. The SAFER Program Help Desk can be contacted at (866) 274-0960 or by email at FireGrants@fema.dhs.gov. Normal hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET.

Guidance documents such as application tutorials, Self-Evaluation Guides, and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) are also provided to further explain the current SAFER Program, assist with the online grant application, and highlight lessons learned and changes for FY 2024. For more details, please visit the SAFER Program website.

b. FEMA Grants News This channel provides general information on all FEMA grant programs and maintains a comprehensive database containing key personnel contact information at the federal, state, and local levels.

FEMA Grants News Team is reachable at fema-grants-news@fema.dhs.gov or (800) 368-6498, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET.

c. Grant Programs Directorate (GPD) Award Administration Division https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/firefighters/success-stories mailto:FireGrants@fema.dhs.gov.

https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/firefighters/safer mailto:fema-grants-news@fema.dhs.gov mailto:fema-grants-news@fema.dhs.gov

GPD’s Award Administration Division (AAD) provides support regarding financial matters and budgetary technical assistance. AAD can be contacted at ASK-GMD@fema.dhs.gov.

d. FEMA Regional Offices Assistance to Firefighters Grants Regional Contacts also may provide fiscal support, including pre- and post-award administration and technical assistance. Assistance to Firefighters Grants Regional Office contacts are available at Assistance to Firefighters Grants Regional Contacts | FEMA.gov.

e. Civil Rights The FEMA Office of Civil Rights is responsible for ensuring compliance with and enforcement of federal civil rights obligations in connection with programs and services conducted by FEMA. They are reachable at FEMA-CivilRightsOffice@fema.dhs.gov.

f. Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation The FEMA Office of Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation (OEHP) provides guidance and information about the EHP review process to FEMA programs and recipients and subrecipients. Send any inquiries regarding compliance for FEMA grant projects under this NOFO to FEMA-OEHP- NOFOQuestions@fema.dhs.gov.

g. Payment and Reporting System Payments are requested through FEMA GO. The Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer (DD/EFT) method of payment is used for recipients. For any questions about the system, contact the Customer Service Center at (866) 927-5646 or ask- GMD@fema.dhs.gov.

h. FEMA GO For technical assistance with the FEMA GO system, please contact the FEMA GO Helpdesk at femago@fema.dhs.gov or (877) 585-3242, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET.

2. Eligibility A. Eligible Entities/Entity Types

Only the following entities or entity types are eligible to apply.

a. Applicants

• Fire departments; and

• National, regional, state, local, tribal, and nonprofit interest organizations representing the interests of volunteer mailto:ASK-GMD@fema.dhs.gov https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/firefighters/regional-contacts https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/firefighters/regional-contacts mailto:FEMA-CivilRightsOffice@fema.dhs.gov mailto:FEMA-OEHP-NOFOQuestions@fema.dhs.gov mailto:FEMA-OEHP-NOFOQuestions@fema.dhs.gov mailto:ask-GMD@fema.dhs.gov mailto:ask-GMD@fema.dhs.gov mailto:femago@fema.dhs.gov firefighters are eligible to receive a SAFER Program award under the R&R Activity.

See Section A of Appendix B – Programmatic Information and Priorities for additional information on ineligible applications and organizations.

b. Subapplicants Subapplicants and subawards are not allowed.

B. Project Type Eligibility

Applicants and recipients should actively coordinate and collaborate with their local and state authorities to help ensure and prioritize the commitment of future non-federal investments in order to sustain staffing capabilities once an award’s period of performance ends.

a. Allowable Project Types

1. Hiring Activity

The Hiring Activity offers grants to support applications to hire new, additional firefighters (or to change the status of part-time or paid-on-call firefighters to full-time firefighters). National, regional, state, local, Tribal Nation, and nonprofit interest organizations representing the interests of volunteer firefighters are not eligible to receive a SAFER Program award under the Hiring Activity.

2. R&R Activity

The R&R Activity offers grants to support applications to assist fire departments with the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters who are involved with or trained in the operations of firefighting and emergency response. Career fire departments are not eligible to apply for funding under the R&R Activity.

