Reminder: AFG’s FY 2020 COVID 19 – Supplemental Application Period Ends Friday May 15 at 5:00 p.m. ET



Reminder: The AFG-S application period will close on Friday, May 15th, at 5:00 p.m. ET.

DHS/FEMA will not review applications that are received after the deadline or consider them for funding.

Ask the Help Desk

See commonly asked questions about the AFG-S application below:

Question 1. Item eligibility:  Are items such as self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), EMS jackets/pants, decontamination equipment, personnel costs, and fitness equipment eligible under the grant?

Answer: The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) specifies the type of PPE that is applicable under the grant, and can be found below or in the chart on page 26 of the NOFO. 

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) List – Funding Priorities
COVID-19 Response
·       Eye Protection – Appropriately fitted, indirectly vented goggles or single use disposable face shield that fully covers the front and sides of the face.

·       Isolation Gowns – Nonsterile, single use fluid-resistant and impermeable disposable patient isolation gown.

·       Protective Coveralls – 360-degree protection of whole body, including the back, lower legs and feet.

·       Gloves – single use, disposable patient examination gloves.

·       Footwear Covers – Single use, disposable medical footwear covers.

·       Respirators – Any NIOSH-approved particulate respirator (i.e., N-95 or higher-level respirator). Includes the purchase of filters appropriate for use.

·       Surgical Type Face Masks – loose-fitting, single use disposable physical barrier between the mouth and nose of the wearer to allow fire and EMS personnel to meet CDC recommendations and/or state mandates for face covering when in a public setting other than direct patient contact.

Other supplies are also eligible, however will be considered a lower priority than items listed above. Examples include:

•        Decontamination supplies and services for PPE, station-quarters, and vehicles.

•        Replacement High-Efficiency Particulate Air filters and other types of disposable filtration supplies used on EMS respiratory and/or ventilator equipment.

•        Personally-issued antiseptic hand washes, antiseptic hand rubs such as alcohol-based hand sanitizers, foams or gels, and reasonable refill supply.

Questions 2. Item classification:  How much leeway is there classifying an item under a category – for example, whether EMS jackets/pants would correlate to “coveralls” in the NOFO?

Answer:  It depends. The eligible items are specific to the authorization language, which only allows for the purchase of PPE used in response or preparation of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency. Applicants would need to justify how the purchase of the PPE directly relates to the COVID-19 response.

Question 3. Reimbursement: How can I get reimbursed for supplies I have already purchased?

Answer: Reimbursements are eligible for the purchase of PPE dating back to Jan 1, 2020. However, the items must also align with the eligible items list; see chart above.

To start the application process, we recommend that you review the AFG-S NOFO and Application Technical Assistance Tools found on the AFG website under AFG Breaking News.

APPLICATION PORTAL

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

All users have 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, the “applicant name” should be the name of the fire department or organization applying for the grant, not the name of the person who is completing the application.

Fire Grants Help Desk:  If you have questions or need assistance, call or e-mail the Fire Grants Help Desk. The toll-free number is 1-866-274-0960; the e-mail address for questions is [email protected]. The Fire Grants Help Desk is open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET.

SAM.GOV REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED TO APPLY AND RECEIVE GRANTS

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:

Web Browser Information

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.

Twitter @FEMAGrants

Do you want the most up-to-date information on FEMA Grant programs – Follow us on Twitter @FEMAGrants

SHARE YOUR SUCCESS STORY

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.



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