Fire Management Assistance Grant

The Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) Program is authorized by the Stafford Act. The objective and purpose of the FMAG Program is to provide supplemental assistance to State, Tribal, and local governmental entities for the mitigation, management, and control of any fire on public or private forest land or grassland that threatens such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. The funds are primarily used for fire suppression services (response) but also for essential assistance (emergency protective measures) as described in Section 403 (42 U.S.C. 5170b) of the Stafford Act. This includes but is not limited to evacuation, sheltering, police barricading, equipment and supplies, and other costs related to fire suppression operations and administration in support of these operations.

Performance Measures:
• Number of SLTT partners who receive FMAG assistance
• Number of dollars SLTT partners receive to mitigate, manage, and control FMAG-Declared fires
• Number of field camps established
• Number of tools repaired or replaced
• Number of mobilization activities conducted
• Number of dollars used to offset administrative costs

The state (includes District of Columbia, U.S. territories and possessions, and state governments) and Indian tribal governments are eligible for fire management assistance grants. The state or Indian tribal government may be the recipient. The recipient is the government entity that receives the award and is accountable for the use of funds provided. A state, local, or Indian tribal government may apply as a subrecipient under the recipient’s award.

Eligible Applicants are entities legally responsible for the firefighting activities for which reimbursement is being requested. The following Applicants are eligible to apply through Recipients:
• State agencies;
• Local governments; and
• Tribal governments.
Ineligible Applicants are governmental entities that do not have legal responsibility for the firefighting activities, privately owned entities, and volunteer firefighting organizations. However, ineligible Applicants may receive payment through a compact, mutual aid agreement, or contract with an eligible Applicant for eligible costs associated with the declared fire or fire complex.

After an FMAG declaration is approved, a State Governor, Governor's Authorized Representative, or Tribal executive may request a fire management assistance grant as a recipient or subrecipient in accordance with IAW the procedures in the immediate preceding paragraph above.

To receive fire management assistance grant funds, a state (recipient) must have requested and received approval for a Fire Management Assistance Declaration and must complete and submit an SF-424 (Request for Federal Assistance). The recipient must also provide documentation that shows it has met the fire cost threshold for the calendar year in which the fire was declared. The recipient must submit its application within 9 months of the declaration (with a possible 6-month extension). The Regional Administrator has 45 days from receipt of the recipient's grant application or an amendment to the recipient's grant application, including attached supporting Project Worksheet(s), to review and approve or deny the grant application or amendment or to notify the recipient of a delay in processing funding. Indian tribal governments are eligible for fire management assistance grants as a recipient or subrecipient. The recipient is the government entity that receives the award and is accountable for the use of funds provided. A subrecipient is an applicant that is awarded a subaward and is accountable to the recipient for the use of grant funding provided. A subaward is an award of financial assistance provided by a pass-through entity (the recipient) to a subrecipient for the subrecipient to carry out part of a federal award received by the pass-through entity.

The application timelines for an FMAG declaration are found in 44 C.F.R. § 204.22-24. FMAG grant application timelines are in 44 C.F.R. § 204.51-52.