Each activity has its own application and eligibility requirements, as further outlined in Appendix B – Programmatic Information and Priorities of this NOFO.

b. Unallowable Project Types

• Under the R&R Activity, applications that request a Staffing

Needs Assessment or Risk Assessment project are precluded from applying for additional R&R- related activities.

• FEMA will not fund any projects, activities, or line items that are covered under a department's normal operating budget.

Federal funding may not be used to supplant (i.e., replace) an existing activity or program.

• Applicants may not use award funds for matching funds for any other federal grants or cooperative agreements, for lobbying, or for intervention in federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings.

• Applicants may not use federal funds to sue the Federal Government or any other government entity.

C. Requirements for Personnel, Partners, and Other Parties

An application submitted by an otherwise eligible non-federal entity (i.e., the applicant) may be deemed ineligible when the person that submitted the application is not: 1) a current employee, personnel, official, staff, or leadership of the non-federal entity; and 2) duly authorized to apply for an award on behalf of the non-federal entity at the time of application.

Further, the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) must be a duly authorized current employee, personnel, official, staff, or leadership of the recipient and provide an email address unique to the recipient at the time of application and upon any change in assignment during the period of performance. Consultants or contractors of the recipient are not permitted to be the AOR of the recipient.

Information on ineligible applications and organizations is in Appendix B of this NOFO.

D. Maximum Number of Applications

The maximum number of applications that can be submitted is one application per activity.

E. Additional Restrictions

a. Period of Performance Restrictions

1. Hiring Activity

The period of performance for applications funded under the Hiring Activity will be 36 months.

A default 180-day recruitment period begins when FEMA approves an application for an award under this activity.

The 36-month period of performance automatically starts after the 180-day recruitment period, regardless of whether the recipient has successfully hired the requested firefighters. The period of performance cannot start later than 180 days after the award date.

If a recipient can hire all SAFER Program-funded firefighters during the 180-day recruitment period, the period of performance may begin at that time. In these instances, recipients must submit an amendment requesting that the period of performance start before the end of the 180-day recruitment period if they wish to begin the period early.

2. R&R Activity

The period of performance for applications funded under the R&R Activity will be 12, 24, 36, or 48 months.

A default 90-day recruitment period begins when FEMA approves the application for award. This period allows each recipient time to gather resources, initiate processes, and finalize contracts needed to implement SAFER Program activities before the start of the period of performance to maximize the funding’s availability. However, the recipient can only expend funds within the period of performance.

The period of performance automatically starts after the 90-day recruitment period ends, regardless of whether the recipient has begun implementing its grant award. The period of performance cannot start later than 90 days after the award date.

If a recipient can begin its recruitment or retention activities during the 90-day recruitment period, the period of performance may begin at that time. In these instances, recipients must submit an amendment requesting that the period of performance start before the end of the 90-day recruitment period if they wish to begin the period early.

Extensions to the period of performance are allowed for R&R Activity grants only. For additional information on period of performance extensions, please refer to Section 10.A.

b. National Incident Management System (NIMS) Implementation SAFER Program applicants are not required to comply with NIMS to apply for SAFER Program funding or to receive a SAFER Program award. Any applicant who receives an FY 2024 SAFER Program award must achieve the level of NIMS compliance required by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) over the applicant’s emergency service operations (e.g., a local government), prior to the end of the grant’s period of performance.

F. References for Eligibility Factors within the NOFO

Please see the following references provided below:

1. Subsection 7.A. Threshold Criteria

2. Subsection 7.B. Application Criteria

3. Subsection 7.C. Financial Integrity Criteria

4. Subsection 7.D. Supplemental Financial Integrity Criteria and

Review

5. Appendix B – Programmatic Information and Priorities https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/nims

G. Cost Sharing Requirement

For Hiring Activity grants, recipients are required to contribute non-federal funds as a cost share.

For R&R Activity grants, there is no cost share requirement.

