Volunteer Fire Department Fund

The Volunteer Fire Department Fund is a state-administered grant program established under North Carolina General Statute 58-87-1 and managed by the North Carolina Department of Insurance through the Office of State Fire Marshal. The program is designed to provide financial assistance to eligible fire departments, particularly volunteer-based departments, to support critical equipment purchases and capital expenditures. The fund reflects the state’s commitment to strengthening emergency response capabilities, especially in rural and under-resourced communities where volunteer departments play a central role in fire protection and public safety. The primary purpose of the grant is to enable fire departments to acquire necessary equipment and make capital improvements that enhance operational readiness and service delivery. Allowable uses include equipment purchases and capital expenditures, though the source material emphasizes that expenditures must occur after award notification and comply with documentation requirements. Equipment orders are explicitly prohibited prior to the official award announcement date, ensuring that grant funds are used only after formal approval. All expenditures must be supported by invoices and proof of payment submitted through the designated online portal. The program includes a structured cost-sharing requirement based on the level of municipal or county funding received by the applicant department. Departments receiving $50,000 or less annually are not required to provide a match. Those receiving between $50,000 and $75,000 must provide a 3:1 match ratio, contributing one dollar for every three dollars of grant funding. Departments receiving more than $75,000 annually must match funds on a dollar-for-dollar basis. The maximum grant award is capped at $40,000, ensuring equitable distribution across eligible departments. Eligibility is restricted to fire departments that are primarily volunteer in nature, with no more than eight paid positions. Applicants must report the total number of hours worked by part-time employees in the previous fiscal year and calculate full-time equivalents using a defined formula. Additional requirements include participation in the National Fire Incident Reporting System and official recognition as a rated or certified department by the North Carolina Department of Insurance. These criteria ensure that applicants meet operational and reporting standards necessary for accountability and program integrity. The application process is conducted through an online system managed by the Office of State Fire Marshal. Fire departments are notified at the beginning of January when the application becomes available. Completed applications must be submitted by March 1. Following submission, applications are reviewed by the administering agency, and grant recipients are announced on May 15. Successful applicants must then complete procurement and submit invoices and proof of payment by September 30 through the OSFM24 online portal. Evaluation of applications is conducted internally by the administering agency, though specific scoring criteria are not detailed in the source material. The timeline indicates a structured review period between the March submission deadline and the May award announcement. Compliance requirements include adherence to submission deadlines, accurate reporting of staffing and funding levels, and proper documentation of expenditures. The program also provides access to supporting materials such as compliance forms, frequently asked questions, and vendor payment documentation to assist applicants. The Volunteer Fire Department Fund operates on an annual cycle, with recurring application availability each January. Key administrative contact is the North Carolina Department of Insurance, Office of State Fire Marshal, located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The program emphasizes transparency, accountability, and timely reporting, requiring all financial documentation to be submitted electronically via the designated portal. This recurring structure allows fire departments to plan for future funding opportunities while maintaining compliance with state requirements.