Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER)

The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant 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 pub

The SAFER program provides direct funding to eligible recipients 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. See applicable Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the SAFER Program at https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/firefighters.

All costs charged to awards under the SAFER program must comply with the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements at 2 C.F.R. Part 200, unless otherwise indicated in the NOFO or the terms and conditions of the award. This includes, among other requirements, that costs must be incurred, and products and services must be delivered, within the period of performance of the award. Additionally, all costs must comply with the applicable statutes, policies, requirements in the respective NOFOs as well as with the terms and conditions of the award. Grant recipients may only use federal funds or funds applied to a cost share for the purposes set forth in the NOFOs and the terms and conditions of the award, and those costs must be consistent with the statutory authority for the award. Grant funds may not be used for matching funds for other federal grants/cooperative agreements, lobbying, or intervention in federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. In addition, federal funds may not be used to sue the federal government or any other government entity. All costs charged to awards under the SAFER program must comply with the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements at 2 C.F.R. Part 200, unless otherwise indicated in the NOFO or the terms and conditions of the award.

All costs charged to awards under the SAFER program must comply with the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements at 2 C.F.R. Part 200, unless otherwise indicated in the NOFO or the terms and conditions of the award. This includes, among other requirements, that costs must be incurred, and products and services must be delivered, within the period of performance of the award. Additionally, all costs must comply with the applicable statutes, policies, requirements in the respective NOFOs as well as with the terms and conditions of the award. Grant recipients may only use federal funds or funds applied to a cost share for the purposes set forth in the NOFOs and the terms and conditions of the award, and those costs must be consistent with the statutory authority for the award. Grant funds may not be used for matching funds for other federal grants/cooperative agreements, lobbying, or intervention in federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. In addition, federal funds may not be used to sue the federal government or any other government entity. All costs charged to awards under the SAFER program must comply with the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements at 2 C.F.R. Part 200, unless otherwise indicated in the NOFO or the terms and conditions of the award.

The open application period for the SAFER Program is 30 days. The period of performance for the SAFER Program is up to four-years. SAFER funds are awarded in one-year increments of 12, 24, 36, or 48 months for Retention Programs. SAFER Hiring Programs have a period of performance of 36 months.

The SAFER Notice of Funding Opportunity is published on grants.gov and fema.gov. The online applications are available through the FEMA Grants Outcomes (FEMA GO) application portal, at https://go.fema.gov. Applicants must have a UEI number, an EIN, an active System for Award Management (SAM) registration and FEMA GO account to apply for grants and must maintain an active SAM registration throughout the entire grant life cycle.

The SAFER Grant Program uses a multi-phase, merit-based process to select applications. Applications are first electronically pre-scored based on alignment with program priorities established by the Criteria Development Panel (CDP), which consists of representatives from major fire service organizations. The highest-ranked applications are then reviewed by a panel of peer reviewers who evaluate the narrative statements using weighted criteria, including project description, impact on daily operations, financial need, and cost benefit. Additional internal FEMA reviews assess completeness, technical feasibility, costs, and eligibility. Financial integrity and risk assessments are also conducted prior to award. Final selection is based on overall ranking, technical evaluation, and program office review to ensure alignment with program goals and requirements.

The SAFER Grant Program uses a multi-phase, merit-based process to select applications. Applications are first electronically pre-scored based on alignment with program priorities established by the Criteria Development Panel (CDP), which consists of representatives from major fire service organizations. The highest-ranked applications are then reviewed by a panel of peer reviewers who evaluate the narrative statements using weighted criteria, including project description, impact on daily operations, financial need, and cost benefit. Additional internal FEMA reviews assess completeness, technical feasibility, costs, and eligibility. Financial integrity and risk assessments are also conducted prior to award. Final selection is based on overall ranking, technical evaluation, and program office review to ensure alignment with program goals and requirements. Refer to the Notice of Funding Opportunity for this program for a description of the award procedure. The Notice of Funding Opportunity can be accessed at https://www.grants.gov

90 to 120 days

Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response recipients may apply for a POP extension within 120 days of their POP expiration date. POP extensions are allowed for SAFER R & R Activity grants only. Extension requests are only granted due to compelling legal, policy, or operational challenges. Recipients should consult with their FEMA point of contact for additional requirements related to a period of performance extension.

Applicants that receive an adverse decision or denial can request reconsideration of the decision. Request for reconsideration must be submitted in writing to the address contained on the program's website within 30 days of the notification of denial by the administering office