H. Cost Share Description, Type and Restrictions

For Hiring Activity grants, recipients are required to contribute 25 percent of the actual costs incurred in each of the first and second years of the grant; and 65 percent of the actual costs incurred in the third year of the grant.

In the first and second years of the grant, the amount of federal funding may not exceed 75 percent of the usual annual cost of a first-year firefighter in that department at the time the grant application was submitted; and in the third year of the grant the amount of federal funding may not exceed 35 percent of the usual annual cost of a first-year firefighter in that department.

The “usual annual cost” includes a firefighter’s base salary (excluding non-FLSA overtime) and standard benefits package (including the average annual cost of health, dental, and vision insurance; FICA; life insurance; retirement and/or pension contributions; etc.) offered by the fire department to first-year firefighters.

FEMA does not require recipients to demonstrate availability of cost share funds at the time of application. However, before FEMA issues an award it may contact potential awardees to determine whether the recipient possesses the necessary non-federal funding.

For R&R Activity grants, there is no cost share requirement.

I. Cost Sharing Calculation Example

Assuming that the usual annual cost of a first-year firefighter in a department at the time of the grant application is $120,000 per year and the department actually incurred $100,000 per year in each year of the grant, the following cost share requirements and position cost limits would apply:

1. Cost Share Requirement: The grant recipient is required to contribute $25,000 in Year 1; $25,000 in Year 2; and $65,000 in Year 3.

2. Position Cost Limit: The amount of federal funding cannot exceed $90,000 in Year 1; $90,000 in Year 2; and $42,000 in Year 3.

J. Required information for verifying Cost Share

a. Minimum Budget Requirement

In accordance with 15 U.S.C. § 2229a(c)(2), in order to be eligible for SAFER Program funding, applicants are required to certify that their annual budget for fire-related programs and emergency response has not been reduced below 80 percent of the applicant’s average funding level in the three years prior to the application date.

3. Program Description A. Background, Program Purpose, and Program History The Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program (hereafter referred to as the SAFER Program) is one of three grant programs that constitute the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) focus on enhancing the safety of the public and firefighters with respect to fire and fire-related hazards. The SAFER 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. Since 2005, the SAFER Program has awarded approximately $5.8 billion in grant funding to provide critically needed resources to hire new, additional firefighters (or to change the status of part-time or paid-on-call firefighters to full-time firefighters), as well as recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters. Information about success stories for this program can be found at Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program | FEMA.gov.

The SAFER Program is part of a comprehensive set of measures authorized by Congress and implemented by DHS. In awarding grants, the FEMA Administrator is required to consider:

• The findings and recommendations of the Technical Evaluation Panel;

• The degree to which an award will reduce deaths, injuries, and property damage by reducing the risks associated with fire-related and other hazards;

• The extent of an applicant’s need for a SAFER Program grant and the need to protect the

United States as a whole; and

• The number of calls requesting or requiring a firefighting or emergency medical response received by an applicant.

B. Goals, Objectives, and Priorities Goal: To enhance local fire departments’ abilities to comply with staffing, response and operational standards established by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 1710 or

NFPA 17202).

2 NFPA 1710 and 1720 are lapsing in 2026 and will be consolidated under the proposed NFPA 1750. FEMA is working with the NFPA Standards Council to evaluate deployment of fire suppression operations. No decisions have been made and FEMA will issue additional guidance when more information becomes available. While the goal of the grant is to increase compliance with NFPA 1710 or 1720, 24-hour staffing is not a requirement of the SAFER Program.

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Objectives: The objectives of the SAFER Program are to are to provide funding to communities so they may:

• Increase the number of firefighters to meet industry minimum standards;

• Increase the number of trained personnel assembled at the incident scene;

• Attain 24-hour staffing to improve deployment capabilities; and

• Fulfill traditional missions of fire departments (respond to emergencies and provide adequate fire protection from fire and fire-related hazards).

Priorities: Information on program priorities and objectives for the FY 2024 SAFER Program can be found in Appendix B – Programmatic Information and Priorities of this NOFO.

