Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 50, December 13, 2024
Section 87-10-4 - Grant Considerations4.1. Grant awards and disbursements will vary but typically, will not exceed $10,000. The Commission reserves the right to award a grant more than this amount depending on public safety, and funds availability. Grant requests may be granted in part, in full, or denied, depending on circumstance, public safety needs, and funds availability. The submission of an application in no way guarantees that funds will be awarded to the requesting entity. 4.1.1. Grant requests, should specifically ask for a specific dollar amount, along with any documentation, and a detailed description as to how the award of the grant will benefit the department and the community it serves.4.2. To be considered for funding, a department must complete and provide a grant application. The grant application request must be submitted by the Fire Chief of the department and include the following information:4.2.1. Name of department, street address, town/city, state, and zip code.4.2.2. Department size (Number of Members).4.2.3. The population of the departments primary and secondary response areas.4.2.4. The annual number of emergency and nonemergency calls the department responds too.4.2.5. An accounting of the revenues received by the department from federal, state, county, municipal, local, and other sources.4.2.6. The department's assets, expenditures, and other liabilities, including whether the fire company or department has availed itself of available statewide contracts.4.2.7. Type of grant -- training and/or equipment.4.2.8. Estimated grant funding the department is requesting.4.2.9. Description of how the grant will be utilized and timeline for implementation.4.2.10. Why the department is requesting this grant, including challenges the department faces.4.2.11. What steps have been taken and/or commitments made by the department/jurisdiction to try to meet this need of the department.4.2.12. Indicate if the department has applied for similar funding from other sources- private, public, federal, state, county, etc. These must be listed on the application. Also, a reference must be made on the application for any other sources being approached for financial support of this project.4.2.13. Contact information (Name, phone number, email, and rank of the head of the department).4.3. The Commission will establish a committee of its members to review will review the grant application, and to make a recommendation to the full Commission. If the application meets the criteria described, and the Commission is considering the award of funds, the Department will be contacted with further instructions on how to complete the remaining grant requirements. As a part of the grant process, a phone interview may be required with the department's leadership a part of the application process. No department shall be eligible for a grant if that said department is found to be ineligible by the Legislative Auditor.4.4. The State Fire Commission will make grants based on any submittals received for Fiscal Year 2021, based on the amount of money in the established fund pursuant to the below deadlines: 4.4.1. April 10, 2021 -- deadline to receive pending completed applications (for reviewed and vetted applications only).4.4.2. May 31, 2021 -- deadline delivery of notification of Fire Departments who will be awarded grants for FY 2021.4.5. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2022 and thereafter; the State Fire Commission will make grants based on a fiscal year (July 1 to June 30) based on the amount of money in the established fund pursuant to the below deadlines: 4.5.1. September 15 of every year -- deadline to submit a completed application (for reviewed and vetted applicants only).4.5.2. By October 15 of every year -- final decisions made; all applicants contacted.4.5.3. By November 15 of every year -- grants awarded.4.6. In the case of emergency grant requests as the result of natural or manmade disasters, decisions will be made on a rolling basis.4.7. If the Commission, once the entire application process is complete, votes to award grant funds to a department, a disbursement will be made from the grant funding account. The disbursement will be sent by certified mail to the fire department based on a fire equipment request; or directly to the fire service training provider, for any grant request pertaining to training.4.8. All grant disbursements that are considered will be based on recently paid purchases of fire service equipment and/or maintenance of existing fire service equipment; or fire service training that has been either paid or training completed by the fire department with a pending invoice. Either shall be required and provided as proof of pending payment from the volunteer fire department.4.9. All grant disbursements shall be made by the State Treasurer from the Fire Equipment and Training Fund. Disbursements shall be made by the State Treasurer based on notification from the State Fire Commission of grant awardees selection and approval of their grant application. 4.10. The fire commission shall, in the manner designated by the Legislative Auditor, notify the Legislative Auditor of the maximum amount of funds to be disbursed, the identity of the grantee authorized to receive the funds, the grantee's fiscal year and federal employer identification number, and the purpose and nature of the state grant, within 30 days of making the state grant, or authorizing the disbursement of the funds, whichever is later.