FPS guidance

U.S. Department of Homeland Security
FEMA - Grants Program Directorate

U.S. DEPARTMENT

OF

HOMELAND SECURITY

Fiscal Year 2008
Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants
Program and Application Guidance

February 2009

FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

Key Changes in 2008
The content of the Program Guidance for the Fiscal Year 2008 (FY 2008) Fire Prevention and
Safety (FP&S) grants is largely unchanged from last year’s guidance; however, some
clarifications have been added with respect to the use of grant funds.
 The evaluation elements and application narrative requirements for the Firefighter
Safety Research and Development Activity have been revised. The revised
evaluation elements provide greater flexibility for diverse project types thereby
improving the competitive chances for each application. Also, the application
narrative has been updated to allow additional character space for multiple
projects.
 The list of eligible projects under the Firefighter Safety Research and Development
Activity has been expanded to include systematic and rigorous evaluations of the
effectiveness of dissemination and implementation strategies for research results.
 The list of ineligible items has been revised for both the Fire Prevention and Safety
and Research and Development activities to provide clarity on the eligibility of
Firefighter safety projects and/or equipment.
 The evaluation elements for the Fire Prevention and Safety Activity have been
revised to provide clarity in the expected components of a project’s implementation
plan.

i

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

Contents

Introduction.................................................................................................................................1

Part I.

Available Funding and Eligible Applicants ............................................................3

Part II.

Evaluation Process ....................................................................................................5

Part III. Automated Application Process...............................................................................7

Appendix 1. Allowable Expenses ...........................................................................................13

Appendix 2. Other Allowable Costs .......................................................................................18

Appendix 3. Grantee Responsibilities ....................................................................................21

Appendix 4. Excess Funds.......................................................................................................24

Appendix 5. Human Subjects Research ..................................................................................25

Appendix 6. Biographical Sketch Sample...............................................................................26

ii

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

Introduction

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency’s
(FEMA) Grant Programs Directorate is responsible for the implementation and administration
of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. The purpose of the AFG is to enhance
the safety of the public and firefighters with respect to fire and fire-related hazards. The Grant
Programs Directorate administers the Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) grants as part of the
AFG Program. FP&S offers grants to support activities in two categories: (1) activities
designed to reach high-risk target groups and mitigate incidences of deaths and injuries caused
by fire and related hazards (the “Fire Prevention and Safety Activity”; and (2) research and
development activities aimed at improvements of firefighter safety (the “Firefighter Safety
Research and Development Activity”). This program guidance document provides potential
applicants with the details of requirements, processing and evaluation of an application for
financial assistance in either of these activity areas. Fire departments are responsible for
sharing the project cost of fire prevention grants under a statutory formula (see Part 1.A. (page
3)). However, there is no cost share requirement for any other grantee under the FY 2008 Fire
Prevention and Safety grants.
The authority of the AFG Program is derived from the Federal Fire Protection and Control
Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. §§ 2229 et seq.), as amended. In FY 2008, Congress appropriated a
total of $560 million to carry out the activities of the AFG Program. The governing statute
includes a requirement that no less than five percent of the appropriated funds support fire
prevention and safety activities. Therefore, no less than $28 million of the appropriation must
be awarded for fire prevention and safety activities. However, this is a minimum amount.
FEMA recognizes the importance of prevention and safety projects and, therefore, has
reserved a total of $35 million for the FP&S grants. The grants under FP&S will be awarded
on a competitive basis. The appropriated funds are available for obligation by FEMA until
September 30, 2009.
A. Federal Investment Strategy
The FP&S grants are an important part of the Administration’s larger, coordinated effort to
strengthen homeland security preparedness. Of particular significance are the National
Preparedness Guidelines and their associated work products. The National Preparedness
Guidelines are an all-hazards vision regarding the Nation’s four core preparedness objectives:
prevent, protect, respond and recover from both terrorist attacks and catastrophic natural
disasters.
The National Preparedness Guidelines define a vision of what to accomplish and a set of tools to
forge a unified national consensus about what to do and how to work together at all levels of
government. First-responder participation is integral to the Guidelines’ success. DHS expects its
first-responder partners to be familiar with this national preparedness architecture and to
incorporate elements of this architecture into their planning, operations, and investments.

