SFMO Kicks Off Application Period For $20 Million in Grants for Tennessee’s Volunteer Fire Departments

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) and the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) proudly announce that volunteer fire departments can now apply for $20 million in funding available through the Volunteer Firefighter Equipment and Training Grant Program in 2026.

Created in 2019, the program earmarks money for the purchase of firefighting equipment (other than fire trucks or vehicles) used to extinguish fires and protect the lives of firefighters, or the grants may be used to help fire departments pay or reimburse the cost share for federal grants that have already been awarded.

The $20 million appropriation for 2026 is the program’s single largest allocation since its inception in 2020. Since its founding, the program has distributed grants totaling $26.5 million to Tennessee volunteer fire departments.

“More than 73 percent of Tennessee’s fire departments are staffed by volunteers who often have limited funding and are unable to buy the increasingly expensive firefighting equipment needed to fight fires and perform rescues,” said Tennessee State Fire Marshal and TDCI Commissioner Carter Lawrence. “This funding is necessary to strengthen and support the volunteers who are protecting Tennessee’s rural counties. I want to express my thanks to Governor Lee and the members of the Tennessee General Assembly for providing this critical funding needed to help support this important program.”

“The Volunteer Firefighter Equipment and Training Grant Program is an investment in Tennessee’s future because it helps support the firefighters who are putting their lives on the line to help save their neighbors when there’s an emergency,” said TDCI Assistant Commissioner of Fire Prevention Mike Bell. “I encourage all volunteer fire chiefs whose departments may need funding to apply for a grant through this program today or contact our team if they have questions.”

To be eligible for a grant, departments must hold a valid recognition certificate from the SFMO and have a staff that consists of less than 51% full-time career firefighters.

Applications for the program will be accepted until Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. CT.

Applications received during the submission period (Nov. 3 – Dec. 4, 2025) will be scored internally and submitted anonymously to a seven-member committee who will oversee the award selection. The committee is composed of three representatives from the Tennessee Fire Chiefs Association, three representatives from the Tennessee Firemen’s Association, and TDCI’s Assistant Commissioner of Fire Prevention.

Departments may make application for a grant via the SFMO’s grant application website. Departments who submitted applications during previous grant cycles can use their previously created credentials to log in. To see all our grant opportunities, visit us online.

Applicants with any questions should contact Director Grants Loren Haynes by email at sfmo.grants@tn.gov.

An application webinar for VFDs will be held Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025.

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