U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency
Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER)
Key facts
- Open now
- None right now
- Closed for this year
- 1 grant, next round estimated
- Type of help
- Project grant
- Typical award
- Award amounts for the SAFER program vary based on approved project costs, item eligibility, and applicable funding caps. There is no minimum nor maximum funding request. The average previous Hiring Activity awards...
Closed for this year
This year's round is over. GrantMe estimated the next round from last year's dates.
- Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program · Next round: about May 18 – Jun 22, 2027 Estimate, not confirmed by the funder
What it pays for
The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program is one of three grant programs that constitute the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency�s (FEMA) focus on enhancing the safety of the public and firefighters with respect to fire and fire-related hazards. The SAFER Program provides funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to assist in increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate fire protection from fire and fire-related hazards, and to fulfill traditional missions of fire departments.
FEMA will measure the recipient�s performance of the grant by comparing the number of items, supplies, projects, and activities needed and requested in its application with the number of items, supplies, projects, and activities acquired and delivered by the end of the period of performance. Please see applicable Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for additional information on the specific program metrics.
How applications are judged
The SAFER Grant Program uses a multi-phase, merit-based process to select applications. Applications are first electronically pre-scored based on alignment with program priorities established by the Criteria Development Panel (CDP), which consists of representatives from major fire service organizations. The highest-ranked applications are then reviewed by a panel of peer reviewers who evaluate the narrative statements using weighted criteria, including project description, impact on daily operations, financial need, and cost benefit. Additional internal FEMA reviews assess completeness, technical feasibility, costs, and eligibility. Financial integrity and risk assessments are also conducted prior to award. Final selection is based on overall ranking, technical evaluation, and program office review to ensure alignment with program goals and requirements.
Match
None required (federal program listing).
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal year 2025: The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program funded 207 grant awards to hire new career firefighters and conduct volunteer firefighter recruitment and retention programs. These awards provided funding to fire departments to hire new operational firefighters, thereby increasing their compliance with staffing, response and operational standards established by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 1710/1720). The program also provided personal protective equipment (PPE) and entry-level physical examinations for volunteer firefighter new recruits, purchased LED signs for volunteer fire department recruitment, and funded digital and print marketing campaigns.
Fiscal year 2026: The SAFER Program was appropriated $324 million to help communities meet industry minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards, and to fulfill traditional missions of fire departments. We estimate that we will make 300 awards averaging $1,080,000 per award.
Who in Tennessee has won this program
134 awards to Tennessee groups since 2013 · 0 in Knox County. Largest shown:
| Past winner | Where | Amount | Fiscal year |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Memphis, Tennessee | $25M | 2016 | |
| City of Memphis, Tennessee | Memphis, Shelby County | $13.8M | 2024 |
| City of Memphis, Tennessee | Memphis, Shelby County | $10.8M | 2022 |
| City of Memphis, Tennessee | Memphis, Shelby County | $8M | 2018 |
| City of Memphis | Memphis, Shelby County | $7.5M spent that year | 2025 |
| City of Memphis, Tennessee | Memphis, Shelby County | $4.4M | 2019 |
| City of Spring Hill | Spring Hill, Maury County | $3.2M | |
| City of Clarksville | Clarksville, Montgomery County | $2.7M | 2020 |
| City of Murfreesboro | $2.5M | 2017 | |
| City of Hendersonville | Hendersonville, Sumner County | $1.8M | 2018 |
| City of Gallatin | $1.5M | 2010 | |
| County of Rutherford | $1.5M | 2013 |
Source: OpenFEMA, USAspending.gov, Federal Audit Clearinghouse.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), OpenFEMA Datasets: FEMA Non-Disaster Assistance Firefighter Grants - v1 and HMA Subapplications - v2. Retrieved Oct 7, 2026, 12:23 PM CDT. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
Tennessee groups that got this money through a state agency or another organization
This federal money also reaches local groups as pass-through grants. In Tennessee, Tennessee Department of Military and Tennessee Emergency Management Agency pass it on: watch those agencies for applications, not the federal agency. 5 pass-through grants on file · 0 in Knox County. Largest shown:
| Past winner | Where | Through | Amount | Fiscal year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Town of Nolensville, Tennessee | Nolensville, Williamson County | Tennessee Emergency Management Agency | $476K spent that year | 2025 |
| Chester County, Tennessee | Henderson, Chester County | Tennessee Department of Military | $106K spent that year | 2025 |
| Hardin County, Tennessee | Savannah, Hardin County | State Department of Commerce and Insurance | $103K spent that year | 2025 |
| Mcnairy County, Tennessee | Selmer, McNairy County | Tennessee Department of Military | $100K spent that year | 2023 |
| Town of Ashland City | Ashland City, Cheatham County | State of Tennessee | $9,448 spent that year | 2024 |
Source: USAspending.gov pass-through reports (the first recipient reports each one of $30,000 or more).