Federal grants are available for volunteer rescue squad buildings.
Knowing where to look is the first step in locating grant opportunities for volunteer rescue squad buildings. Many federal agencies provide the wherewithal to make the dream of a new rescue squad building a reality. Adherence to the grant's stated criteria is an important part of the grant funding process. Success in procuring a grant for a volunteer rescue squad building depends primarily on the grant applicant's ability to write a complete, accurate, comprehensive grant application.
Community Development Block Grant
The State Community Development Block Grant program allows non-entitlement communities, defined as communities with a population of fewer than 50,000, to attain grant funding for a variety of projects through state and local governments. Communities with a population of over 50,000 work directly with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as part of the agency's entitlement program.
Since funding depends on the largess of Congress through yearly appropriations, grants for volunteer rescue squad buildings are not always available. When grant funding for volunteer rescue squad buildings is available, local governments work through a designated state agency to obtain access to the federal monies. Matches from 10 to 50 percent of the grant award are sometimes required. In-kind work and monetary contributions are examples of acceptable matches.
Community Facilities Grants
The United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Development arm provides a variety of programs for small-town America. Rural Development personnel focus on developing essential facilities in areas and towns that support a population of up to 20,000. Because one of the USDA Rural Development grant program's primary focuses is to "provide healthcare, public safety or public and community services," this grant resource is a viable option for rural communities constructing a volunteer rescue squad building.
Grants applicants are limited to municipalities, counties, special-purpose districts, non-profit corporations and tribal governments. Since grants are authorized on a sliding scale, areas with low populations and low incomes rank higher in the grant review process.
Like all government grants, availability is limited to funds on hand for a specific fiscal year. USDA Rural Development grant funding pays for up to 75 percent of project costs if the project meets with population, income and economic feasibility requirements.
USDA Rural Development also offers low-interest and guaranteed loan programs for rural communities.
Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program
Grant funding for tribal entities is available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program provides grant funding directly to any Indian tribe in the continental United States that "operates a law enforcement or emergency response agency . . ."
This program is recognized as an integral part of the government initiative to strengthen homeland security, As such, it works to implement the laws established as a result of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Specifications for Homeland Security grant programs change with each fiscal year, and the Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program is no exception. For instance, the 2010 primary grant initiative is support for sharing information between agencies. A good rule of thumb is to devote 25 percent of the application to the program's central strategy.
As a result of the guidelines imposed with this particular grant program, a peer review process determines if a grant application that includes building a volunteer rescue squad building moves forward in the system.
In fiscal year 2010, $10 million was allocated for the Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program. Throughout the history of this grant program, applicants have had 36 months to complete the elements of the successful grant.
State Homeland Security Grant Program
All 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico are eligible for the State Homeland Security Grant program, which is similar in nature to the Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program. However, the only entity eligible to apply for State Homeland Security Program funding is the State Administrative Agency.
In fiscal year 2010, $842 million was available for core assistance programs that addressed initiatives identified in the state's preparedness report.
While criteria in 2010 focused on law enforcement and prevention-oriented planning, among others, the grant application only requires that 25 percent of the petition concentrate on the recommendations cited, whereby giving the applicant an open field for other necessities, such as a volunteer rescue squad building.
Tags: rescue squad, Homeland Security, volunteer rescue, Homeland Security Grant, Security Grant, rescue squad building, Rural Development