FEMA has been working with the General Services Administration to resolve interface issues related to SAM.gov that were affecting some applicants’ ability to begin inputting their federal fiscal year (FY) 2021 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program applications into the FEMA GO System. Specifically, this issue included applicants that received error messages stating their organizations were not found and that their Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)/Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) combination did not exist despite the applicants’ SAM.gov accounts being fully active.
As this issue is ongoing, the FY 2021 AFG Program application period will remain open until January 21, 2022 5:00 p.m. ET. All applicants will automatically be granted this extension. This ensures that applicants affected by the UEI/EFT issue will have sufficient time to complete the online application. The extension to the application period will not affect the award timeline. In the meantime, FEMA continues to strongly encourage applicants to review the FY 2021 AFG Program Notice of Funding Opportunity and the associated tools posted on the FEMA website here: FY 2021 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Application Guidance Materials | FEMA.gov. In preparation for application submission, applicants may also draft their narratives separately and cut and paste them into the appropriate areas of FEMA GO once the SAM.gov interface issue is resolved. The questions that are asked in the narrative section may be found in the FY 2021 AFG Program Narrative Get Ready Guide.
Overview
The Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program is one of three grant programs that constitute the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) focus on enhancing the safety of the public and firefighters with respect to fire and fire-related hazards. The AFG Program provides financial assistance directly to eligible fire departments, nonaffiliated emergency medical service (EMS) organizations, and State Fire Training Academies (SFTAs) for critical training and equipment. The AFG Program has awarded approximately $7.7 billion in grant funding to provide critically needed resources that equip and train emergency personnel to recognized standards, enhance operational efficiencies, foster interoperability, and support community resilience. Information about success stories for this program can be found at Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program | FEMA.gov.
The AFG Program represents part of a comprehensive set of measures authorized by Congress and implemented by DHS. Among the five basic homeland security missions noted 4 FY 2021 AFG NOFO Back to the Top in the DHS Strategic Plan, the AFG Program supports the goal to Strengthen Preparedness and Resilience. In awarding grants, the FEMA Administrator is required to consider:
• The findings and recommendations of the Technical Evaluation Panel (TEP);
• The degree to which an award will reduce deaths, injuries and property damage by reducing the risks associated with fire related and other hazards;
• The extent of an applicant’s need for an AFG Program grant and the need to protect the United States as a whole; and
• The number of calls requesting or requiring a firefighting or emergency medical response received by an applicant.
The full NOFO can be found here: https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_fy21-afg-nofo.pdf
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