Description: The primary goal of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and non-affiliated emergency medical service organizations. AFG helps firefighters and other first responders obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training and other resources necessary for protecting the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.

Eligible expenditures:

  • Operations & Safety
    • Training
    • Equipment for effective response, firefighting, rescue, and emergency medical operations
    • PPE may only be used to acquire compliant PPE for firefighting and nonaffiliated EMS personnel
    • Wellness and Fitness activities intended to strengthen emergency responders so that their mental, physical, and emotional capabilities
    • Modify fire stations and other facilities
  • Vehicle Acquisition
  • Regional Projects

Eligibility: Provides financial assistance directly to eligible fire departments, nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations, and State Fire Training Academies for critical training and equipment.

Dates: Application cycle typically run January through February.

Description: Approximately $400 million in funding was available for FY 2020 CHP. CHP provides funding to hire and re-hire entry level career law enforcement officers in order to preserve jobs, increase community policing capacities and support crime prevention efforts.

Funding under this program may be used to do the following:

  • Hire new officers
  • Rehire officers (laid off as a result of budget reductions)
  • Rehire officers (at the time of application, currently scheduled to be laid off as a result of budget reductions)

Eligibility: Open to all state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies with primary law enforcement authority.

Dates: Typically, applications are due in March.

Description: Funds can be used to purchase, construct, and / or improve essential community facilities, purchase equipment and pay related project expenses.

Examples of essential community facilities include:

  • Health care facilities such as hospitals, medical clinics, dental clinics, nursing homes or assisted living facilities
  • Public facilities such as town halls, courthouses, airport hangars or street improvements
  • Community support services such as child care centers, community centers, fairgrounds or transitional housing
  • Public safety services such as fire departments, police stations, prisons, police vehicles, fire trucks, public works vehicles or equipment
  • Educational services such as museums, libraries or private schools
  • Utility services such as telemedicine or distance learning equipment
  • Local food systems such as community gardens, food pantries, community kitchens, food banks, food hubs or greenhouses

Eligibility: Public bodies, Community-based non-profit corporations, and Federally-recognized Tribes. Rural areas including cities, villages, townships and towns including Federally Recognized Tribal Lands with no more than 20,000 residents according to the latest U.S. Census Data are eligible for this program.

Description: An emphasis is placed on NG911 projects. Eligible projects include Host/Remote solutions, new or improved 911 PSAP support equipment (ex., CAD upgrade/replacement, GIS mapping, etc.), and any other project that meets 202 KAR 6:090.

Eligibility: All certified PSAP

Dates: Application cycle typically runs November through February.

Description: The Law Enforcement Protection Program enables KOHS to provide law enforcement agencies across the state funds to purchase duty equipment on a year-round basis.

LEPP provides grants for body armor, duty weapons, ammunition, electronic-control devices, electronic-control weapons or electronic-muscular disruption technology, and body-worn cameras to sworn peace officers and service animals.

In awarding these grants, KOHS gives first priority to providing and replacing body armor and second priority to providing firearms and ammunition, with residual funds available for the purchase of electronic-control weapons or electronic-muscular disruption technology and body-worn cameras. Body armor purchased using LEPP funds shall meet or exceed the standards issued by the National Institute of Justice for body armor.

Eligibility: City, county, charter county, unified local government, urban-county government, and consolidated legal government police departments, university safety and security departments organized pursuant to KRS 164.950, school districts that employ special law enforcement officers and service animals as defined in KRS 61.900; and sheriff’s departments.

Description: SVPP funding will provide up to 75% funding for the following school safety measures in and around K-12 (primary and secondary) schools and school grounds:

  • Coordination with law enforcement
  • Training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence against others and self
  • Metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures
  • Technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency
  • Any other measure that the COPS Office determines may provide a significant improvement in security

Eligibility: Applications for SVPP must be submitted by a state, unit of local government (city, county, township, etc.), or its public agencies (state agencies and units of local government agencies such as, county or city public school systems, public boards of education, independent school districts, police departments, sheriff’s departments), or Indian tribes. Recipients of SVPP funding must use funding for the benefit of K-12, primary and secondary schools and students.

Dates: Application deadlines are typically due at the end of April. 

