Cooperative Fire Protection Assistance Grant

The Cooperative Fire Protection Assistance (CFPA) Grant, administered by the North Dakota Forest Service (NDFS), is a state-funded initiative designed to bolster the capabilities of fire departments across North Dakota. The program aims to improve public safety and enhance firefighting efforts, particularly in rural communities, by providing cost-share funds for essential firefighting equipment, gear, and vehicles. This funding effort underscores the state’s commitment to supporting its 357 fire departments and their role in wildfire mitigation and emergency response. Applicants must meet a set of eligibility criteria to qualify for funding under the CFPA Grant. These include having a current Cooperative Fire Agreement with NDFS, maintaining a Certificate of Existence from the State Fire Marshal’s Office, being compliant with the National Incident Management System (NIMS), and consistently reporting wildfires through the ESO online fire reporting tool. Additionally, fire departments must serve populations under 10,000 and fulfill requirements if participating in the Fire Danger Sign Program. Notably, applicants are now required to submit their Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) instead of the DUNS number used in previous years. The CFPA program operates on a 50/50 cost-share basis. Fire departments may request up to $15,000 for projects involving the purchase of firefighting gear, personal protective equipment (PPE), tools, and communication equipment. Although departments may spend more than $30,000, the grant will not cover more than $15,000. Similarly, vehicle-related requests may be funded up to $25,000, with the department allowed to exceed $50,000 in spending if desired; however, the reimbursement cap remains fixed. Items purchased must not exceed a total unit cost of $10,000 per single item. The 2025–2026 application cycle opens on November 28, 2025, and all submissions must be either postmarked or emailed by March 6, 2026. Applications received after this deadline will not be considered. Departments must also ensure that their governing board approves purchases prior to submitting the application. Successful applicants will be notified by March 26, 2026, and must submit order invoices by April 30, 2026. All supporting documentation is due by August 31, 2026. Due to ongoing supply chain issues, departments are urged to place orders immediately upon receiving the award to avoid reimbursement delays. The application process requires departments to complete and save their forms with a specific naming convention that reflects the department’s name and grant year. All fields in the application must be filled, and departments are expected to use their full legal names for consistency across all documents. Applications and vendor estimates can be submitted via mail to the NDFS Bismarck office or electronically via email. Confirmation of receipt will be sent to applicants; if not received, departments are instructed to contact NDFS staff. For additional assistance, departments can reach out to Kelly at 701.328.9990 or Mary at 701.328.9944. Full program details, including application forms and timeline, are available at the NDFS fire grants website. The grant follows an annual cycle with recurring deadlines, making it a reliable source of support for rural fire protection efforts in North Dakota.

Departments must ensure item pre-approval by their board before applying; use exact legal department names; order equipment immediately after award to avoid supply delays.