1

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

B. Criteria Development Process
Each year, DHS convenes a panel of fire service professionals to develop the funding priorities for
AFG grant opportunities in the coming year. The nine major fire service organizations
represented on the panel include:










International Association of Fire Chiefs
International Association of Firefighters
National Volunteer Fire Council
National Fire Protection Association
National Association of State Fire Marshals
International Association of Arson Investigators
International Society of Fire Service Instructors
North American Fire Training Directors
Congressional Fire Service Institute

The panel is charged with making recommendations to DHS regarding the creation and/or
modification of previously established funding priorities as well as developing criteria for
awarding grants. The content of this Program Guidance for the Fire Prevention and Safety Grants
reflects implementation of the criteria development panel’s recommendations with respect to the
priorities, direction, and criteria for awards. Based on the recommendations provided by the
criteria development panel, funding priority will be given to applications that effectively address
the evaluation elements as outlined in Part III B.3.1. (page 9) of this document.

2

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

Part I
Available Funding and Eligible Applicants
There are two areas of activity that can be funded through the Fire Prevention and Safety grants:
the Fire Prevention and Safety Activity and the Firefighter Safety Research and Development
Activity. Applicants may submit only one application per application period and include
either one or both of these areas of activity. Applicant eligibility requirements for each area of
activity are stated below.
A. Fire Prevention and Safety Activity
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
and 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. For all grantees the Federal share of the project cost (i.e., amount of Federal award
dollars) is limited to $1 million per application.
Fire departments that have received funding through the FY 2008 AFG Program for training,
equipment, vehicles, etc., are eligible to receive funding for fire prevention and safety activities.
However, in addition to the $1 million 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 by the
governing statute to a specific amount of Federal dollars (shown below) for each year. This
maximum amount is based on the population that the fire department protects.
Population Size
More than one million:

Max Federal $$ under AFG + FP&S
$2,750,000

500,000 to one million:

$1,750,000

Less than 500,000:

$1,000,000

Fire departments are subject to the same cost share requirements that are applicable under
the AFG Program. Specifically, fire departments that serve populations less than 20,000 must
match the Federal grant funds with an amount of non-Federal funds equal to five percent of the
total project cost. Fire departments serving areas with a population between 20,000 and 50,000,
inclusive, must match the Federal grant funds with an amount of non-Federal funds equal to ten
percent of the total project cost. Fire departments that serve populations of over 50,000 must
match the Federal grant funds with an amount of non-Federal funds equal to twenty percent of the
total project costs. All non-Federal funds must be in cash, i.e., in-kind contributions are not
eligible. No waivers of this requirement will be granted except for applicants located in Insular
Areas as provided for in 48 U.S.C. §1469a.
Please note: There is no cost share for grants under this activity to eligible national, regional,
state, local, or community organizations (other than fire departments as described above).

3

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

B. Firefighter Safety Research and Development Activity
Eligible applicants for this activity include national, regional, state, and local organizations, such
as academic, public health, occupational health, and injury prevention institutions, especially those
that are recognized for their experience and expertise in firefighter safety research and
development programs or whose applications otherwise demonstrate strong research and
development experience and expertise with potential to improve firefighter safety. Under the
governing statute, fire departments are not eligible to apply for funding in this activity.
The core goal of these grants is improvement of firefighter safety. In order to define the elements
of firefighter safety that it is most appropriate to address, DHS has looked to the fire service for its
input and recommendation. In June 2005, the National Fallen Firefighters’ Foundation (NFFF)
hosted a working group to facilitate the development of an agenda for the Nation’s fire service,
and in particular for firefighter safety. Projects that meet the intent of this research and
development agenda with respect to firefighter health and safety, as identified by this working
group, will be given consideration. However, the applicant is not limited to these specific
projects. All proposed projects, regardless of whether they have been identified by this working
group, will be evaluated on their relevance to firefighter health and safety. A copy of the research
agenda is available on the NFFF website www.firehero.org.
Private and public non-profit organizations, non-Federal governmental organizations, and
non-governmental organizations, are eligible to apply for funding. For-profit organizations are not
eligible to receive funding under this activity.
The Federal share for research and development grants is limited to $1 million per application.
The performance period may be one, two, or three years, with total budget for the entire
performance period of up to and not greater than $1 million. Any proposal that requests more than
$1 million will be deemed ineligible.
Successful studies may lead to subsequent related proposals. Subsequent proposals, however, may
not be requests to continue funding for the same study.
Please note: There is no cost share for grants under the Firefighter Safety Research and
Development Activity.

