State wildfire grants & federal surplus equipment

Two of the most useful channels for a rural VFD don’t come from a national portal — they come through your state forester. Congress funds them, the USDA Forest Service administers them, and your state forestry agency runs the local program. You apply to the state, not the federal government.

Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) — wildland money

This is federal money for wildland-oriented gear: wildland PPE, hose, hand tools, pumps, slip-on units, some UTVs and training. It’s aimed at departments serving 10,000 or fewer, typically as a 50/50 reimbursement match with modest award ceilings. The program’s name varies by state — “Volunteer Fire Assistance,” “Volunteer Fire Capacity,” or “Rural Fire Capacity” — so the move is to search “[your state] forestry volunteer fire assistance” or call your state forester. The channel is very much alive: Maryland alone announced $167,314 to departments in 17 counties in January 2026.

Federal surplus property (FEPP & FFP) — trucks and tools

The Forest Service moves Department of Defense excess property to fire departments through two programs:

• FEPP — property is loaned to your department (title stays federal; it can be recalled, and you maintain it).
• FFP (Firefighter Property Program) — ownership transfers to your department after a use period.

Available property includes trucks (a common chassis source for brush-truck conversions), tools, hose, nozzles, generators, compressors, and protective clothing. Same door as VFA: your state forestry FEPP/FFP coordinator.

VFA award terms (population limit, match, ceilings) follow the common pattern across state programs; your state's exact rules and deadlines are state-specific — confirm with your state forester. Deadlines are set by the state, not a single national window.