2026 Volunteer Fire Capacity Grant

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation received a federal appropriation of **$857,629** for the 2026 Volunteer Fire Capacity (VFC) Grant Program. The DEC will administer VFC grant awards to selected rural fire departments for the purchase of wildland firefighting suppression supplies.

Funding must be used to purchase items directly related to wildland firefighting, with no individual item exceeding **$9,999**. Purchases must be utilized for the direct benefit of the rural community served.

Applications will be accepted through **December 30, 2026**. A link to the application form is available on: https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/public-safety/volunteer-fire-capacity-grants

Departments will be selected based on whether they have received awards in the previous 5 years and the total amount received for all 5 years, whether they are a newly formed establishment, and the presence of a native American community within their jurisdiction. Due to limited funding, not every fire department that is eligible to apply will receive an award.

Selected fire departments will receive a maximum award of **$3,500** and are required to equally match the amount they receive (VFC is a 50/50 matching funds program).