Volunteer Firefighter Equipment and Training Grant Program
Forecasted
Volunteer Firefighter Equipment and Training Grant Program supports Tennessee volunteer fire departments with equipment and federal grant local-share reimbursements to meet equipment and training needs.
Funder: Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance
Due Dates (Anticipated): December 2026 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: $20 million for FY 2026–2027; separate $1 million vehicle federal-match program
Summary: Supports Tennessee volunteer fire departments with firefighting equipment and reimbursement of federal grant local shares for equipment and training.
Key Information: Departments must hold valid SFMO recognition and have at least 51% volunteer firefighters.
Description
The Volunteer Firefighter Equipment and Training Grant Program (VFEAT) is administered by the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance through its State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO). Created by the General Assembly in 2019, the program supports the firefighting equipment and training needs of Tennessee volunteer fire departments. It offers two routes: reimbursement of the local cost share of a federally awarded equipment or training grant, and direct applications to SFMO for firefighting equipment.
A separate Volunteer Firefighter Vehicle Grant Program supports local matching costs for federal grants to purchase fire apparatus. Departments request this support through the regular VFEAT application. VFEAT applications undergo internal scoring before a seven-member committee oversees award selection, with priority given to matching-fund requests.
