Regional Fire Services Training Facilities Grant Program

The Regional Fire Services Training Facilities Grant Program is administered by the Virginia Department of Fire Programs (VDFP) under the oversight of the Virginia Fire Services Board (VFSB). Established under the authority of § 38.2‑401.D of the Code of Virginia, it is designed to support multi‑jurisdictional fire services training facilities within the Commonwealth of Virginia. The term “Regional Fire Services Training Facilities” refers to any facility built or improved with these funds that provides training for more than one jurisdiction in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards 1001 and 1403. The purpose of the program is to provide funding for the acquisition, renovation, repair, service, and management of fire services training props which serve a regional cohort of fire service jurisdictions. The scope of the funding is limited: specifically, the props must be used for fire services training under NFPA 1001 and 1403; training props defined under NFPA 1402 are expressly excluded. Spending rules include that the Lead Locality must own the site (or on a case‑by‑case basis hold a lease consistent with expected life of the facility) and must ensure insurance coverage is in place before construction or repair work begins. Grant funds may only be used for acquisition of training props as approved in the application and disbursement agreement, and must not be used for other purposes. Furthermore, award amounts are capped (in fiscal year cycle, July 1–June 30) at $50,000 per project per year. Eligible applicants are local jurisdictions (counties, cities, towns) in the Commonwealth of Virginia. A Lead Locality must be designated in the application; non‑lead jurisdictions may participate in multiple applications. Applications must include a training plan, a signed Letter of Agreement from participating localities, cost quotes or vendor proposals, and for custom props a site plan and labor/material breakdown. The application period opens annually on July 1 and closes on September 1 (postmarked by September 1). The evaluation process begins with a workgroup appointed by the VFSB Chair, which scores applications on criteria such as need urgency, regional participation, availability of matching funds, completeness and training impact. The VFSB makes the final awards based on the recommendations and the availability of funds from the previous fiscal year’s budget. Once awarded, the term of the grant is up to twelve (12) months, with potential extensions of up to ninety (90) days under certain circumstances. At project completion or grant term expiration, the Lead Locality must submit a final written report within thirty (30) days describing project fulfillment, use of grant funds, and benefit to the service agencies or community. Disbursement is by electronic transfer; funds are not released until the Disbursement Agreement is executed, and supporting documentation (invoices, receipts) is submitted. In summary, the program offers an important funding mechanism to build and sustain regional fire service training capacity across Virginia. Local jurisdictions looking to provide shared training props across multiple jurisdictions are eligible, provided they partner, identify a Lead Locality, submit a required documentation‑rich application during the summer window, meet matching requirements, and comply with the post award reporting and ownership/insurance rules. The award ceiling of $50,000 per project sets a clear limit.