DOF provides assistance through the Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) grant program. The program provides a 50% cost reimbursement for the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE), tools, and equipment for rural volunteer fire departments. As a key cooperator in the suppression of nearly every Virginia wildfire, this program allows the agency to provide critically-needed federal funding to directly support fire departments in the Commonwealth.
These grants are “50-50” matched grants. This means that grant approvals provide a 50% match of the actual amount expended for the items approved, up to the total approval amount of the grant. For example, to apply for a $1500 grant under the VFA program, the volunteer fire department must be prepared to spend $3000 to receive a reimbursement of $1500 following grant approval. Receipts marked “PAID” will be required prior to any reimbursement of the approved amount. Note that Virginia Department of Forestry is not allowed to provide full or partial grant funding for any one piece of equipment over $5,000 in cost.
To Apply
ACTION REQUIRED TO RECEIVE 2023 FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING FROM DOF:
Previously, the federal government used the DUNS number to manage entities applying for grants. In April 2022, the federal government replaced DUNS with the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number. Existing grant recipients and new applicants must obtain a UEI to apply for funding going forward.
To get your UEI, register with SAM.gov. If you are already registered, your UEI has been assigned. Follow this guide to find your UEI. Additional support can be found here.
Don’t wait for the grant cycle, get your UEI now.
Applications are accepted via the System Access Portal for Forestry Grants.
(Applicants must have their unique UEI number before beginning this process.)
Application Deadline
Deadline March 31 annually.
Additional Resources
| Image | Title | ID | Description | Content Type | hf:tax:document-category | hf:tax:Media | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion – Lower Tier Covered Transactions | AD-1048 | Form | View | finance financial-assistance | form | |
| Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification (Virginia Dept. of Accounts) | W-9 | Form | View | finance financial-assistance-urban-and-community-forestry financial-assistance-forest-health financial-assistance-water-quality financial-assistance-fire-and-emergency-response financial-assistance-forest-management fire-and-emergency-response forest-health forest-management urban-and-community-forestry water-quality | form | |
| SF-424B – Assurances for Non-Construction Programs | Federal-SF-424B | This links to a federal form used for grants. Click View to download the form and then open the form manually in Acrobat Reader. The form has trouble opening directly in Chrome. | Form | View | finance financial-assistance | form |
 | System Access Portal for Forestry Grants User Guide – Contract Signing | System Access Portal User Guide for application and administration of forestry grants. This guide assists with contract signing. | User Guide | View | finance financial-assistance financial-assistance-fire-and-emergency-response financial-assistance-forest-management financial-assistance-urban-and-community-forestry fire-and-emergency-response forest-management urban-and-community-forestry | user-guide | |
 | System Access Portal for Forestry Grants User Guide – Filing a Claim | System Access Portal User Guide for application and administration of forestry grants. This guide assists with filing a claim. | User Guide | View | finance financial-assistance | user-guide | |
 | System Access Portal for Forestry Grants User Guide – Registration User Guide | System Access Portal User Guide for registering to use the grants system. | User Guide | View | financial-assistance-fire-and-emergency-response financial-assistance-urban-and-community-forestry financial-assistance fire-and-emergency-response urban-and-community-forestry finance | user-guide | |
 | System Access Portal for Forestry Grants User Guide – Requesting a Contract Amendment | System Access Portal User Guide for application and administration of forestry grants. This guide assists with requesting a contract amendment. | User Guide | View | finance financial-assistance-urban-and-community-forestry financial-assistance financial-assistance-fire-and-emergency-response financial-assistance-forest-management urban-and-community-forestry fire-and-emergency-response forest-management | user-guide | |
 | System Access Portal for Forestry Grants User Guide – Volunteer Fire Assistance Grants | System Access Portal User Guide for application and administration of Volunteer Fire Assistance Grants. | User Guide | View | financial-assistance-fire-and-emergency-response fire-and-emergency-response | user-guide |
A variety of financial assistance programs exist through DOF and partner agencies for wildfire preparation and suppression, as well as forest management activities.
Explore All Financial Assistance Programs
Contact Us
For more information or questions, e-mail us or use our contact form.