4

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

Part II

Evaluation Process

A. Pre-Screening Process
Program staff will screen submitted applications to affirm the eligibility for award of both the
applicants and projects. Ineligible applications and applicants will be removed from further
consideration.
National, state, and local organizations are eligible to apply under both the Fire Prevention and
Safety (FP&S) Activity and the Firefighter Safety Research and Development (R&D) Activity on
the same application. Each project within an application must be presented separately as a freestanding proposal. Please note that each department or organization can submit only one
application per application period. Applicants that choose to apply for separate projects under
both activities should do so within one application. Each project within such an application will
be scored independently using the established evaluation criteria.

B. Technical Evaluation Process
All eligible applications will be evaluated by a Technical Evaluation Panel (TEP). The TEP will
assess each application’s merits with respect to the detail provided in the narrative on the activity
including all of the evaluation elements listed in the “applicant requirements” section (see Part III.
B.3.1 (page 9)) of this document. The panel of reviewers will independently score each project
within the application, discuss the merits and/or shortcomings of the application and document the
findings. A consensus is not required. Highest ranked applications will receive further technical
review to assess strengths and weaknesses, how readily weaknesses may be resolved, and the
likely impact of the proposed activities on the safety of the target audience.
For R&D applications, a panel of reviewers will be assigned with areas of expertise selected based
on the subject matter of the proposal. Reviewers will assess each application’s merits with respect
to the detail provided in the narrative and in the Appendices, addressing specifically each of the
evaluation elements listed in the “Evaluation Criteria” section (see Part III. B.3.2.(page 11)) of
this document. The panel of reviewers will independently score each application and if necessary
discuss the merits/shortcomings of the application in order to reconcile any major discrepancies
identified by reviewers. A consensus is not required. Highest ranked applications will receive
further technical review to assess strengths and weaknesses, how readily weaknesses may be
resolved, and the likely impact of the R&D project on the health, life and safety of firefighters.

5

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

C. Reasonableness of Requests
The TEP will consider all expenses budgeted as part of the cost-benefit determination and may
recommend appropriate adjustments. Regardless of the eligibility of any costs requested or the
panelists’ determination, FEMA reserves the right to reduce any requests for assistance, in whole
or in part, that it deems to be excessive or otherwise contrary to the best interests of the AFG
Program.

D. Award Procedure
Once the TEP has reviewed the applications, they are ranked according to the scores provided by
the TEP. AFG program office staff will make award recommendations that will be assigned to
grants management specialists in FEMA. The grants management specialists will then contact the
applicant to discuss and/or negotiate the content of the application before final award decisions are
made.
FEMA will select a sufficient number of awardees from this application period to obligate all of
the available FY 2008 funding. Awards will be announced on a regular basis until funding is
exhausted. Awards will not be made in any specified order, i.e., not by state, grant activity or
type, or any other characteristic.

E. Turndown Procedure
The FP&S grants are competitive. Some of the applications will not be successful but all
applicants will receive a decision. For those applicants that are not successful, FEMA will prepare
a letter, briefly describing the shortcomings and weaknesses of the application, as articulated by
the TEP. Due to the number of turndowns that have historically been experienced for these grants,
detailed debriefs for all applicants will not be possible.

6

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

Part III

Automated Application Process

A. Automated Application and Tutorial for 2008
At the start of the application period, an online tutorial will be available for applicants at
www.firegrantsupport.com that provides guidance regarding the preparation of a competitive grant
application and the FP&S application requirements. All applicants are strongly encouraged to
complete the applicant tutorial prior to beginning their application, even if they have successfully
received previous awards from the AFG Program. The tutorial explains the eligible activities by
illustrating many of the application screens. It provides tips for navigating the application screens
and summarizes the changes in the FP&S grants for FY 2008. In addition, the tutorial also
provides a review of the lessons learned from previous years.

