The Department of Homeland Security has posted the guidance for applications for this year's Fire Prevention and Safety
grants at the Web site for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.

The five-week application period will begin at 8 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, Monday, Dec. 4, and end at 5 p.m. EST Friday, Jan. 12, according to the DHS Office of State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness, which administers AFG programs in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration.

DHS has $27 million to award in Fire Prevention Grants, with a maximum of $1 million per grant

Eligible applicants for this activity include fire departments, and national, regional, state, local, or community organizations that are recognized for their experience and expertise in fire prevention or safety programs and activities. Both private and public non-profit organizations are eligible to apply for funding in this activity. For-profit organizations are not eligible to receive a FP&S grant award.

Fire departments that have received funding through the FY2006 AFG program for training, equipment, vehicles, etc., are eligible to receive funding for the fire prevention grants in this application period. However, in addition to the $1,000,000 limitation on FP&S grants, the combined funding level of grant awards through the AFG and FP&S grants to any single fire department is limited to an amount of Federal share for each year, and is based on the population that the fire department protects.

The program guidance provides potential applicants with the competitive basis and evaluation criteria for their applications.

The applications will be automated and will be taken online at www.firegrantsupport.com.