Fall grant funds are now available from various agencies for assessments, studies and direct project funding. We are happy to keep you updated as program criteria, application deadlines and funding amounts change from year to year.

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Grants Available to Hire Firefighters
Is your community in need of a larger fire and emergency response team but can't hire the adequate amount of firefighters due to economic conditions? Money is available to ensure that your residents are safe. Administered through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program is now open for applications until September 17, 2010.

The purpose of the SAFER grant is to improve and restore fire departments so they can more effectively respond to emergencies by meeting minimum staffing guidelines.  Grants will fund 100 percent of the salaries and benefits of newly hired firefighters for a two year period. Grant recipients are required to retain the newly hired firefighters for one full year after the two year grant period is completed, although if grantees are rehiring laid off firefighters they do not have to commit to retaining the SAFER-funded firefighters. Rehiring laid-off firefighters, retaining firefighters who may be laid-off in the future, filling positions left vacant through attrition that weren't filled because of economic factors and hiring new firefighters are the 2010 hiring priorities.

There are no annual salary limits and no cost share involved in applying for a grant. If you have further questions, visit the FEMA website or contact David to get started on your application today.

2010 Equalized Values Now Posted
Equalized Values were recently posted to the internet for the year 2010. Equalized Value is an estimate of the market value of all residential, commercial, manufacturing, productive forest, farm sites and farm buildings and personal property. It estimates the use-value of agricultural land, 50 percent of the market value of undeveloped land and 50 percent of the market value of agricultural forest land. It is calculated independently from the estimate of the local assessor. The local assessor estimates the value of each parcel while the Department of Revenue estimates the value of the entire town, village or city.
 
Equalized Value information is available by selecting "Reports" on the DOR website.

How to Fund a Renewable Energy Feasibility Study
USDA recently announced $3 million dollars is available in grants for FY2010 to fund feasibility studies for renewable energy systems through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Grantees must be agricultural producers or a rural small business that would be the owner of the renewable energy system.  The maximum amount of funding is $50,000 or up to 25 percent of eligible project costs, whichever is less. Applications are due October 5, 2010.
 
If you have any questions, please call David or visit the USDA website.

Need a Hand Assessing a Brownfields Site?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking proposals for Brownfields Assessment grants. A brownfields site is real property that can't be expanded or redeveloped because of potential presence of hazardous substances, pollutants, contaminants, controlled substances, petroleum or petroleum products or is mine-scarred land. Assessment grants cannot be used to clean up the site, but it can be used to develop inventories of brownfields, prioritize sites, conduct community involvement activities, conduct site assessments and cleanup planning related to brownfields sites.  
 
Local governments, Land Clearance Authority operating under the local government, government entities created by state legislature, Regional Council, Redevelopment Agency chartered or sanctioned by the State, the State, Indian tribes (not in Alaska), Alaska Native Regional Corporation, Alaska Native Village Corporation and the Metlakatla Indian community are eligible applicants.
 
Approximately 185 assessment grants will be awarded totaling approximately $52.4 million. Grantees may apply for either a community-wide assessment grant (maximum funding $400,000), site-specific assessment grant (maximum funding $350,000) or a coalition assessment grant (maximum funding $1 million).
 
For more information on what type of assessment grant may best fit your situation, visit the EPA website.