B. Application Process
The FY 2008 FP&S application will be accessible February 2, 2009 at 8:00 a.m. (EST) from the
AFG Website www.firegrantsupport.com), the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) Website
(www.usfa.fema.gov), and the grants.gov Website (www.grants.gov). The automated application
has been designed with “help screens” and “drop-down menus” to assist the applicant throughout
the application process. The application can be saved and retrieved for update and revision until the
end of the application period. Please note that once an application has been completed and
submitted, no changes can be made. The automated system does not allow an applicant to submit
an incomplete application -- the system alerts the applicant when required information has not been
entered. By submitting an application online, the applicant will automatically receive confirmation
via e-mail that their application has been successfully submitted. Do not submit multiple
applications. Multiple applications submitted on behalf of any one applicant will all be deemed
ineligible.
The online system will allow one authorized representative of an eligible organization to log on
and create a user name and password. The selection of the authorized representative is at the
discretion of each applicant. If you have a user name and password from a previous AFG,
SAFER or FP&S application, you should use the same user name and password. Failure to
use your existing user name and password could delay the processing of your application.
Paper applications are available; however, they are discouraged because of the inherent delays
associated with their processing. Additionally, paper applications do not have the advantage of the
built-in assistance of the electronic application or the assurance that the application has been
accurately completed before mailing. Applicants who wish to apply for FP&S grants by paper
may request a paper application by calling the Help Desk at 1-866-274-0960. Paper applications
will not be sent to prospective applicants via overnight delivery, fax, or email.
All applications must be completed and submitted electronically, or postmarked on or before the
close of business, by 5:00 p.m. (EST) on Friday, March 6, 2009. Only electronic applications
submitted via the online automated grant application system will receive a confirmation of receipt.
7

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

Applicants should print a copy of the confirmation for their records upon receiving verification
that their application has been successfully submitted. Applicants should also record their user
name and password for future access to their application. No confirmation will be issued for paper
applications. Incomplete applications or applications submitted via any other electronic means,
including email or fax, will automatically be deemed ineligible. Paper applications should be
mailed to the following address:
DHS/FEMA/Grant Programs Directorate
Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
800 K Street N.W.
Washington, DC 20472 -3620
Applications mailed to any other address may miss the appointed closing date and will be
disqualified and ineligible for funding.
Applicants are allowed to hire, or otherwise employ the services of, a grant writer to assist in the
application process. However, the applicant is responsible for ensuring that the information
contained in their submitted application is a true and accurate reflection of their organization and
represents the scope of effort being proposed and the time and cost required to achieve it.
Therefore, applicants are strongly encouraged to review all work produced by grant writers, or
other third parties on their behalf, prior to submission of their application. Applicants who falsify
their application, or misrepresent their organization or proposal in any manner will have their
application deemed ineligible by the Program Office and referred to the Office of the Inspector
General for further action, as appropriate. Specific requirements with respect to the use of grant
writers are outlined below (Appendix 2 (18)).

B.1 DUNS Number
As of October 1, 2003, all applicants applying for Federal grants are required to have a Data
Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number. The DUNS number is a unique nine-character
identification number provided by the commercial company Dun & Bradstreet. Applicants are
encouraged to obtain the DUNS number either prior to the start of the application period or early
in the application period since it may take up to 14 business days to obtain one. There is no
charge for a DUNS number, which can be requested by registering online at
www.dnb.com/US/duns_update/index.html or by calling 1-800-333-0505. Applicants who
already have a DUNS number under other grant opportunities of the Assistance to Firefighters
Grant (AFG) Program or any other Federal program should use the same number on their FY 2008
application.

B.2

Project Period

The project period for the Fire Prevention and Safety Activity is twelve months. Applicants under
the Research and Development Activity can propose projects that reflect a period of performance
of up to three years.

8

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

B.3

Application Details

All applicants are required to provide details of their projects in a written narrative as well as a
specific description of the supporting budget. The narrative should correlate the proposed projects
to the evaluation criteria defined below (B.3.1. and B.3.2.). Application narratives for the FP&S
projects will be limited to a maximum of five pages per project. The narrative for the Research
and Development (R&D) activity will be limited to twenty pages per project. Additionally, R&D
applicants may supply appendices which may include data collection instruments, data tables,
illustrations and specifications for product designs. Curriculum Vitae (CV’s) for Project
Investigators (PI) and lead scientists should also be included in the appendices, but are limited to a
maximum of two pages. Researchers are strongly encouraged to follow the biographical sketch
sample (Appendix 6 (page 25)) in preparing CV’s. Applicants should provide one appendix for
each project submitted. The sum number of pages for each appendix is limited to 20 pages per
project.
As the applicant enters information into the narrative text box, the applicant should click the
“save” button periodically to ensure information has been stored. Please note the electronic
application includes a “time-out” feature to help ensure activity usage of the servers. If no
“save” activity is detected for a period of time, the “time-out” feature is activated, and all
information entered, but not saved, could be lost. Therefore, it is recommended that applicants
type the narrative off-line using a word processing program, such as MSWord, Word Perfect,
Notepad, etc., to avoid losing any information. Once the narrative is complete, an applicant can
then “cut-and-paste” their proposal narrative into the narrative block of the application. Please
note the narrative block does not allow for formatting. Do not include tables, special fonts or
graphs. Any material that requires formatting can be submitted in the appendix.