C. Program Rationale The SAFER Program represents part of a comprehensive set of measures authorized by Congress and implemented by DHS. Among the six DHS Missions noted in the Department of Homeland Security's Strategic Plan, the SAFER Program supports Mission Five: Build a Resilient Nation and Respond to Incidents. By increasing the number of trained firefighters, the SAFER Program improves deployment capabilities to respond to emergencies and provide adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards. The SAFER Program also aims to support objectives outlined under Mission Five in the Strategic Plan including:

• Objective 5.1: Coordinate Federal Response to Incidents

• Objective 5.2: Strengthen National Resilience

• Objective 5.4: Enhance Training and Readiness of First Responders

Through these objectives, FEMA creates a vision for the field of emergency management and sets an ambitious, yet achievable, path forward to unify and further professionalize emergency management across the country. We invite all our stakeholders and partners to join us in building a more prepared and resilient nation.

D. Federal Assistance Type Grant

E. Performance Measures and Targets The grant recipient is required to collect data to allow FEMA to measure performance of the awarded grant in support of the SAFER Program metrics, which are tied to the programmatic objectives and priorities. To measure performance, FEMA may request information throughout the period of performance. In its final performance report submitted at closeout, the recipient must submit sufficient information to demonstrate it has met the performance goal as stated in its award. FEMA will measure the recipient’s performance of the grant by comparing the number of items, supplies, projects, and activities needed and requested in its application with the number of items, supplies, projects, and activities acquired and delivered by the end of the period of performance using the following programmatic metrics:

https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/19_0702_plcy_dhs-strategic-plan-fy20-24.pdf https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/19_0702_plcy_dhs-strategic-plan-fy20-24.pdf

• Percentage of “majority career” SAFER Program recipients who reported and provided evidence that the grant funding increased compliance with structural fire responses that complied with NFPA 1710 structural response standards;

• Percentage of “majority volunteer” SAFER Program recipients who reported and provided evidence that the grant funding increased compliance with structural fire responses that complied with NFPA 1720 structural response standards; and

• Percentage of SAFER Program recipients who reported and provided evidence that the grant funding increased compliance with NFPA 1710 or 1720 assembly and deployment standards.

The target for these measures is the number of firefighters hired and the structural fire responses that complied with NFPA 1710 structural response standards. The measure will be assessed by how the addition of new firefighters has resulted in a percentage increase in compliance with the relevant section of the NFPA standards.

F. Program-Specific Unallowable Costs Construction costs are not allowable under the SAFER Program. Construction includes major alterations to a building that changes the profile or footprint of the structure.

Modifications to facilities described in Appendix B – Programmatic Information and Priorities are not considered construction costs for purposes of general award cost categorization and may be eligible. However, modifications to facilities activities might be considered “construction” for purposes of procurement or environmental protection and historic preservation purposes.

G. General Funding Requirements Costs charged to federal awards (including federal and non-federal cost share funds) must comply with applicable statutes, rules and regulations, policies, this NOFO, and the terms and conditions of the federal award. This includes, among other requirements, that costs must be incurred, and products and services must be delivered within the budget period. 2 C.F.R. § 200.403(h).

Recipients may not use federal funds or any cost share funds for the following activities:

1. Matching or cost sharing requirements for other federal grants and cooperative agreements (see 2 C.F.R. § 200.306).

2. Lobbying or other prohibited activities under 18 U.S.C. § 1913 or 2 C.F.R. § 200.450.

3. Prosecuting claims against the federal government or any other government entity (see 2

C.F.R. § 200.435).

