Second Alarm Grant Drafts · Sample draft
Wildland gear application, Pennsylvania VFA
"Ridgeline VFC" is not a real department. We wrote this sample to show how a draft is built. Your draft uses only your department's real numbers.
Pennsylvania's Volunteer Fire Assistance grant pays up to half the cost of wildland equipment and gear for fire companies serving rural areas or communities under 10,000 people. DCNR picks companies by how exposed they are, how thin their current protection is, and whether they have established goals and plans. DCNR's online form asks for a short project description (under 600 characters), call counts and other project details, and a budget. Below is how a filled-in application reads.
Part 1 · Project description (DCNR limit: under 600 characters)
Ridgeline VFC will replace 6 wildland gear sets bought in 2009, add a 200-gallon slip-on skid unit to our utility truck, and buy 10 wildland hand tools. We protect 2,100 residents across 42 square miles of forest and farmland and fought 38 brush and woodland fires last year. Crews now fight brush fires in structural turnouts and hand-carry water to the fire line. This project meets two goals our board set in January 2026: replace our wildland gear and carry water to the fire line by June 30, 2027.
502 characters. Why this works: in one box it names what we buy, who we protect, the gap, and the dated goals the purchase meets. DCNR gives priority to wildland equipment and gear and to companies with established goals and plans.
Part 2 · Project information
| Portal field | Sample answer |
|---|---|
| PA Forest District | The company's local district |
| Written agreement of cooperation with adjoining communities | Yes, mutual aid agreements with 3 neighboring companies |
| Fire calls per year by type | Commercial 12, residential 64, vehicle 41, natural cover 38, other 155 (total 310) |
| Reports wildfires to the Bureau of Forestry | Yes, all wildfires we respond to |
| Annual operating budget | $68,000 |
Why this works: the natural cover count backs up the wildland need in the description. VFA recipients must report every wildfire they respond to, so a company that does this already says so.
Part 3 · Budget
| Item | Qty | Unit cost | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildland jacket and pant set | 6 | $450 | $2,700 |
| Slip-on skid unit, 200 gallon | 1 | $9,800 | $9,800 |
| Wildland hand tools | 10 | $65 | $650 |
| Project total | $13,150 | ||
| Grant request (50%) | $6,575 | ||
| Local share (50%) | $6,575 |
Why this works: wildland suppression equipment and wildland gear are DCNR's stated priorities, every line adds up, and the request is no more than half the cost and under the 2025 maximum of $15,000.
Part 4 · Match source
Fire company funds, cash, $6,575, secured. DCNR accepts local funding such as fire company or relief association funds as the match.
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