National Fire Plan- Rural Fire Assistance

 

The objectives of the Rural Fire Assistance (RFA) program are to increase local firefighter safety and enhance the fire protection capabilities of Rural Fire Departments (RFD) by helping RFDs meet accepted standards of wildland fire qualifications, training, and performance for initial and extended attack at the local level. The RFA program supports the overall goals of the National Fire Plan by improving the capacity and capability of local fire departments to protect their communities from the effects of wildland fire. The RFA program provides funds for RFDs that: Protect rural, wildland-urban interface communities; Play a substantial cooperative role in the protection of federal lands; Are cooperators with the Department of the Interior (DOI) managed lands through cooperative agreements with the DOI or their respective State; and Serve communities with a population of 10,000 or less.

Funding priorities for grant awards may shift from year to year. Allowable funding requests are limited, based on annual Secretarial direction, and may include training, personal protection equipment, and programs that are supported by a larger plan (e.g., CWPP, FMP, and Local Response Plan) and equipment. Local and regional workgroups must use available systems and networks to ensure funding requests are not duplicated by another federal bureau, agency, or Tribe. The RFD must demonstrate the capability to meet cost share requirements, which may include in-kind services. Cooperator contribution may exceed, but not amount to less than 10 percent of the amount awarded. Examples of in-kind services may include, but are not limited to, facility use incurred by an RFD for hosting training courses; travel and per diem costs incurred by an RFD to attend training courses; and administration costs related to purchasing RFA equipment and supplies.

Deleted 03/03/2014 (Archived.) 15.675 Agency: Department of the Interior
Office: Fish and Wildlife Service Advisory Services and Counseling; Cooperative Agreements (Discretionary Grants); Direct Payments for Specified Use; Dissemination of Technical Information; Provision of Specialized Services; Training; Use of Property, Facilities, and Equipment Fiscal Year 2012: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2013: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2014: No Current Data Available Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2005, Title I, Public Law 108-447. This program was first implemented in the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2001, Title IV, Public Law 106-291. Applicants must be rural fire departments serving a community with a population of 10,000 or less in the wildland-urban interface on or affected by wildlands managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Rural fire departments must meet ALL of the following requirements to be considered for funding must: be a party to an agreement with the State Forester (or equivalent) or Tribe, or a cooperative fire agreement with a DOI bureau (BIA, BLM, NPS, USFWS); serve a community with of a population of 10,000 or less; be in close proximity to DOI lands and communities within the wildland-urban interface; and must have a local DOI Bureau dependent on it for response to wildlife incidents. A fire department serving communities with populations over 10,000 may qualify for RFA funding under the following circumstances: The service area of the department includes a rural area or community with a population of 10,000 or less. RFA funding must be used to benefit the rural service area. Departments operate entirely within the boundaries of the county or town of more than 10,000 that is serviced by two or more fire districts. The service area of a given district includes a rural area or community, or the population of the district’s jurisdiction is less than 10,000. The RFA funding is used exclusively for the rural portion of the district. A fire department with at least one station that serves a community of more than 10,000 that also encompasses a rural zone or community with a population not exceeding 10,000. RFA funding must be used to benefit the rural service area. A fire department that serves a community of 10,000 or more that also provides fire protection services through contract or agreement to an adjoining rural community. RFAfunding must be used to benefit the rural service area serviced through the contract or agreement. State, Local, Public Nonprofit Institution/Organization, Other Public Institution/Organization, Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Government, Small Business, Profit Organization, Private Organization, Anyone/General Public, Native American Organization, Farmer/Rancher/Agriculture Producer, Homeowner, Land/Property Owner, Suburban, and Rural. The fire department must be a part of a Statewide agreement with the State Forester, who maintains cooperative fire agreements with the rural fire department/volunteer fire department, or a cooperative fire agreement with an Interior Bureau. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program. Preapplication coordination is required. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. Rural Fire Assistance is coordinated through each State Forester and the announcing Regional Office, or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service unit. Procedures may be found on the National Interagency Fire Center website at: http://www.nifc.gov/rfa/index.html. At a minimum, applicants are required to submit a detailed proposal including a completed and signed SF424 Application for Federal Assistance, a completed SF424A Budget Information (Non-construction) form, and a signed SF424B Assurances form. Detailed instructions for submitting a proposal will be posted on Grants.gov.

