Fire Management Assistance Grant

 

The Fire Management Assistance Grant Program is authorized by the Stafford Act and amended by the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000. Grants are provided to States, Indian tribal and local governments for the mitigation, management and control of any fire burning on publicly (non-federal) or privately owned forest or grassland that threatens such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. The funds are primarily used for fire suppression services (response) but also for essential assistance (emergency protective measures) as described in Section 403 (42 U.S.C 5170b) of the Stafford Act. This includes, but is not limited to evacuation and sheltering, police barricading, equipment and supplies, and other costs related to fire suppression operations and administration in support of these operations.Of the 32 core capabilities described in the National Preparedness Goal, Second Edition, 2015, this program fits into several including Fire Management and Response), Physical Protective Measures, Public Information and Warning, Infrastructure Systems, and On-Scene Security, Protection, and Law Enforcement categories.

Active 97.046 Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security B - Project Grants; J - Provision of Specialized Services Fiscal Year 2016 A total of 47 Fire Management Assistance Grant declarations were approved and 47 FMAG grants were provided to 19 States in FY 16. The purpose of this program is to provide 75% federal matching funding to States which is used to attack wildland fires with all available resources. This approach prevents these fires that threaten to become major disasters from reaching major disaster levels which are much more expensive. Only 1 of 47 such wildland fires became a major disaster in FY16.
Fiscal Year 2017 A total of 17 States had 60 Fire Management Assistance Grants approved which provided 75% federal assistance.
Fiscal Year 2018 As of July 2018, A total of 12 States had 40 Fire Management Assistance Grants approved which provided 75% federal assistance. Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Act, Section 420, Public Law 93-288, 42 U.S.C. 5187 State governments and Indian tribal governments are eligible for fire management assistance grants. The State or Indian tribal government may be the Recipient. The Recipient is the government entity that receives the award and is accountable for the use of funds provided. The State Government and/or Indian tribal government, acting as the Recipient is the government to which the grant is awarded and which is accountable for the use of the funds provided. Other State entities, Indian tribal governments and local governments are eligible to apply as subrecipients. A State or Indian Tribal Government must apply by completing an SF 424 (Application for Federal Assistance) and must have applied for and received approval for a Fire Management Assistance Declaration. In addition, the Applicant the must also provide documentation that shows they have met the Fire Cost Thresholds for the calendar year in which the fire was declared, and must have prepared, submitted, and received approval for a State Administrative Plan and a Hazard Mitigation Plan. Costs are determined in accordance with FEMA Regulations and 44 CFR Part 204. Federal funds will be awarded to subrecipients in accordance with State law and procedure and in compliance with 44 CFR Part 204. Grant awards are managed in accordance with 2 CFR part 200. Preapplication coordination is required. An environmental impact statement is required for this listing. An environmental impact assessment is required for this listing. A FEMA-State Agreement and/or Indian tribal Agreement for the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program (the agreement) is signed by the Governor/Indian tribal government and the Regional Administrator at the beginning of the calendar year or after a State's first fire management assistance grant declaration in a calendar year. The agreement is amended for subsequent approvals of assistance for the remainder of the year. This agreement contains the terms and conditions for requesting and receiving assistance. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. A State Governor, or Governor's Authorized Representative, may request a fire management assistance declaration from the FEMA Regional Administrator. To expedite the request, the State may submit a request via telephone to the Regional Administrator, followed by a confirming message or letter. The FEMA Regional Administrator renders a decision on the State's request and notifies the State and FEMA Headquarters of the approval or denial of the request. This decision may be relayed by telephone, to be followed by a written determination. To receive fire management assistance grant funds a State or Indian Tribal Government must complete and submit an SF 424 (Request for Federal Assistance), and must have applied for and received approval for a Fire Management Assistance Declaration. The Recipient must also provide documentation that shows they have met the Fire Cost Thresholds for the calendar year in which the fire was declared. The Applicant must submit its application within 9 months of the declaration (with a possible 6 month extension). The Regional Administrator has 45 days from receipt the State's grant application or an amendment to the State's grant application, including attached supporting Project Worksheet(s), to review and approve or deny the grant application or amendment; or to notify the recipient of a delay in processing funding. