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

Active 97.046 Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security B - Project Grants; J - Provision of Specialized Services Fiscal Year 2016 A total of 47 Fire Management Assistance Grant declarations were approved and 47 FMAG grants were provided to 19 States in FY 16. The purpose of this program is to provide 75% federal matching funding to States which is used to attack wildland fires with all available resources. This approach prevents these fires that threaten to become major disasters from reaching major disaster levels which are much more expensive. Only 1 of 47 such wildland fires became a major disaster in FY16.
Fiscal Year 2017 A total of 17 States had 60 Fire Management Assistance Grants approved which provided 75% federal assistance.
Fiscal Year 2018 As of July 2018, A total of 12 States had 40 Fire Management Assistance Grants approved which provided 75% federal assistance.
Fiscal Year 2019 As of September 30, 2019, a total of 9 States had 15 Fire Management Assistance Grants approved, which provided 75% federal assistance.
Fiscal Year 2020 Provided funds for fire suppression services and associated services, i.e. fire engines, water tankers, aircraft and retardant, heavy equipment, personnel, and supplies that are deployed in fire suppression activities.
Fiscal Year 2021 Emergency protective measures such as search and rescue, sheltering, dissemination of public information, and other services essential to saving lives and protecting and preserving property or public health and safety.
Fiscal Year 2023 A major accomplishment for the FMAG program is that since 2010 when FMAGs began being recorded there have been 618 total approved FMAG declarations which averages out to 46 per fiscal year. Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Act, as amended, Section 420, Public Law 93-288, 42 U.S.C. 5187
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Act, as amended, Section 420, Public Law 93-288, 42 U.S.C. 5187 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: o State agencies; o Local governments; and o 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. A state must request a Fire Management Assistance Declaration. After FEMA approves a declaration, the state or Indian tribal government applicant must apply for assistance by completing an SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance). In addition, the applicant must provide documentation that shows they have met the fire cost threshold for the calendar year in which the fire was declared, and must have prepared, submitted, and received approval for a State Administrative Plan and a Hazard Mitigation Plan. Costs are determined in accordance with 44 C.F.R. Part 204 and agency policies. Federal funds will be awarded to subrecipients in accordance with state law and procedure and in compliance with 44 C.F.R. Part 204. Grant awards are managed in accordance with 2 C.F.R. Part 200 (Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards). Preapplication coordination is required. An environmental impact statement is required for this listing. An environmental impact assessment is required for this listing. Preapplication coordination is required via a FEMA-State/Tribal/Territorial Agreement. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. A FEMA-State/Tribal /Territorial Agreement for the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program (the agreement) is signed by the Governor or designated tribal executive and the Regional Administrator at the beginning of the calendar year or after a state's first fire management assistance grant declaration in a calendar year. The agreement is amended for subsequent approvals of assistance for the remainder of the year. This agreement contains the terms and conditions for requesting and receiving assistance. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. 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. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines 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. States may appeal the denial of a Fire Management Assistance Declaration and may also appeal any other decision related to the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program. To appeal a denied Fire Management Assistance Declaration, the Governor or GAR may appeal the decision in writing within 30 days after the date of the denied declaration. The state submits the request to the FEMA Administrator through the Regional Administrator. The Administrator will reevaluate the state's request and notify the state of the final determination within 90 days of receipt of the appeal. An eligible subrecipient, or recipient may appeal any determination FEMA makes related to an application for the provision of federal assistance. The subrecipient makes the appeal in writing through the recipient to the Regional Administrator. The recipient will review and evaluate all subrecipient appeals before submission to the Regional Administrator. The appeal must include documented justification supporting the appellant's position, the monetary figure in dispute, and the provisions in federal law, regulation, or policy with which the appellant believes the initial action was inconsistent. The Regional Administrator will render a determination on first appeals for fire management assistance grant-related decisions within 90 days following receipt of the appeal or requested additional information. In the event the Regional Administrator denies the appeal, the appellant may submit a second-level appeal to the Director of the Public Assistance Division in the Recovery Directorate at FEMA Headquarters. Within 90 days following receipt of a second appeal, the Director of the Public Assistance Division will notify the appellant (i.e., recipient) in writing of the final decision or of the need for additional information. If the decision is to grant the appeal, the Regional Administrator will take appropriate implementing action. The decision of the Director of the Public Assistance Division at the second appeal level is the final decision of FEMA. Not applicable. FEMA approves grants on the basis of project applications for eligible applicants, eligible facilities, eligible work, and eligible costs. The Fire Management Assistance Grant Program, authorized by the Stafford Act, provides for cost-shared Fire Management Assistance Grants for the mitigation, management and control of fires that threaten such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. Performance Reports: Refer to program guidance. https://www.fema.gov/policies-and-publications. Recipient and subrecipients are subject to federal and non-federal audits. Records are subject to audit by state or territorial government auditors, FEMA, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG), and the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). FEMA may adjust project funding based on audit findings. The DHS's OIG conducts independent audits and investigations on FEMA programs, operations, activities, and functions; how recipients and subrecipients expend federal funds; and oversight of non-federal audits such as single audits. The OIG evaluates activities to identify, deter, and address fraud, waste, and abuse. The OIG has authority to audit any project, including Alternative Procedures Projects. The GAO is the investigatory arm of Congress and is under the direction of the Comptroller General of the United States. GAO is an independent, nonpartisan agency that investigates how the federal government spends taxpayer dollars. Its mission is to help improve the performance and accountability of the federal government. Although the GAO usually audits FEMA programs, it has authority to audit any project. In accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements, non-federal entities that expend financial assistance of $750,000 or more in federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Non-federal entities that expend less than $750,000 a year in federal awards are exempt from federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 2 CFR 200.503. Financial records, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other non-federal entity records pertinent to a federal award generally must be maintained for at least three years from the date the final Federal Financial Report (FFR) is submitted. See 2 C.F.R. ? 