B.3.1. Evaluation Criteria for Projects under the Fire Prevention and Safety Activity
The characteristics listed below will be used as the guidelines for making funding decisions on
FP&S projects. Priority is given to projects that focus on the prevention of injury to an applicantdefined vulnerable population, group, or demographic subset. The extent to which projects reflect
the characteristics below will be assessed by the Technical Evaluation Panel (TEP) and will
impact the likelihood that a project will be funded.
 Vulnerability Statement: The assessment of fire risk is essential in the development of an
effective project goal, as well as meeting FEMA’s goal of the conduct of risk analysis as a
basis for action. As such, the presence of a process that takes into account the
characteristics of an area or jurisdiction (e.g., population features) is important in an
objective or reasoned approach to addressing the fire hazard in a community, regional area,
state or nation. Therefore, the applicant should summarize the vulnerability that the
project will address in a concise statement. The vulnerability statement should include a
description of the steps taken to determine the vulnerability and identify the target
audience. The methodology for determination of vulnerability should be discussed in
depth in the application narrative. The specific vulnerability that will be addressed with
the proposed project can be established through a formal or informal risk assessment. For

9

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

the purpose of the FY2008 FP&S application, formal assessments consist of the use of
software programs or recognized expert analysis that assesses risk trends. Informal
assessments could include an in-house review of available data (i.e. NFIRS) to determine
fire loss, burn injuries, or loss of life over a period of time and the causative factors for
each occurrence.
 Implementation Plan: Projects should provide details on the implementation plan which
discusses the proposed projects goals and objectives. The following information should be
included to support the implementation plan:
 Details regarding the methods and specific steps that will be used to achieve the
goals and objectives;
 Where applicable, examples of marketing efforts to promote the project, who will
deliver the project (i.e. effective partnerships), and the manner in which materials
or deliverables will be distributed;
 Requests for props (i.e., tools that are used in educational or awareness
demonstrations) must include specific goals, measurable results, and details on the
frequency for which the prop will be utilized as part of the implementation plan.
Applicants should include information indicative of the various outreach efforts
that will be conducted and/or the number of people reached through the proposed
project. (Examples of props include safety trailers, puppets, robots or portable
safety house)
 Evaluation Plan: Projects should incorporate an evaluation of their effectiveness and
should identify measurable goals. Applicants seeking to carry out awareness and
educational projects, for example, should identify how they intend to determine that there
has been an increase in knowledge about fire hazards, or measure a change in the safety
behaviors of the audience. Using various means of assessment that measure the
knowledge gained by the demonstration may include surveys or documented observations.
 Cost-Benefit: Projects will be evaluated on the extent to which they demonstrate a high
benefit for the cost incurred and maximize the level of funding that goes directly into the
delivery of the project. The costs associated with the project must also be reasonable for
the target audience that will be reached. Providing justification for costs assists the TEP
with this review.
 Sustainable: Each project will also be evaluated to determine whether the overall activity
will be sustained beyond the grant performance period and whether it has a greater
potential for long-term benefits. Examples of sustainable projects can be illustrated
through the long-term benefits derived from the delivery of the project, the presence of
non-federal partners likely to continue the effort, or the demonstrated long-term
commitment of the applicant.
 Financial Need: Applicants should provide details on the need for financial assistance to
carry out the proposed project(s). Included in the description might be other unsuccessful
attempts to acquire financial assistance or specific examples of the applicant’s operational
budget.

10

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

 Performance: Applicants that demonstrate a proven track record for timely project
completion and performance in similar projects or in other AFG and SAFER awards.
Additionally, the applicant’s experience and ability for executing the proposed project.