Description: The purpose of HMGP is to help communities implement hazard mitigation measures following a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration in the areas of the state, tribe, or territory requested by the Governor or Tribal Executive. The key purpose of this grant program is to enact mitigation measures that reduce the risk of loss of life and property from future disasters. This webpage includes extensive resources and job aids to streamline project implementation. The primary guidance document for this program is the HMA Guidance.

The applicant must submit all HMGP sub-applications to FEMA within 12 months of the date of the Presidential Major Disaster Declaration.

Upon written request and justification from the applicant, FEMA may extend the application submission timeline in 30- to 90-day increments, not to exceed a total extension of 180 days, in the event of extraordinary conditions.

FEMA provides up to 75 percent of the funds for mitigation projects. The remaining 25 percent can come from a variety of sources. A cash payment from the state, local government or in some cases directly from the individual is the most direct option.

Examples of mitigation projects that can be funded through HMGP include, but are not limited to:

  • Acquisition and Structure Demolition/Relocation – The community purchases and permanently removes, with FEMA funding, a flood-prone property from the individual.
  • Dry Floodproofing of Historic Residential Structures – The home is protected with barriers to prevent floodwater from entering.
  • Elevation – The home is raised so that potential floodwaters may flow underneath the home.
  • Hazard Mitigation Plan – HMGP funding can also be used for mitigation planning activities. FEMA requires state, tribal, and local governments to develop and adopt hazard mitigation plans as a condition for receiving certain types of non-emergency disaster assistance, including funding for HMA mitigation projects. Visit FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Plan Requirement page for more information.
  • Mitigating Flood and Drought Conditions – Aquifer storage and recovery, floodplain and stream restoration, flood diversion and storage, or green infrastructure methods may support communities in reducing the risks associated with the impacts of flood and drought conditions.
  • Mitigation Reconstruction – The existing home is demolished and a new (similar in size) elevated home is constructed.
  • Structural Retrofitting of Existing Buildings – Enhancements are made to a home to make it more resistant to floods and earthquakes.
  • Residential and Community Safe Rooms – A safe room is constructed inside a home or in a nearby community location close to the home to provide safety from strong winds, such as those experienced during a tornado.
  • Wildfire Mitigation – Fire-resistant materials are used on the exterior of the home and trees or brush are cleared to remove flammable materials from around the home.
  • Wind Retrofit – Enhancements are made to strengthen the roof, walls, doors, and windows and minimize damage caused by high winds.

Past projects:

  • Project 1757-0001                    Hancock County         Lewisport            Generator                           $38,000
  • Project 1802-0011                    Daviess County                 County                 Drainage/Elevation         $400,000
  • Project 1818-0007                    Ohio County                 County                 Generator                           $111,000
  • Project 1818-0101                    Webster County               County                 Generator                     $159,500
  • Project 1912-0017                    Henderson County          County                 Drainage/Elevation         $195,000
  • Project 1912-0021                    Webster County               County                 Safe Room                    $249,000
  • Project 1976-0013                    McLean County                 County                 Calhoun                               $115,000
  • Project 1976-0016                    Union County                    County                 Acquisition                          $427,000

Eligibility: In general, individuals, businesses and private nonprofits via local governments, can apply for HMGP funding. Individuals may not apply directly for HMGP funding but may be sponsored through an appropriate sub applicant via a local government, state agency, tribe or tribal agency, or private nonprofit. Applications are submitted to the state, eligible tribe, or territory, which receives HMGP funds from FEMA.

Dates: A Presidential Major Disaster Declaration provides for the availability of HMGP funds at the request of a state’s Governor in eligible communities within a state, tribe, or territory. Regulations require the state, tribe, or territory to provide a Letter of Intent within 30 days after a disaster declaration that notifies FEMA whether or not the state will participate in HMGP.

Description: Our Mission is to impact the lifesaving capabilities, and the lives of local heroes and their communities. This is accomplished by providing lifesaving equipment and prevention education tools to first responders and public safety organizations. All requests must fall within our Foundation’s funding guidelines which can be found on our website via firehousesubsfoundation.org/about-us/funding-areas. The guideline for how much to apply for is $15,000 – $25,000.

Eligibility: Fire Departments, Law enforcement, EMS, public safety organizations, non-profits and schools are encouraged to apply for life saving equipment.

Dates: Next application window opens on April 7, 2022.