H. Indirect Costs (Facilities and Administrative Costs) Indirect costs are allowed for recipients and subrecipients.

Indirect costs (IDC) are costs incurred for a common or joint purpose benefitting more than one cost objective and not readily assignable to specific cost objectives without disproportionate effort. Indirect costs are allowable only under R&R Activity for this program as described in 2 C.F.R. Part 200, including 2 C.F.R. § 200.414. Applicants with a current negotiated IDC rate agreement who desire to charge indirect costs to a federal award must provide a copy of their https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRea20080eff2ea53/section-200.403 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRea20080eff2ea53/section-200.403 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/section-200.306 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-1999-title18-section1913&num=0&edition=1999 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.450 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.435 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.414

IDC rate agreement with their applications. Not all applicants are required to have a current negotiated IDC rate agreement. Applicants that are not required to have a negotiated IDC rate agreement, but are required to develop an IDC rate proposal, must provide a copy of their proposal with their applications. Applicants without a current negotiated IDC rate agreement (including a provisional rate) and wish to charge the de minimis rate must reach out via email to FireGrants@fema.dhs.gov for further instructions. Applicants who wish to use a cost allocation plan in lieu of an IDC rate proposal must also reach out via email to FireGrants@fema.dhs.gov for further instructions. As it relates to the IDC for subrecipients, a recipient must follow the requirements of 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.332 and 200.414 in approving the IDC rate for subawards.

I. Management and Administration (M&A) Costs M&A costs are allowed under the R&R Activity only. M&A costs are not eligible under the Hiring Activity.

No more than 3% of the federal share of SAFER Program funds awarded may be expended by the recipient for M&A for purposes associated with the SAFER Program award. M&A activities are those directly related to the management and administration of the SAFER award funds, such as financial management and monitoring. M&A expenses should be based only on actual expenses or known contractual costs; requests that are simple percentages of the award or estimates, without supporting justification or adequate documentation will not be allowed or considered for reimbursement. Salaries and fringe benefits for personnel directly supporting the grant are not required to be included in the M&A budget line item.

M&A are not overhead costs but are necessary direct costs incurred in direct support of the federal award or as a consequence of it, such as travel, meeting-related expenses, and salaries of full/part-time staff in direct support of the program. As such, M&A costs can be itemized in financial reports.

J. Pre-Award Costs The following pre-award costs are allowable:

1. Fees for grant writers.

Generally, grant funds cannot be used to pay for products and services contracted for or obligated prior to the effective date of the award.

See Appendix C – Award Administration Information for further information regarding grant writer fees and Section 10.B. Other Information for general procurement under grants requirements.

K. Beneficiary Eligibility To be an eligible beneficiary, there are no program requirements. This NOFO and any subsequent federal awards create no rights or causes of action for any beneficiary.

L. Participant Eligibility To be an eligible participant, there are no program requirements. This NOFO and any subsequent federal awards create no rights or causes of action for any participant.

mailto:FireGrants@fema.dhs.gov mailto:FireGrants@fema.dhs.gov https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR031321e29ac5bbd/section-200.332 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRd93f2a98b1f6455/section-200.414

M. Authorizing Authority Section 34 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974, Pub. L. No. 93-498, as amended (15 U.S.C. § 2229a).

N. Appropriation Authority Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2024, Pub. L. No. 118-47, Title III, Protection, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Financial Assistance (2024 DHS Appropriations Act).

O. Budget Period There will be only a single budget period with the same start and end dates as the period of performance.

P. Prohibition on Covered Equipment or Services Recipients, subrecipients, and their contractors or subcontractors must comply with the prohibitions set forth in Section 889 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, which restricts the purchase of covered telecommunications and surveillance equipment and services. Please see 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.216, 200.327, 200.471, and Appendix II to 2 C.F.R. Part 200, and FEMA Policy #405-143-1 - Prohibitions on Expending FEMA Award Funds for Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services for more information.

4. Application Contents and Format A. Pre-Application, Letter of Intent, and Whitepapers Pre-applications, letters of intent, and whitepapers are not required to be eligible to apply.

B. Application Content and Format Applications are processed through the FEMA GO system. To access the system, go to https://go.fema.gov/. Additional application and program guidance documents are available at the SAFER Program website. Applicants will be prompted to submit the standard application information and any program-specific information required as described in Sections 4.C.

