AFG-COVID-19 Supplemental (AFG-S) Round 2 Application Period Opens on Tuesday, October 6, 2020

FEMA is providing a second opportunity for volunteer and combination fire departments to apply for funding under the Fiscal Year 2020 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program – COVID 19 Supplemental (AFG-S). Through this AFG-S Round 2 funding opportunity, FEMA will directly award funding for personal protective equipment (PPE) and other supplies to support coronavirus (COVID-19) response. This includes reimbursement for applicable PPE expenditures made since Jan. 1, 2020. Grants will be awarded, using a competitive process, to applicants whose requests best address the priorities of the AFG-S grant opportunity.

The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is available for $31 million in funding for the Fiscal Year 2020 Assistance to Firefighters Grant – COVID-19 Supplemental Program (AFG-S) to help provide personal protective equipment to firefighters and first responders who are managing emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

FEMA will begin accepting AFG-S applications at 8 a.m. ET on Tuesday October 6, 2020. The application period will close at 5 p.m. ET on Nov. 13, 2020 .The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program Office (AFGP) has developed tools to help potential applicants plan their AFG-S application ahead of the application period. These documents can be viewed on the AFGP website at FY 2020 AFG-S COVID-19 Guidance Documents and/or downloaded to your computer.

• FY 2020 AFG-S Notice of Funding Opportunity
• Cost Share Calculator 
  • This calculator will help you understand and determine your organization’s cost share for AFG-S grants

Key Questions about the FY20 AFG-S Round 2 application

Why are only volunteer and combination fire departments eligible in round 2?

By law, 25 percent of available AFG-S funds must be awarded to volunteer fire departments and another 25 percent must be awarded to combination fire departments. This second application period will be limited to those categories of fire departments to fulfill this requirement.

Can my department apply again?

Volunteer and combination fire departments are eligible to apply in the FY20 AFG-S Round 2 even if they were awarded a grant under the first application period of the FY20 AFG-S. However, such applications must support new capabilities. Departments that applied in the first application period but were unsuccessful must reapply to be considered for funding in this second application period. Applications from the first application period will not automatically carry forward to Round 2 for automatic consideration.

Application Portal

The online application is available through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program’s FEMA Grants Outcomes (FEMA GO) portal at https://go.fema.gov.

All users need their own FEMA GO account. Each account is specific to the authorized user and must not be shared with other personnel. A FEMA GO Account Creation User Guide can be viewed on the AFGP website or downloaded to your computer.

An application number will be assigned when the application is started. Be sure to write it down for future reference.

NOTE:  When completing the Applicant Information section of the application, the “applicant name” should be the name of the fire department applying for the grant, not the name of the person who is completing the application.

FEMA GO is compatible with Internet Explorer (version 11 or higher), Firefox (version 73 or higher), or Chrome (version 80 or higher). Users who attempt to use tablet type devices or other browsers may encounter issues with using FEMA GO

SAM.gov Registration

SAM.GOV REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR AND RECEIVE GRANTS

All eligible applicants must be registered and active in the System for Award Management (SAM) before they can both begin and submit an application. Per 2 CFR § 25.205, FEMA may not make an award to an entity until the entity has complied with the requirements to provide a valid DUNS number and maintain an active SAM.gov registration with current information. SAM.gov consolidates federal procurement systems and the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA). To register, or validate your information, please visit: https://www.sam.gov/

Find more information on this funding opportunity at https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/firefighters

AFG-S Round 2 Webinars

Please see our Webinar Schedule page for information on upcoming live webinars related to the AFG-S application. Webinars will be offered on various dates through the month of October. The presentations will outline important information and reminders about program priorities, eligible costs, how to navigate the grant application, and tips for preparing an AFG-S application.

AFG Help Desk

If you have questions about the AFG-S application or general AFG Program inquiries, call or e-mail the AFG Program Help Desk. The toll-free phone number is 866-274-0960; the e-mail address is [email protected]. The AFG Program Help Desk is open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET.