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Volunteer Fire Assistance Grants
Forestry Grants Available for Louisiana Rural Fire Departments
Due to the ongoing wildfire crisis across the state, award letter notification is delayed until further notice. Please continue to check this page for updates as they become available.
Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) grants are delivered through state forestry agencies in order to assist volunteer fire departments in rural areas; address critical preparedness needs for firefighter safety; increase initial attack capability suppression efforts and training; and protect state and private lands threatened by wildfire.
DEFINITION: A rural volunteer fire department is defined as “an organized, not for profit, fire protection organization that provides service primarily to a community or city with a population of 10,000 or less or to a rural area, as defined by the Secretary of Agriculture, whose firefighting personnel is 80 percent or more volunteer, and that is recognized as a fire department by the laws of the State.” 16 U.S.C. 2106
Questions about grants requirements, guidelines or approved purchases?
- Contact Bret Lane or Matt Polk at 225-925-4500
- Email ForestProtection@ldaf.state.la.us
2022 VFA Grants
2022 VFA FINANCIAL DISBURSEMENT REPORT
2023 VFA Grants – available now
2023 Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant
This grant provides funding to assist rural fire departments in building firefighting capacity.
Eligible items for purchase include Personal Protective Equipment, Hoses, Nozzles, Communication Equipment, etc. No single item may cost greater than $5,000.
Volunteer Fire Assistance – Wildland Fire Grant
This “specialty” grant is provided by funding allocated under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The additional VFA funding is dedicated for the purchase of Wildland items only.
Eligible items for purchase include Wildland Personal Protective Equipment (NFPA 1977 compliant), Hose, Nozzles, Fittings less than 3” in diameter, Communication Equipment, Pump Units, etc. No single item may cost greater than $5,000.
2020-21 Hurricane Disaster & Recovery Supplement Grant
This grant is intended to assist those rural fire departments who were impacted by Hurricanes Laura, Delta, Zeta and Ida in building firefighting capacity.
Eligible items for purchase include Personal Protective Equipment, Hoses, Nozzles, Communication Equipment, etc. No single item may cost greater than $5,000.
Important dates
| March 1, 2023: | Applications available for download |
| July 1, 2023: | Completed, original application deadline for submission to the LDAF Forestry – HQ. |
| Sept. 1, 2023: | Approval/Disapproval Letters mailed to fire department applicants. Due to the ongoing wildfire crisis across the state, award letter notification is delayed until further notice. Please continue to check this page for updates as they become available. |
| March 1, 2024: | Deadline for completed Disbursement Reports to arrive at the LDAF – Forestry HQ. |