200.334. Further, if the recipient does not submit a final FFR and the award is administratively closed, FEMA uses the date of administrative closeout as the start of the general record retention period. The record retention period may be longer than three years or have a different start date in certain cases. These include: o If any litigation, claim, or audit is started before the expiration of the three-year period, the records must be retained until all litigation, claims, or audit findings involving the records have been resolved and final action taken. See 2 C.F.R. ? 200.334(a). o The record retention period will be extended if the recipient is notified in writing of the extension by FEMA, the cognizant or oversight agency for audit, or the cognizant agency for indirect costs. See 2 C.F.R. ? 200.334(b). o Records for real property and equipment acquired with federal funds must be retained for three years after final disposition of the property. See 2 C.F.R. ? 200.334(c). o oWhen records are transferred to or maintained by the federal awarding agency or pass-through entity, the 3-year retention requirement is not applicable to the non-federal entity. See 2 C.F.R. ? 200.334(d) o Where FEMA requires recipients to report program income after the period of performance ends, the program income record retention period begins at the end of the recipient's fiscal year in which program income is earned. See 2 C.F.R. ? 200.334(e). o For indirect cost rate proposals, cost allocation plans, or other rate computations records, the start of the record retention period depends on whether the indirect cost rate documents were submitted for negotiation. If the indirect cost rate documents were submitted for negotiation, the record retention period begins from the date those documents were submitted for negotiation. If indirect cost rate documents were not submitted for negotiation, the record retention period begins at the end of the recipient's fiscal year or other accounting period covered by that indirect cost rate. See 2 C.F.R. ? 200.334(f). Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching is voluntary. Cost Share Requirements: Fire Management Assistance Grants may be available to states on a 75 percent federal/25 percent non-federal cost-sharing basis when the state's application demonstrates either of the following: total eligible costs for the declared fire meet or exceed the individual fire cost threshold or total costs of all declared and non-declared fires in a given calendar year meet the cumulative fire cost threshold. The individual fire cost threshold for a state for FY 2022 is the greater of $100,000 or five percent x $1.63 x state population. The cumulative fire cost threshold for a state for FY 2022 is the greater of $500,000 or three times the five percent x $1.63 x state population. Both formulas are adjusted annually for inflation using the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published annually by the Department of Labor.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. There are two time-related periods. The first is the incident period, which is the time interval during which a declared fire occurs and is actively burning. Generally, costs must be incurred during the incident period to be eligible for assistance. The incident period varies from several days to more than a month depending on the severity and duration of the declared fire. The second time interval is the period of performance. Grant funds are normally available for a period of three years following a fire management assistance grant declaration with time extensions possible. The period of performance is stated in the FEMA-State/Tribal/Territorial Agreement and the SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Reimbursement for State grant costs is accomplished via the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Payment Management System in compliance with 2 C.F.R. § 200.305 and U.S. Treasury 31 C.F.R. Part 205, Cash Management Improvement Act. Recipients and subrecipients prepare and submit Project Worksheets that document costs associated with fire suppression activities. Cost eligibility information is provided in 44 C.F.R. Part 204 and the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program Guide. Reimbursement for State grant costs is accomplished via the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services SMARTLINK system in compliance with 2 CFR 200.305 and U.S. Treasury 31 CFR part 205, Cash Management Improvement Act. Recipients and subrecipients prepare and submit Project Worksheets that document costs associated with fire suppression activities and costs associated. Cost eligibility information is provided in 44 CFR part 204 and the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program Guide. See Regional Assistance Locations. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance Division,
Department of Homeland Security / FEMA / Public Assistance Division, Control Desk
6th Floor, 500 C St. SW,
Washington, DC 20523 US
Antonio.jones@fema.dhs.gov
Phone: 18003686498 http://fema.dhs.gov 70-0702-0-1-453 (Project Grants) FY 22$4,950,422,608.00; FY 23 est $101,000,000.00; FY 24 est $101,000,000.00; FY 21$219,986,023.00; FY 20$133,677,532.00; FY 19$197,499,999.00; FY 18$264,403,198.00; FY 17$56.00; FY 16$22,663,963.00; - Future fiscal year obligation amounts are impossible to predict as they are directly correlated to the severity of that fire season. The estimates provided are projections based on averaging past year obligations over the previous ten years. 20-year average is $101,000,000/year Federal Disaster Assistance, Fire Management Assistance Grant Program Regulations, 44 CFR Part 204. See the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program page at:. http://www.fema.gov/fire-management-assistance-grant-program Fiscal Year 2019 Over 100 projects in multiple Sstates have been funded. These projects include, but are not limited to,: fire suppression services and associated services, i.e. fire engines, water tankers, aircraft and retardant, heavy equipment, personnel, and supplies that are deployed in fire suppression activities. Funded projects also include emergency protective servicesmeasures such as search and rescue, sheltering, dissemination of public information, and other services essential to saving lives and protecting and preserving property or public health and safety,
Fiscal Year 2020 Projects include, but are not limited, to fire suppression services and associated services, i.e. fire engines, water tankers, aircraft and retardant, heavy equipment, personnel, and supplies that are deployed in fire suppression activities. Funded projects also include emergency protective measures such as search and rescue, sheltering, dissemination of public information, and other services essential to saving lives and protecting and preserving property or public health and safety.
Fiscal Year 2021 Projects include, but are not limited, to fire suppression services and associated services, e.g., fire engines, water tankers, aircraft and retardant, heavy equipment, personnel, and supplies that are deployed in fire suppression activities. Funded projects also include emergency protective measures such as search and rescue, sheltering, dissemination of public information, and other services essential to saving lives and protecting and preserving property or public health and safety.