Application Components and 4.D. Program-Specific Required Documents and Information of this NOFO. The Standard Forms (SF) may be accessed in the Forms tab at Forms | Grants.gov.

Applicants should review these forms before applying to ensure they have all the information required.

After submitting the final application, FEMA GO will provide either an error message or a successfully received transmission in the form of an email sent to the AOR that submitted the application. Applicants using slow internet connections, such as dial-up connections, should be aware that transmission can take some time before FEMA GO receives your application.

For additional application submission requirements, including program-specific requirements, please refer to the Section 4.C. Application Components of this NOFO.

C. Application Components https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-88/pdf/STATUTE-88-Pg1535.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2015-title15/pdf/USCODE-2015-title15-chap49-sec2229a.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-118publ47/pdf/PLAW-118publ47.pdf https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/5515/text https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/5515/text https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-C/section-200.216 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR45ddd4419ad436d/section-200.327 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.471 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/appendix-Appendix%20II%20to%20Part%20200 https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_policy-405-143-1-prohibition-covered-services-equipment-gpd.pdf https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_policy-405-143-1-prohibition-covered-services-equipment-gpd.pdf https://go.fema.gov/ https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/firefighters/safer https://grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family

The following forms or information are required to be submitted via FEMA GO. The Standard Forms (SF) are also available at Forms | Grants.gov.

• SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance

• Grants.gov Lobbying Form, Certification Regarding Lobbying

• SF-424A, Budget Information (Non-Construction)

• SF-424B, Standard Assurances (Non-Construction)

• SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

D. Program-Specific Required Documents and Information For program-specific updates and information, please see the Appendix A – FY 2024 SAFER Program Updates, Appendix B – Programmatic Information and Priorities, and Appendix C – Award Administration Information.

E. Post-Application Requirements for Successful Applicants Applicants likely to be funded may receive a request for additional information by email prior to award. Applicants must respond to the request to move forward with the grant review process.

5. Submission Requirements and Deadlines A. Address to Request Application Package Applications are processed through the FEMA GO system. To access the system, go to FEMA

GO.

Steps Required to Apply for An Award Under This Program and Submit an Application:

To apply for an award under this program, all applicants must:

a. Apply for, update, or verify their Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number and Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service;

b. In the application, provide an UEI number;

c. Have an account with login.gov;

d. Register for, update, or verify their SAM account and ensure the account is active before submitting the application;

e. Register in FEMA GO, add the organization to the system, and establish the Authorized

Organizational Representative (AOR). The organization’s electronic business point of contact (eBiz POC) from the SAM registration may need to be involved in this step. For step-by-step instructions, see the FEMA GO Startup Guide;

f. Submit the complete application in FEMA GO; and

g. Always maintain an active SAM registration with current information when the applicant has an active federal award or an application under consideration by a federal awarding agency. As part of this, applicants must also provide information on an applicant’s immediate and highest-level owner and subsidiaries, as well as on all predecessors that have been awarded federal contracts or federal financial assistance within the last three years, if applicable.

https://grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family https://go.fema.gov/ https://go.fema.gov/ https://www.login.gov/ https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/181607

Per 2 C.F.R. § 25.110, if an applicant is experiencing exigent circumstances that prevents it from obtaining an UEI number and completing SAM registration prior to receiving a federal award, the applicant must notify FEMA as soon as possible. Contact fema-grants-news@fema.dhs.gov and provide the details of the exigent circumstances.

How to Register to Apply:

General Instructions:

Registering and applying for an award under this program is a multi-step process and requires time to complete. Below are instructions for registering to apply for FEMA funds. Read the instructions carefully and prepare the requested information before beginning the registration process. Gathering the required information before starting the process will alleviate last-minute searches for required information.

The registration process can take up to four weeks to complete. To ensure an application meets the deadline, applicants are advised to start the required steps well in advance of their submission.

Organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number, Employer Identification Number (EIN), and an active System for Award Management (SAM) registration.

Obtain a UEI Number:

All entities applying for funding, including renewal funding, must have a UEI number.