B.3.2. Evaluation Criteria for Projects under the Firefighter Safety Research and
Development Activity
The characteristics listed below will be used as the guidelines in making funding decisions. The
extent to which projects reflect these characteristics will be assessed by the Technical Evaluation
Panel (TEP) and will impact the likelihood that a project will be funded.
 Study purpose(s), goals and objectives, and specific aims: For multi-year projects, greater
detail should be given for the first year; and also describe specific goals and objectives for
second (and third) year(s). With reference to the study’s goals, objectives, and specific
aims, provide a literature review that includes citations in the text and references at the end
of the application. The review should make it clear that the proposed study is necessary,
different from other current studies, offers a unique contribution or adds to an existing
body of knowledge.
 Scientific and technical merit of the proposed research, including:
 Study Design: Description of the overall approach to the project. The specifics
provided in this section will demonstrate the overall scientific rigor and merit of the
project.
 Methods. Description on how the study will be carried out. It provides the operations
to accomplish the purpose, goals and objectives, and specific aims previously stated.
 Where applicable, describe plans for recruitment and cohort retention (especially with
multi-year study).
 Measurement: Address data measurement, including instruments and procedures. For
those conducting technology or product development studies, this section describes
how well the system, unit, or product performed at each relevant stage of development
 Analytic plan: Indicate the planned descriptive and/or statistical approach to analysis.
Where possible, indicate availability of national norms or other standards for
comparison. Specify, within that plan, what will be examined, in what sequence of
steps, or with how many iterations. Indicate what statistical expertise is available to
the team (if not the PI and co-PIs) and how that will be integrated into the ongoing
project efforts.
 Dissemination and Implementation: Indicate dissemination plans for scientific audiences
(such as plans for submissions to specific peer review publications) and for Firefighter
audiences (such as via websites, magazines, and conferences). Also, assuming positive
results and where applicable, indicate future steps that would support dissemination and
implementation throughout the fire service; these are likely to be beyond the current study.
All applicants should specify how the study or project, if successful, will impact the safety
and wellness of Firefighters, especially in the short term.

11

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

 Resources - People and Time: Describe the strengths of the PI, the lead scientists and
other staff of the research and development team, and the institutional setting (e.g., labs,
experimental facilities) to support and carry out the proposed activities in the study period.
 Protections for Human Subjects: Where applicable, describe plans for submission to
Institutional Review Board (IRB). Generally, IRB approval should precede any major
study activities. Where the proposed study involves above minimal risk activities, sample
consent letters should be included in the Appendix to the application. Applicants should
be aware that human subject research carries with it certain requirements with respect to
special assessment and approvals that DHS carries out with a grantee. Successful
applicants, (i.e., grantees) will need to follow these requirements. They are briefly
described in (Appendix 5 (page 25)) of this Program Guidance.
Where no human subjects are involved in the study, provide rationales explaining how any
persons involved in the study should not to be considered subjects or study participants.
For instance, if Firefighters will be involved as part of their routine activities and those
activities will be directed by their chain of command, including the relevant Safety Officer,
provide documentation for that approach.
Where no persons are involved in any way in the R&D activities, other than the
researchers, such as with laboratory-based product development, clarify the role, if any, of
those involved in field testing. Specify what these persons will do, as well as your
conclusions about their non-risk, non-participant status. Where applicable, provide
justification for request for exemption from IRB review.
Additional Considerations
 Financial Need: Applicants should illustrate in their narrative the need for Federal

financial assistance.

 Impact on Firefighter Safety: Applicants need to address in their narratives the extent to
which the study or effort will have an impact on the health and life safety of firefighters,
particularly in the short term.
 Projected Data Tables: These are not required but may be useful. Samples may be given
in Appendices.

