Grants for fire departments and rescue squads
Grants that Tennessee fire departments, volunteer departments, fire districts and rescue squads can apply for. We list the programs departments like yours have won.
Federal programs fire departments win
We rank programs by the federal grant dollars they paid to groups like yours. That means groups named fire department, volunteer fire, fire district or rescue squad. We counted awards from October 2019 through September 2026 (federal fiscal years 2020–2026), from USAspending.gov. In that time, Tennessee departments won $15.3 million from Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG). They won $2.8 million from Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants. Tennessee state programs and foundation grants from IRS filings are further down.
Assistance to Firefighters Grant (program number 97.044)
Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG): FEMA's main grant for fire departments, and for EMS groups that aren't part of a hospital. It pays for turnout gear, SCBA, radios, training, vehicles, and Fire Prevention & Safety projects. It gives fire departments by far the most money, in Tennessee and nationwide.
No open grant right now. · 1613 Tennessee awards on file
Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) (program number 97.083)
SAFER pays to hire firefighters. It also pays to find and keep volunteers, with things like volunteer reward programs.
1 grant open or opening soon: Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency... · 139 Tennessee awards on file
Community Facilities Loans and Grants (program number 10.766)
USDA Community Facilities grants buy fire trucks, equipment and stations for towns of 20,000 or fewer. You apply through USDA Rural Development's Tennessee office.
1 grant open or opening soon: Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program (Tennessee) · 127 Tennessee awards on file
Water and Waste Disposal Systems for Rural Communities (program number 10.760)
USDA Water & Waste Disposal: rural fire districts that also run water systems win it. It can pay for hydrants and water supply that protect a fire district.
1 grant open or opening soon: Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program (Tennessee) · 57 Tennessee awards on file
Open and opening-soon grants for this work
- Department of the Interior (DOI), Office of Wildland Fire (OWF) - Slip-On Tanker Units · Interior Business Center · Next round: about Jan 22 – Mar 23, 2027 (estimate) · $10K – $249K
- MSA's Globe Gear Giveaway (turnout gear for volunteer departments) · MSA Safety with DuPont and the National Volunteer Fire Council · Next round: about Feb 24 – Jun 1, 2027 (estimate)
- Fiscal Year 2025 Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Grant Program · Department of Homeland Security - FEMA · Next round: about May 18 – Jun 22, 2027 (estimate) · Up to $1.5M
Every grant that fits, as volunteer fire or rescue department Foundations that fund this work Follow new ones by RSS
Tennessee programs that fund this work
- Wildfire Hazard Mitigation Assistance & Community Education Grants – 2027 cycle · TN Department of Agriculture – Division of Forestry · Opens Oct 15, 2026 · due Nov 15, 2026
- Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) Wildland Fire Suppression Kits – 2026 · TN Department of Agriculture – Division of Forestry · Opens Nov 15, 2026 · due Dec 15, 2026
- Personal Safety Systems (bailout gear) grants for fire departments · Lt. Joseph P. DiBernardo Memorial Foundation · Opens Jan 1, 2027 · due about Jun 30, 2027 (estimate)
- Firefighting Support Grant Program · Tennessee American Water · Next round: due about Aug 31, 2027 (estimate)
- Volunteer Firefighter Support Fund ($350 disaster/home-fire stipend) · National Volunteer Fire Council · No deadline listed: see the official notice
- Operation Rebound (military, veterans and first responders) · Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) · No deadline listed: see the official notice
- Annual Grants (Technology & Engineering Education; First Responder Programming) · Motorola Solutions Foundation · Opening date not announced
- Oxbow Rescue Grant Program · Oxbow Animal Health · Opening date not announced
- Fire department, AED, smoke detector and youth firesetter grants · Firefighters Charitable Foundation · No deadline listed: see the official notice
- Emergency Hardship Grants for first responder families · First Responders Children's Foundation · No deadline listed: see the official notice
- Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) Start-up Grant · TN Department of Agriculture – Division of Forestry · No deadline listed: see the official notice
- Public safety equipment & prevention grants · Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation · Opening date not announced
- Safe Community First Responder Program · Enbridge · No deadline listed: see the official notice
Foundations that funded Tennessee fire departments
From their IRS filings. Foundations that accept applications are listed first.