Applicants must enter the UEI number in the applicable data entry field on the SF-424 form. For more detailed instructions for obtaining a UEI number, refer to SAM.gov.

Obtain Employer Identification Number:

In addition to having a UEI number, all entities applying for funding must provide an Employer Identification Number (EIN). The EIN can be obtained from the IRS by visiting https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online.

Create a login.gov account:

Applicants must have a login.gov account to register with SAM or update their SAM registration. Applicants can create a login.gov account at:

https://secure.login.gov/sign_up/enter_email?request_id=34f19fa8-14a2-438c-8323-a62b99571fd.

Applicants only must create a login.gov account once. For existing SAM users, use the same email address for both login.gov and SAM.gov so that the two accounts can be linked.

For more information on the login.gov requirements for SAM registration, refer to https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/loginFAQ.jsf.

Register with SAM:

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part-25/subpart-A/section-25.110 mailto:fema-grants-news@fema.dhs.gov https://sam.gov/content/home https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online https://secure.login.gov/sign_up/enter_email?request_id=34f19fa8-14a2-438c-8323-a62b99571fd https://secure.login.gov/sign_up/enter_email?request_id=34f19fa8-14a2-438c-8323-a62b99571fd https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/loginFAQ.jsf

In addition to having a UEI number, all organizations must register with SAM. Failure to register with SAM will prevent your organization from applying through FEMA GO. SAM registration must be renewed annually and must remain active throughout the entire grant life cycle.3

For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM, refer to: Register with SAM.

Register in FEMA GO, Add the Organization to the System, and Establish the AOR:

Applicants must register in FEMA GO and add their organization to the system. The organization’s electronic business point of contact (eBiz POC) from the SAM registration may need to be involved in this step. For step-by-step instructions, see FEMA GO Startup Guide.

Note: FEMA GO will support only the most recent major release of the following browsers:

Google Chrome; Mozilla Firefox; Apple Safari; and Microsoft Edge.

Applicants using tablet type devices or other browsers may encounter issues with using FEMA

GO.

Submitting the Final Application:

Applicants will be prompted to submit the standard application information and any program-specific information required. Standard Forms (SF) may be accessed at Forms | Grants.gov.

Applicants should review these forms before applying to ensure they are providing all required information.

After submitting the final application, FEMA GO will provide either an error message, or an email to the submitting AOR confirming the transmission was successfully received.

B. Application Deadline 07/03/2025 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time

C. Pre-Application Requirements Deadline Not applicable.

D. Post-Application Requirements Deadline Not applicable.

E. Effects of Missing the Deadline All applications must be completed in FEMA GO by the application deadline. FEMA GO automatically records proof of timely submission and generates an electronic date/time stamp when FEMA GO successfully receives an application. The submitting AOR will receive via email the official date and time stamp and a FEMA GO tracking number to serve as proof of timely submission prior to the application deadline.

3 Per 2 C.F.R. § 25.200, , applicants must also provide the applicant’s immediate and highest-level owner, subsidiaries, and predecessors that have been awarded federal contracts or federal financial assistance within the past three years, if applicable.

https://apply07.grants.gov/help/html/help/Register/RegisterWithSAM.htm https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/FEMA-GO-startup-guide-3.0_112021.pdf https://grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family https://usfema-my.sharepoint.com/personal/0847369848_fema_dhs_gov/Documents/Desktop/Final%20Version%20NOFO%20Template%20&User%20Guide/FEMA%20Version/FEMA%20Version%20template/FY%2025%20NOFO%20Template%20-%20FEMA%20Version%20-.docx

Applicants experiencing system-related issues have until 3:00 p.m. ET on the date applications are due to notify FEMA. No new system-related issues will be addressed after this deadline. Applications not received by the application submission deadline will not be accepted.

6. Intergovernmental Review A. Requirement Description and State Single Point of Contact An intergovernmental review is not required.