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines From 1 hour to 72 hours. States may appeal the denial of a fire management assistance declaration and may also appeal any other decision related to the fire management assistance grant program. To appeal a denied fire management assistance declaration the Governor or GAR may appeal the decision in writing within 30 days after the date of the denied declaration. The State submits the request to the FEMA Administrator through the Regional Administrator. The Administrator will reevaluate the State's request and notify the State of the final determination within 90 days of receipt of the appeal. An eligible applicant, subrecipient, or recipient may appeal any determination FEMA makes related to an application for the provision of Federal assistance. The applicant or subrecipient makes the appeal in writing through the recipient to the Regional Administrator after reviewing and evaluating all subrecipient appeals. The appeal is submitted to the Regional Administrator and includes documented justification supporting the appellant's position, the monetary figure in dispute and the provisions in Federal law, regulation, or policy with which the appellant believes the initial action was inconsistent. The Regional Administrator will render a determination on first appeals for fire management assistance grant-related decisions within 90 days following receipt of the appeal or requested additional information. In the event the Regional Administrator denies the appeal, the applicant may submit a second-level appeal to the Deputy Associate Administrator of the Office of Response and Recovery (formerly the Assistant Administrator for the Recovery Directorate) at FEMA Headquarter Office (for second appeals). Within 90 days following receipt of a second appeal, the Deputy Associate Administrator, will notify the grantee in writing of the final decision or of the need for additional information. If the decision is to grant the appeal, the Regional Administrator will take appropriate implementing action. The decision of the Deputy Associate Administrator at the second appeal level is the final decision of FEMA. Not applicable. Not applicable. Fire Management Assistance Grants are made in the form of cost-sharing grants for the mitigation, management, and control of any fire on publicly (nonfederal) or privately owned forestland or grassland that threatens such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. The Fire Management Assistance Grant Program, authorized by the Stafford Act and amended by the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, provides for the mitigation, management and control of fires that threaten such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. Performance Reports: Refer to program guidance. In accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements, nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $750,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Non-Federal entities that expend less than $750,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 2 CFR 200.503 These audits are due to the cognizant Federal agency, submitted through the Federal Audit Clearinghouse, not later than 9 months after the end of the grantee's fiscal year. Grant records must be retained for a period of 3 years from the day the recipient submits its final expenditure report. If any litigation, claim, negotiation, audit, or other action involving the records has been started before the expiration of the 3-year period, the records must be retained until completion of the action and resolution of all issues which arise from it, or until the end of the regular 3-year period, whichever is later. Grant records include financial and program/progress reports, support documents, statistical records, and other documents that support the activity and/or expenditure of the recipient or sub-recipient under the award. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching is voluntary. Fire Management Assistance Grants may be available to States on a 75 percent Federal/25 percent nonfederal cost-sharing basis when the State's application demonstrates either of the following: total eligible costs for the declared fire meet or exceed the individual fire cost threshold or total costs of all declared and non-declared fires in a given calendar year meet the cumulative fire cost threshold. The individual fire cost threshold for a State for FY 2019 is the greater of $100,000 or five percent x $1.5 x state population. The cumulative fire cost threshold for a State FY 2019 is the greater of $500,000 or three times the five percent x $1.5 x State population. Both formulas are adjusted annually for inflation using the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published annually by the Department of Labor.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. There are two time-related periods. The first is the incident period which is the time interval during which a declared fire occurs. Generally costs must be incurred during the incident period to be eligible for assistance. The incident period varies from a week to more than a month depending on the severity of the declared fire. The second time interval is the Period of Performance. Grant funds are normally available for three years following a fire management assistance grant declaration with time extensions possible. This Period of Performance is stated in the SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance. Reimbursement for State grant costs is accomplished via the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services SMARTLINK system in compliance with 2 CFR 200.305 and U.S. Treasury 31 CFR part 205, Cash Management Improvement Act. Recipients and subrecipients prepare and submit Project Worksheets that document costs associated with fire suppression activities and costs associated. Cost eligibility information is provided in 44 CFR part 204 and the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program Guide. See Appendix IV of the Catalog for a listing of addresses for FEMA's Regional Offices. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Department of Homeland Security / FEMA / Public Assistance Division, Control Desk
6th Floor, 500 C St. SW,
Washington, DC 20523 US
Allen.wineland@fema.dhs.gov
Phone: 18003686498 http://www.fema.gov 70-0702-0-1-453 (Project Grants) FY 18$264,403,198.00; FY 19 est $95,941,354.00; FY 20 est $100,000,000.00; FY 17$56.00; FY 16$22,663,963.00; - Future fiscal year obligation amounts are impossible to predict as they are directly correlated to the severity of that fire season. The estimates provided are projections based on averaging past year obligations over the previous ten years. 17 year average is 89,664,854/year Federal Disaster Assistance, Fire Management Assistance Grant Program Regulations, 44 CFR Part 204. See the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program page at:. http://www.fema.gov/fire-management-assistance-grant-program Not applicable.