The RFA grant administrative timeline will be determined annually by the DOI bureaus in coordination with OWFC and, to the greatest extent possible, coordinated with the application and review periods established for other federal fire service grant programs. Grant announcements will be consistent with applicable sections of Public Law 106-107 (Federal Financial Assistance Management Act of 1999) and Office of Management and Budget policy and guidance. Within each State, State compact, region, zone, or equivalent, DOI RFA representatives, State Foresters or equivalent, and appropriate partners will review applications, and submit a single prioritized list of RFA grant applicants. National DOI RFA leads, in collaboration with partners, will review submissions, and allocate funds to bureaus based on priorities determined by the Secretary and in coordination with partners, cooperating organizations, and appropriate stakeholders
Program priorities and criteria may change with each fiscal year at the discretion of the Secretary. The maximum allowable award to each RFD is $20,000 annually. Visit the National Interagency Fire Centers website at http://www.nifc.gov/rfa/index.html. Within each State, State compact, region, zone, or equivalent, DOI RFA representatives, State Foresters or equivalent, and appropriate partners will review applications, and submit a single prioritized list of RFA grant applicants. National DOI RFA leads, in collaboration with partners, will review submissions, and allocate funds to bureaus based on priorities determined by the Secretary and in coordination with partners, cooperating organizations, and appropriate stakeholders.
Grant announcements and selection is discretionary based on program funding. USFWS staff will notify applicants of review results by either issuing a fully executed Award either electronically or through the mail, or by sending written notification to the applicant that the application will not be funded. Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines. Rural fire assistance projects are approved by the Bureau/Service/Region/Refuge Unit in coordination with the State Forester and other Federal partners. Normally, grant requests are received and awards made during the same fiscal year. Not Applicable. Recipients may request funding for a subsequent year/cycle of a currently funded or new project. However, these requests are subject to the same submission, review, and approval requirements as all new applications. This program will fund any approved renewal application as new award, not as an amendment to an existing award. Recipients may request approval for budget and project plan revisions of funded projects, including period of performance and reporting due date extensions, in accordance with 43 CFR Part 12. Evaluator(s) must utilize general criteria to rank eligible Rural Fire Departments for funding. To ensure consistency and compatibility with existing fire service assistance programs, the DOI bureaus, Tribes and State Foresters (or equivalent) will coordinate to cooperatively establish priority ranking of RFA applicants. The workgroup must verify each RFD’s level of significance (LOS). Factors to be considered in this assessment include: The RFD’s proximity to DOI managed lands and protection role for the Wildland-Urban Interface; DOI reliance on the RFD for expedient initial attack in remote DOI areas of responsibility. RFDs in close vicinity to DOI lands may play a major role in initial attack due to their close vicinity, and have a moderate or high level of significance to the DOI; Other local or regional criteria, disclosed in advance to grant applicants.

State Foresters (or equivalent) must concur with prioritization of funding requests. Favorable consideration will be directed to those RFDs that are in compliance with DOI and State regulations; have promptly expended previous funds awarded; comply with monitoring and reporting requirements in timely fashion; and, have been consistent with honoring cost-share commitments. The workgroup will evaluate the RFD’s relationship in supporting initiatives, direction plans such as the 10-year Comprehensive Strategy and its Implementation Plan, State fire plans, community wildfire protection plans or equivalent(s), and fire management plans. Program priorities and criteria may change with each fiscal year at the discretion of the Secretary. The maximum allowable award to each RFD is $20,000 annually. 100 percent of discretionary funds are used for discretionary activities. No program reports are required. No cash reports are required. Recipients must submit a final performance report no later than 90 calendar days after the award end date. Recipients of awards with performance periods longer than 12 months will be required to submit interim reports. Program may require recipients to submit interim reports annually, semiannually, or quarterly. Program will detail all performance reporting requirements, including frequency and due dates, in the notice of award letter. Recipients must report expenditures using the SF 425, Federal Financial Report form. Recipients must submit a final report no later than 90 calendar days after the award end date. Recipients of awards with performance periods longer than 12 months will be required to submit interim reports. Program may require recipients to submit interim reports annually, semiannually, or quarterly. Program will detail all financial reporting requirements, including frequency and due dates, in the notice of award letter. Recipients are responsible for monitoring performance for each award and sub-award under this program in accordance with 43 CFR Part 12. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. Recipients that are states and local governments will maintain records in accordance with 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart C (section 12.82). All other recipients will maintain records in accordance with 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart F (section 12.953). Program-specific legislation/regulation may dictation additional records retention requirements. Program will detail all non-standard records retention requirements in the notice of award. This program has no statutory formula.
This program has no matching requirements. This program does not have a statutory match. However, cooperator contributions must be at least 10 percent of the total amount requested. Matching contributions can be in-kind or cash. Examples of in-kind services may include, but are not limited to, facility use incurred by an RFD for hosting training courses; travel and per diem costs incurred by an RFD to attend training courses; and administration costs related to purchasing RFA equipment and supplies. Federal funds from another program or project may not be represented as recipient match.
This program does not have MOE requirements. Program obligates funds and sends a notice of award to successful applicants. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Recipients request awarded funds as needed and in accordance with 43 CFR Part 12, unless otherwise dictated by program-specific legislation/regulation or special award terms. Program will include any special award terms and conditions in the notice of award. None. Kimberly Van Hemelryck National Fuels Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Interagency Fire Center, 3833 South Development Avenue , Boise, Idaho 83705 Phone: 208-387-5957 http://www.fws.gov/fire 14-1125-0-1-302. (Cooperative Agreements (Discretionary Grants)) FY 10 $1,027,451; FY 11 est $0; and FY 12 est $0 Range $3,740-$20,000. Average $10,000. Per http://www.doi.gov/pam/TermsandConditions.html, acceptance of a Federal
Financial award from the Department of the Interior carries with it the responsibility to be aware of and comply with the terms and conditions of the award. Acceptance is defined as starting work, drawing down or otherwise requesting funds, or accepting the award via electronic means. Awards are based on the application submitted to, and as approved by the Department of the Interior and are subject to the terms and conditions incorporated in to the Award either directly or by reference to the following: Program legislation/regulation, assurances, special conditions, the Code of Federal Regulations, and other regulatory requirements, as applicable.

The Fish and Wildlife Service’s rural fire assistance program is guided by the provisions of the National Fire Plan. A variety of public information on this plan is available by contacting the appropriate Regional Office Fire Management program or the National Interagency Fire Center's web site at: http://www.nifc.gov.
Fiscal Year 2012: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2013: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2014: No Current Data Available