COMPLETE & SUBMIT YOUR FY 2018 STAFFING FOR ADEQUATE FIRE AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE (SAFER) APPLICATION

There is still plenty of time to complete and submit your FY 2018 SAFER application. The application period will close this Friday, March 22, 2019. Applications must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. ET. Make every effort to submit your application early as no exceptions will be made for submissions after 5:00 p.m. ET.

Complete and submit your application today using the application portal and utilize all of the available application resources below:

• Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)
• Economic Hardship Waivers
• SAFER Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• Application Checklist
  • This checklist will help you prepare your SAFER grant application
• Self-Evaluation – Hiring of Firefighters
  • Career, combination, and volunteer fire departments
• Self-Evaluation – Recruitment and Retention – Fire Departments
  • Combination and volunteer fire departments
• Self-Evaluation – Recruitment and Retention – Interest Organizations
  • National, State, Local, or Tribal Volunteer Firefighters Interest Organizations
• Recruitment and Retention – Request Details Description Instructions
  • This document will provide Recruitment and Retention applicants with a list of the categories and sub-category available in the application as well as information on the level of details needed for each budget line item.
•  FY 2018 SAFER Program Overview Hiring Webinar
• FY 2018 SAFER Program Overview Recruitment & Retention Webinar

SAFER Grants Help Desk: If you have questions about the technical assistance tools listed below, call or e-mail the SAFER Grants help Desk. The toll-free number is 1-866-274-0960; the e-mail address for questions is [email protected].

APPLICATION REVIEW CHECKLIST

• Proofread your application: Mistakes or errors on your SAFER application can disqualify your organization for grant award consideration.

• Remove any “filler” or placeholder text and update each application field with your final answer.

• Does your narrative explain your organizations needs in a way that someone would easily understand? Have you compared your narrative against the Self Evaluation Guides?
• Make sure that you have described your organization’s needs in your voice, do not use boilerplate language or copy from vendors, manufacturers, etc.
• Check the quantities and costs for all budgeted line items that you are requesting and confirm that there are no discrepancies between the Request Details section of the application and the Narrative.
• Ensure that you have included costs for all items and/or activities that are needed to implement your grant, if awarded.
• Have all application fields, or questions, been answered?
• Ask a colleague who is not involved with the actual writing of the grant to proofread your application.
• Make sure that all facts and figures are accurate throughout the entire application.

*Applications cannot be edited once submitted*

 SAM.GOV REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED TO APPLY AND RECEIVE GRANTS

The FY 2018 SAFER application period will close on Friday, March 22 at 5:00pm ET. All eligible applicants must be registered and active in the System for Award Management (SAM) before you can 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/SAM/

SAM.gov Registration Tips: Please ensure the following items are current in SAM and the DUNS number used in SAM is the same one you use for all FEMA applications:

• Organization’s name
• Address

• Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS)
• Employer Identification Number (EIN)

• Banking information (type of account (checking or saving), routing number, and account number
• Many websites may look official in appearance but are not. As a reminder, registration in the SAM.gov is FREE
• SAM.gov registration is only active for one year and must be renewed annually.
• This information should be consistent in all registration documents

Should you need assistance with your SAM.gov account, there are several ways to get help:

• Submit your SAM.gov question online to the Federal Service Help Desk at https://www.fsd.gov/fsd-gov/home.do
• Call the Federal Service Help Desk toll free at 1-866-606-8220
• SAM Quick Start Guide For New Grantee Registration and SAM Video Tutorial for New Applicants are tools created by the General Services Administration to assist those registering with the System for Award Management (SAM).

If you have questions or concerns about your SAM.gov registration, please contact the Federal Support desk at https://www.fsd.gov

SUBMITTING PREPARER INFORMATION

FEMA requires that all applicants disclose the name, address and contact information of the person or organization, to include contracted grant writers, who are responsible for preparing the SAFER application. Please ensure that this information is accurate at the time of submission. As a reminder, all applicants must attest that all information contained within the application, including preparer information, to be true, complete, and accurate to the best of your knowledge. If you contract with a grant writer, and they either refuse, or provide advice to not list them in the preparer information section of the application, please notify the SAFER program office.

WEB BROWSER REMINDERS

• For best results, use Internet Explorer when completing your online SAFER application. Alternate browsers, such as Chrome, Firefox and Safari, may have limited functionality in the application.
• Avoid opening multiple web browsers or multiple windows when completing and submitting your SAFER application; this has caused technical problems for some users.
• There are several known problems entering application information using non-IE browsers or having multiple browsers open, including but not limited to:
  • system failure to recognize correct information
  • system failure to capture and retain correct information
  • system functions like “cut and paste” being disabled

ISSUES SPECIAL CHARACTERS IN USERNAME AND PASSWORDS

Applicants may receive password error messages when entering their digital signature in the Assurances and Certifications section of the application and on the Application Submission page. To avoid this issue in your application, if your password contains any special characters (!@#$%^&*()?=+;:), you will need to change your password to remove the characters and include letters and numbers only.

If you need assistance with changing your password, call or e-mail the SAFER Grants Help Desk. The toll-free number is 1-866-274-0960; the e-mail address for questions is [email protected]

If your username contains the @ symbol, you may experience issues locating your FY 2018 SAFER application once it has been started. If your username include the @ symbol, please contact the SAFER Grants Help Desk. Do not attempt to start a new FY 2018 SAFER application after you have already started one.

HAVE LAST-MINUTE QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS?

If you have last-minute questions about applying for a SAFER grant, or are having technical problems with the electronic application, call the Help Desk at 1-866-274-0960 or send an e-mail to [email protected] The Help Desk staff will be on hand to help applicants through the end of the application period.

• Having computer or technical problems? Late submissions will not be accepted even if due to problems such as expired passwords, technical malfunctions. If you are having a problem submitting your application, you must report the problem to the Help Desk before the application deadline of Friday, March 22, 2019 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time.
• Formal submission of the completed application is required. Many applications appear to be nearly complete or are 100 percent complete but have not been officially submitted into the electronic eGrant application system. No application will be processed automatically or considered for funding unless the applicant properly submits the request and receives a subsequent e-mail confirmation.
• No confirmation e-mail received? All applicants should receive an e-mail confirmation to document their submissions. If you have submitted your application but not yet received an e-mail confirmation in your eGrant application mailbox, contact the Help Desk.

If you have questions, please contact the AFG Help Desk below.

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Do you have a Success Story regarding a FEMA Grant that you’d like to share with everyone?  Contact us at [email protected] or through Twitter @FEMAGrants using a private message.