Who is eligible to apply for funding in the Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters?
Nonprofit volunteer and combination fire departments and State and local interest organizations that focus on the interests of volunteer firefighters may apply for funding.
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What are some examples of incentive costs that are eligible under the Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters activity?
Applicants who propose to initiate a recruitment and/or retention plan as a part of their application will receive equal consideration for the recruitment activities and the retention activities. Proposals in this activity may include providing incentives for volunteer firefighter members to continue their service in a fire department. Examples of the type of initiatives that may receive assistance include but are not limited to the following:

• Accidental death and dismemberment insurance
• College education cost reimbursement
• Reimbursement for lost wages while attending training
• Marketing program costs to recruit new volunteer members
• Staffing needs assessment
• Explorer, cadet, and/or mentoring programs
• Initial entry physicals
• Tuition assistance for higher education and professional certifications
• Workers compensation
• Length of service awards and other retirement benefits
  

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I'm applying for a recruitment and retention grant. May I use SAFER funds to pay for training of firefighters recruited under the program?
The limited funding available for SAFER activities precludes the award of funds for operational activities such as equipping and training newly hired or recruited firefighters. Therefore, costs for providing training to the firefighter minimum-staffing level, as offered in the Assistance to Firefighters (AFG) grant program, are not eligible for funding under SAFER. Training above and beyond the required initial certificat ion training is eligible for funding under SAFER.

While operational activities will not be funded by SAFER, in an effort to support successful SAFER awardees, applicants receiving SAFER funding will receive priority consideration in applying for funding under subsequent cycles of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. In order to be reviewed by the AFG peer evaluation, AFG funds must be used to support SAFER-funded activities.

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Do Recruitment and Retention grantees need to submit training certificates to the Program Office?
No, Recruitment and Retention awardees are not mandated to have firefighter training completed within a designated period of time. However, applicants that indicate in their application that the newly recruited firefighters will have the minimum fire and EMS certification requirements prescribed by the locality or State completed within twelve months of appointment to the department will improve the competitive disposition of their application.

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If I apply in the Recruitment and Retention Activity and only request assistance in retention, how do I respond to the fourth requirement in the narrative portion of the application that reads as follows: A statement relating to how the applicant will ensure to the extent possible, that they will seek, recruit, and hire members of racial and ethnic minority groups and women for the new firefighter positions to increase their ranks within your department.
Since you will not be "hiring" new firefighters (you are only requesting assistance in the "retention" activity), you should discuss your department's past recruitment practices. For example, how has your department pursued and recruited new members from racial and ethnic minority populations and women in the past?
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Can I submit a payment request for pre-award expenditures?
Pre-award expenditures are only allowable in the Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity. Grantees may be eligible for funding if they meet the following criteria:

• The expenditures occurred after the end of the application period (August 31, 2007) but prior to award;
• There was an urgent and compelling reason for the expenditures;
• The expenditure is consistent with the grant's approved scope of work; and
• The request must be approved by DHS on a case-by-case basis.

Pre-award expenditures are not allowable in the Hiring of Firefighters Activity.

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Is there a matching funds requirement for the Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters Activity?
No. There is no local match requirement for this activity and there are no maximum Federal share limits

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