Grants

Grant funding is how fuel reduction gets done. FIRE SAFE San Mateo County and our member agencies use state, federal, and local grants to complete fuel reduction and public education projects that benefit everyone in the county.

Funding partners over the years have included the California Fire Safe Council, CAL FIRE, FEMA, the U.S. Forest Service, San Mateo County (Measure K), and member agencies. If your neighborhood or organization has a project in mind, start with the Community Wildfire Protection Plan, which establishes the priorities most grant programs fund, and contact us; we can help you find the right program and strengthen your application.

Recurring Grant Programs for Wildfire Work

Cycles and deadlines change annually, so follow the program links for current status.

• CAL FIRE grant programs — the state's primary wildfire funding: Wildfire Prevention Grants (fuel reduction, planning, and education around communities), Forest Health Grants (landscape-scale treatment and forest restoration), and Urban and Community Forestry Grants.
• California Fire Safe Council grants — CFSC administers state and federal funds, including State Fire Capacity grants and county coordinator programs, aimed specifically at local fire safe councils and community organizations.
• FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance — federal mitigation funding, including the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program after declared disasters. Applications route through Cal OES and the county.
• San Mateo County Measure K — the county half-cent sales tax that has funded local wildfire prevention work, including the neighborhood chipper program.
• San Mateo Resource Conservation District — the RCD develops and administers grant-funded fuel reduction and forest health projects across the county and is often the right implementation partner for neighborhood-scale work.
• California Wildfire Mitigation Program — the state's home hardening assistance pilot, pairing structure retrofits with defensible space for eligible communities.