2025 Volunteer Fire Capacity (VFC)

Department of Forestry and Fire Protection · State of California

At a glance

2025 Volunteer Fire Capacity (VFC) is a closed California state grant opportunity from the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (State of California). The application deadline was May 5, 2025. Individual awards are listed as $500 – $20K. Applicant types listed as eligible include nonprofit, public agency and tribal government. It is listed on the California Grants Portal. Cost sharing or matching is required.

Summary assembled from the official notice's fields. The official notice governs.

Estimate · calculated by GrantsJunction

Expected to open around March 2027

This program has posted at about the same time each year. If it follows its pattern, the next round should post between Feb 28, 2027 and Mar 28, 2027, with about 56 days to apply.

Based on 3 past postings: Mar 9, 2023, Mar 26, 2024, Mar 14, 2025. Confidence: medium. Agencies can change or skip a year; only the agency's posted notice is official. Watch it and we'll email you when the next round posts.

Key facts

Mar 14, 2025Posted
May 5, 2025Application deadline

Opened: Mar 14, 2025
Close date: May 5, 2025
Award floor: $500
Award ceiling: $20,000
Est. total funding: Not specified
Expected awards: Not specified
Matching funds: Required
Funding instrument: Grant

Program details (as published on the California Grants Portal)

Type: Grant
Funding source: Federal
Matching funds: 50%
Funding method: Reimbursement(s) — Invoices and proof of payment will need to be submitted to receive reimbursement.
Estimated number of awards: Dependant on number of submissions received, application process, etc.
Award period: 08/2025 - 6/2026
Expected award announcement: August 2025
Letter of intent: Not required
How to submit: By email: CalFire.Grants@fire.ca.gov
Latest change note: Changed the time it opens

Who can apply

Applicant categories as listed on the California Grants Portal. GrantsJunction maps them to detailed applicant types for search and matching.

Nonprofit
Public Agency
Tribal Government

Additional information on eligibility (from the listing)

Please visit the Cooperative Efforts web page on the CAL FIRE website for more information on this grant and how to apply. https://www.fire.ca.gov/what-we-do/fire-protection/cooperative-efforts

Can your organization apply?

A quick check against the listed applicant types — other requirements in the notice still apply.

Based on the published notice. Review the official notice for complete eligibility requirements.

What it funds

Purpose and description as published on the California Grants Portal.

Purpose

To provide local and rural fire departments with minor firefighting, training, communications and safety equipment for their volunteer firefighters.

Description

The Volunteer Fire Capacity (VFC) Program is a federally funded grant program that allows California to provide local and rural fire departments with minor firefighting, training, communications and safety equipment for their volunteer firefighters. The VFC Program is not intended for major equipment purchases (fire engines, vehicles, etc.) or capital repairs. The VFC Program has a 50/50 match provision, which requires the applying department to be able to meet the intended grant award, dollar for dollar. Awards for departments are set at a minimum of $500 with a maximum of $20,000. Amounts may be adjusted based on the grant funding available. For additional information please contact Amanda Jernigan at Amanda.Jernigan@fire.ca.gov or Bryan Giambrone at Bryan.Giambrone@fire.ca.gov. Please visit the Cooperative Efforts web page on the CAL FIRE website for more information about this grant and how to apply. https://www.fire.ca.gov/what-we-do/fire-protection/cooperative-efforts

Program page on the agency site ↗

Past applications & awards

Historical data · not a prediction

Reported by the agency for this listing

Fiscal year 2024–25152 applications · 196 awards

Counts as published on the California Grants Portal. Award counts can read zero until decisions are announced.

Awards published: 196
Total awarded: $1,845,888
Median award: $8,500 calculated
Smallest – largest: $139 – $20,000

Recipients by type: Public Agency (196)

Areas served: Statewide (196)

Largest awards to organizations

Vacaville Fire Protection District2025 Volunteer Fire Capacity$20,000 · FY 2024–25
Tehama County Fire Department2025 Volunteer Fire Capacity$20,000 · FY 2024–25
Sonoma Valley Fire District2025 Volunteer Fire Capacity$20,000 · FY 2024–25
Potter Valley Volunteer Fire Department2025 Volunteer Fire Capacity$20,000 · FY 2024–25
Placer County Fire Department - Dry Creek2025 Volunteer Fire Capacity$20,000 · FY 2024–25
Merced County Fire Department2025 Volunteer Fire Capacity$20,000 · FY 2024–25
Hammond Ranch Fire Zone2025 Volunteer Fire Capacity$20,000 · FY 2024–25
Comptche Volunteer Fire Department2025 Volunteer Fire Capacity$20,000 · FY 2024–25
Butte County Fire Department2025 Volunteer Fire Capacity$20,000 · FY 2024–25
Burbank Paradise Fire Protection District2025 Volunteer Fire Capacity$20,000 · FY 2024–25

Source: California Grants Portal grant award data. Awards to individuals are counted but not named. Past awards show who was funded; they do not predict future decisions.

Program contact (as published)

Amanda Jernigan
Amanda.Jernigan@fire.ca.gov
1-916-894-9845

Quick answers

Who is eligible to apply for “2025 Volunteer Fire Capacity (VFC)”?

The official listing names these applicant types as eligible: Nonprofit, Public Agency and Tribal Government. It adds: “Please visit the Cooperative Efforts web page on the CAL FIRE website for more information on this grant and how to apply. https://www.fire.ca.gov/what-we-do/fire-protection/cooperative-efforts” Additional restrictions may apply; review the full guidelines.

How much funding is available through “2025 Volunteer Fire Capacity (VFC)”?

Per the notice, individual awards are listed as $500 – $20k.

How do I apply for “2025 Volunteer Fire Capacity (VFC)”?

Applications go directly to Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, not through GrantsJunction. Submission: by email to CalFire.Grants@fire.ca.gov. Read the program guidelines on the agency's site first; state programs set their own forms and registration requirements.

Other open California state opportunities, matched on agency, categories and wording.

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