05 May
2025
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection – Rural Fire Capacity
Grant Amount: Maximum Grant Amount: $20,000
Information
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is accepting applications for the Rural Fire Capacity (aka Volunteer Fire Capacity) Grant Program.
This is a Federally-funded grant program that allows California to provide local and rural fire departments with minor firefighting, training, communications and safety equipment for their volunteer firefighters. The RFC Program is not intended for major equipment (fire engines, vehicles, etc) or Capital repairs.
Funding for departments must meet at least one of the following qualifications
- A single fire department serving a rural area or a rural community with a population of 10,000 or less.
- Area fire departments (fire districts, townships, etc.) may serve an aggregate population of greater than 10,000 as long as the service area of the fire department includes a rural area or a rural community having a population of 10,000 or less. The VFA funding must be used to benefit the rural population.
- A single county or town with a population over 10,000 which is served by two or more fire districts operating entirely within the bounds of the county or town may qualify as long as the service area of a given fire department includes a rural area or a rural community or the population of the fire department’s jurisdiction is 10,000 or less. The VFA funding must be used for the rural area.
- A single community with a population greater than 10,000 and having a single fire department with one or more fire stations may qualify. The fire department must have a service area that includes a rural area or community that does not exceed 10,000 population. Also a single community with a population greater than 10,000 which also provides fire protection to an adjoining rural community of 10,000 or less population by contract may also be eligible provided the VFA funding is used entirely to support the rural community.
Allowable Types of Projects:
- Communications includes anything that can receive communications such as radios, handie talkies, pagers, alarm systems, etc. Towers are not acceptable items even if they are portable.
- Equipment-Wildland includes tangible items that do not fit in the Communications, Safety or Training categories such as hand tools, fire hoses, nozzles, clamps, etc., which will be used for Wildland firefighting.
- Equipment-Structural includes tangible items that do not fit in the Communications, Safety or Training categories such as fire hoses, nozzles, clamps etc., which will be used for Structural firefighting.
- Safety-Wildland includes PPE for Wildland firefighting such as Nomex suits, hoods, goggles, Self-contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA), fire shelters, hydration packs, etc.
- Safety-Structural includes PPE for Structural firefighting such as gloves, turnout pants and coats, hoods, goggles, boots, etc.
- Training cost includes any skill learned through videos, books, training components, tuition for training offsite, etc. Out of State training is not allowable.