Free grant-readiness resources for fire departments

Built by Red Dog Grant Intelligence for departments that don't have a grants person on staff. No account required to read any of these — several also come as a printable PDF.

Know the calendar

Federal fire grants don't run on one calendar — they run on four.

AFG, SAFER & FP&S Grant Calendar

PDF

When did the FY2025 window open and close, what got funded, and what to do before the next one.

The Grant Year, Month by Month

PDF

AFG, USDA, and Firehouse Subs don't run on the same calendar — how to sequence all of it.

Money most departments miss

AFG isn't the only program — and it isn't even the best fit for every problem.

SAFER Grant Guide — Recruitment & Retention

The grant built for the staffing crisis, not the equipment one.

Fire Prevention & Safety (FP&S) Guide

Prevention and research funding, less competitive than the equipment side of AFG.

USDA Rural Development Grants

Rolling applications, no five-week window — for departments serving 20,000 or fewer.

Foundation & Corporate Grants

Firehouse Subs and Motorola Solutions Foundation — private money, own deadlines.

Get ready to apply

The portfolio work that makes every program above easier to win.

Grant Readiness Checklist

PDF

Score your department against what a funder actually scores — before you submit.

Database vs. Intelligence vs. a Grant Writer

PDF

Three ways to pursue grants, side by side, with real pricing.

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