| Foundation | Based in | Funded | Total | How to apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafollette Medical Foundation Inc. | TN | City of Lafollette Fire Department; Town of Jacksboro Fire Department | $184K | Takes applications |
| Athens Federal Foundation | TN | Englewood Rural Fire Department; Etowah Rescue Squad; Mcminn County Emergency & Rescue Squad | $54K | Takes applications |
| T & T Family Foundation | TN | Williamson County Rescue Squad | $40K | Takes applications |
| La-Z-Boy Foundation | MI | City of Dayton Fire Department; Claiborne County Rescue Squad; Cumberland Gap Volunteer Fire Dept | $32K | Takes applications |
| Covenant Legacy Foundation | TN | Madison County Fire Dept | $30K | Takes applications |
| The Danner Foundation | TN | Williamson County Rescue Squad | $20K | Takes applications |
| The Richard M Schulze Family Foundation | MN | Cannon County Rescue Squad Inc.; Tellico Village Vol Fire Dept | $9,550 | Takes applications |
| M A@rikard Charitable Trust | TN | Williamson County Rescue Squad | $9,500 | Takes applications |
| Adient Foundation Inc. | WI | Giles County Fire and Rescue | $7,500 | Takes applications |
| Adams Family Foundation | TN | Henry County Rescue Squad | $6,825 | Takes applications |
| Wright Charitable Trust | TN | Carroll Co Rescue Squad | $5,000 | Takes applications |
| Albemarle Foundation | NC | Benton County Rescue Squad; Big Sandy Volunteer Fire Department Inc.; Paris-Henry County Rescue Squad Inc. | $5,000 | Takes applications |
| Hees Family Foundation | TN | Doyle Volunteer Fire Dept; Piney Volunteer Fire Dept | $4,500 | Takes applications |
| Wallace Foundation | TN | Morristown Emergency Rescue Squad; South Hamblen Volunteer Fire Dept | $4,000 | Takes applications |
| International Paper Company Foundation | TN | Stoney Creek Volunteer Fire Department | $3,872 | Takes applications |
| The James and Stephanie Patrick Fam | NY | Sewanee Volunteer Fire Department | $2,000 | Takes applications |
| Regal Foundation | TN | Volunteer Fire Department of Seymour Inc. | $1,500 | Takes applications |
| Harvest Outreach | MN | Long Creek Fire Department | $1,000 | Takes applications |
| The Bank of America Charitable | NC | Christiana Volunteer Fire Departm; Eastland Fire Department | $550 | Takes applications |
| Clarke Charitable Foundation | TN | 421 Volunteer Fire Department | $500 | Takes applications |
| Texas Instruments Foundation | TX | Blount County Rescue Squad | $150 | Takes applications |
| Holstein Foundation | CT | Volunteer Firefighters Alliance | $75 | Takes applications |
| Lincoln Financial Foundation Inc. | PA | Dallas Bay Volunteer Fire Dept Inc. | $70 | Takes applications |
| Number Ten Foundation Inc. | MD | Volunteer Firefighters Alliance | $50 | Takes applications |
| Equitable Foundation Inc. | NY | Tellico Village Volunteer Fire Depa Rtment Inc. | $50 | Takes applications |
| Usg Foundation Inc. | IL | Fairfield Glade Fire Department | $25 | Takes applications |
| Lawrence County Fire and Rescue Inc. | TN | Centerpoint Volunteer Fire Dept; Crawfish Valley Volunteer Fire; Crossroads Fire Dept | $1.1M | Ask before applying |
| Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation Inc. | FL | Anderson County Emergency and Rescue Squad; Bedford County Ttee On Behalf of Bedford County Fire Department; Chestnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department | $742K | Ask before applying |
| Henry County Helping Hand Inc. | TN | Local Area Fire Departments; Paris-Henry County Rescue Squad; Paris-Henry County Rescue Squad Inc. | $482K | Ask before applying |
| Mountain States Health Alliance | TN | Carter Co Emergency & Rescue Squad | $328K | Ask before applying |
Tennessee peers: see who funds them
- Williamson County Rescue Squad Franklin · 8 foundations
- Volunteer Firefighter Alliance Knoxville · 5 foundations
- Giles County Fire & Rescue Inc. Pulaski · 5 foundations
- Tellico Village Volunteer Fire Depa Rtment Inc. Loudon · 5 foundations
- Blount County Rescue Squad Alcoa · 5 foundations
- Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department Collegedale · 5 foundations
- Seymour Volunteer Fire Department Knoxville · 4 foundations
- Fairfield Glade Fire Department Fairfield Glade · 4 foundations
- Volunteer Fire Department of Seymour Seymour · 4 foundations
- Etowah Rescue Squad Etowah · 3 foundations
- Coble Fire Department Centerville · 3 foundations
- Monroe Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department Inc. Madisonville · 3 foundations
Eligibility tips
- AFG's local match depends on the population you serve: 5% for 20,000 residents or fewer, 10% up to 1,000,000, 15% above that. Fire Prevention & Safety grants need 5%. 15 U.S.C. 2229(k)
- USDA Community Facilities grants go to public bodies and community nonprofits in towns of 20,000 or fewer. Fire trucks and fire stations are on the list of things they pay for. In towns of 5,000 or fewer with low household incomes they can cover up to 75% of the cost. USDA Rural Development
- Two Tennessee programs are listed below, with the dates you can apply: the Division of Forestry's Volunteer Fire Assistance and the State Fire Marshal's grants. Search Tennessee fire grants
- Foundations that gave to other Tennessee fire departments are listed below. The Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation also takes applications from fire departments. Who funded this group?
Checked Oct 7, 2026.