7. Application Review Information A. Threshold Criteria FEMA conducts reviews of a random sampling of applications to compare them for duplication including the narrative statements and statistical data. Therefore, all elements of the narrative statements must be specific and unique to the applying entity, and all statistical data must be accurate. Applications with narrative statements that have substantial duplication of statements, sentences, or paragraphs to other submitted applications, or inaccurate data that may mislead reviewers may be disqualified. Discovery of falsification, fabrication, or plagiarism of other grant proposals will disqualify the application(s).

Note: FEMA evaluates each application on its merit, veracity, and accuracy to ascertain how the narrative statement(s) outlined within the application depicts the applicant’s and their community’s uniqueness, their particular risks, and how selecting them over a similarly situated applicant advances the objectives of the SAFER program to assist local fire departments with staffing and deployment capabilities to respond to emergencies and assure that communities have adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards. At any time during application review process, including the technical review stage, FEMA may request additional documentation from applicants, including but not limited to:

• Copies of official or certified documents demonstrating the claimed financial need;

• Copies of the applicant’s needs assessment report, survey, or any documented other efforts undertaken to identify the applicant’s unique project objectives;

• Copies of the risk analysis conducted to ascertain how said project will address the applicant’s unique needs in alignment with their mission and SAFER Program grant purpose;

• Additional information or evidence detailing the applicant’s particular risks; and

• Any other information deemed necessary to adequately weigh the applicant’s assistance request for funding under this discretionary-competitive grant program. No applicant is guaranteed funding.

B. Application Criteria Funding priorities and programmatic criteria for evaluating SAFER Program applications are established by FEMA based on the recommendations from the Criteria Development Panel (CDP). Each year, FEMA convenes a panel of fire service professionals to develop funding priorities for the SAFER Program. The panel makes recommendations about funding priorities as well as developing criteria for awarding grants.

The nine major fire service organizations represented on the panel are:

• International Association of Fire Chiefs

• International Association of Fire Fighters

• National Volunteer Fire Council

• National Fire Protection Association

• National Association of State Fire Marshals

• International Association of Arson Investigators

• International Society of Fire Service Instructors

• North American Fire Training Directors

• Congressional Fire Service Institute

The CDP is charged with making recommendations to FEMA regarding the creation or modification of previously established funding priorities as well as developing criteria for awarding grants. The content of this NOFO reflects implementation of the CDP’s recommendations with respect to the priorities, direction, and criteria for awards.

FEMA will rank all complete and submitted applications based on how well they align with the program priorities for the activity. Answers to the application’s activity specific questions provide information used to determine each application’s ranking relative to the stated program priorities.

The Narrative Statements of the application must provide specific details about the activity for which applicants seek funding, including budget details. The weighted evaluation criteria used by the peer reviewers in the determination of the grant award, as described below, make up the elements of the narrative statement score.

C. Financial Integrity Criteria Before making an award, FEMA is required to review OMB-designated databases for applicants’ eligibility and financial integrity information. This is required by the Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019 (Pub. L. No. 116-117, § 2 (2020)), 41 U.S.C. § 2313, and the “Do Not Pay Initiative” (31 U.S.C. 3354). For more details, please see 2 C.F.R. § 200.206.

Thus, the Financial Integrity Criteria may include the following risk-based considerations of the applicant:

1. Financial stability.

2. Quality of management systems and ability to meet management standards.

3. History of performance in managing federal award.

4. Reports and findings from audits.

5. Ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements.

D. Supplemental Financial Integrity Criteria and Review Before making an award expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently a total federal share of $250,000) over the period of performance:

1. FEMA is required by 41 U.S.C. § 2313 to review or consider certain information found in SAM.gov. For details, please see 2 C.F.R. § 200.206(a)(2).

2. An applicant may review and comment on any information in the responsibility/qualification records available in SAM.gov.

https://www.govinfo.gov/link/plaw/116/public/117 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/plaw/116/public/117 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/41/2313 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/31/3354 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/31/3354 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-C/section-200.206 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title41-section2313&num=0&edition=prelim https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-C/section-200.206

3. Before making decisions in the risk review required by 2 C.F.R.