Volunteer Fire Assistance Grants
Volunteer Fire Assistance Grants support Pennsylvania fire companies with wildland fire equipment, protective gear, prevention, and training to strengthen fire protection in rural communities.
Funder: Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Due Dates: September 28, 2026 (2026 period opens) | January 7, 2027 (2026 deadline) | October 14, 2025 (2025 period opened) | December 31, 2025 (2025 deadline)
Funding Amounts: Up to $15,000 in 2025; grant covers no more than 50% of actual project expenditures
Summary: Supports Pennsylvania fire companies’ equipment, training, and prevention projects for fighting wildland fires in rural areas.
Key Information: Fire companies generally face a five-year wait between years they are eligible to receive grants.
Description
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Bureau of Forestry administers Volunteer Fire Assistance Grants with support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The program helps organize, train, and equip local firefighting forces in rural areas and communities with fewer than 10,000 people. Its aim is to prevent, control, and suppress fires that threaten lives, property, livestock, crops, woodlands, and other rural resources, particularly where fire protection is inadequate.
Grants support wildfire suppression equipment, protective gear, mobile or portable radios, dry hydrants, wildfire prevention and mitigation, and training. Certain projects involving federal excess vehicles supplied by the Bureau of Forestry for fire suppression are also eligible. Equipment and protective-gear purchases receive priority.