12

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

Appendix 1

Allowable Expenses

A.1.1. Eligible Projects under the Fire Prevention and Safety Activity:
While FEMA desires to provide flexibility to applicants to design innovative strategies or unique
proposals that reach for a higher level of safety for the public with respect to fire and fire-related
hazards, general categories of activities or projects will be eligible for funding: public education
campaigns, arson prevention, prevention-related training, fire prevention activities, and risk
assessments.
The following are examples of eligible projects. This list is not intended to be an all-inclusive list
of projects that will be considered. Applicants should develop projects based on the determined
risks. Original, creative and/or new approaches to enhance the safety of the public and firefighters
are welcomed. Be advised that applications should only consist of FP&S projects that can be
completed within the one-year grant performance period.
 Smoke Alarms: According to data available to FEMA/USFA, working smoke alarms
greatly reduce the risk of fire casualties for the Nation’s residents. Therefore, projects that
promote the installation of smoke alarms and/or check to assure that previously installed
smoke alarms are operational will receive a competitive rating. Applicants who will not
perform installation of the alarms should discuss in their application narrative the
methodology for ensuring that the alarms will be installed. FP&S grants promote the use
of 10-year lithium alarms/batteries. Applicants that do not plan on using 10-year
alarms/batteries should address the rationale for alternatives.
 Sprinkler Awareness: Projects that affect the entire community such as educating the
public about residential sprinklers, promoting residential sprinklers, and demonstrating
working models of residential sprinklers. Installation of sprinkler systems is only eligible
if proposed as part of a sprinkler educational effort.
 Public Education: National or local projects that promote the reduction of injury due to
fire or other safety hazards. Messages may include burn prevention, media/public relations
campaigns, injury prevention or other community hazards that could be justified in the
narrative. Education props (educational tools) must be part of a comprehensive and
detailed public safety education campaign. Eligible items include escape planning, model
homes, safety trailers, or curriculum delivery tools. Please note that projects, which
deliver training to the public in the area of automatic external defibrillators (AED), CardioPulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) or age-appropriate fire extinguishers training equipment,
will be considered. However, if the projects are for operational staff, these projects should
be requested under the AFG Grants.
 Code Enforcement/Awareness: Projects that promote the adoption or awareness of
building codes, promote code enforcement to improve engineering, or enact fire-related
ordinances for new construction. Projects may also include support for conducting
inspections, including personnel costs, equipment or training.
13

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

 Firefighter Safety: National or regional projects that promote the reduction of line of duty
deaths through national mitigation strategies. Fire departments that wish to carry out
internal, local firefighter safety projects are encouraged to apply for this activity under the
Assistance to Firefighters Grant.
 Training: Local or regional projects to educate or train personnel in the area of public
education, code enforcement and arson prevention.
 Wildland Fire Prevention Programs: Education and awareness programs that protect lives,
property and natural resources from fire in wildland/urban interface including Community
Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP) or Firewise programs. Fuel reduction demonstrations
as part of an awareness and education effort would be considered.
 Arson Prevention Programs: Arson investigation trailers, equipment and costs related to
arson investigator training, arson-related surveillance equipment, personnel costs,
educational materials and media equipment, and juvenile fire-setter intervention programs.
 Risk Assessments: Applicants may request assistance to conduct formal or informal risk
assessments of their target audience vulnerabilities with respect to fire. Please note:
Applications that request a risk assessment are precluded from applying for
additional projects.
 General Prevention/Awareness: Projects that include general prevention initiatives
including studies, alarm system installation, lock-box installation, CO detectors, address
marker, etc.
A.1.2. Multiple Projects
Applicants may submit only one FP&S grant application per FP&S application period. However,
under the FP&S Activity, an applicant may request financial assistance for as many as three
projects. Applicants should formulate FP&S applications that contain multiple projects and
associated budgeted items based on strategic risks and common goals. The following examples
are two approaches for organizing one application.
Example 1
A community has a strategic goal of reducing the number of fires caused by the use
of barbecue grills on the balconies of apartments. Attainment of this goal will be supported
through two projects. The applicant plans to: 1) launch a public education project; and 2)
strengthen code enforcement activities. While both projects aim to reach the same goal, the
projects are independent of one another; the public education items would be listed as one
supporting project and the code enforcement items listed as the second supporting project. Both
projects will be included in one application; however, each project requires its own separate
supporting budget and narrative statement. The individual narrative statements will explain how
accomplishing these independent projects will help achieve the overall goal.
Example 2
A community or organization may have more than one strategic goal depending on
its audience or risk. For example, a national organization may have a goal to reduce firefighter
14

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

fatalities through a national outreach project. It may also have a goal to study the effectiveness of
public education messages. The organization would create one project for firefighter safety
initiatives and a second project for national public education efforts.
A.1.3. Ineligible Activities and Items under the Fire Prevention and Safety Activity:












Educational props (i.e., tools that are used in educational or awareness demonstrations)
that are not a part of an educational curriculum, a planned educational effort, or lack
description of these elements;
Fire suppression equipment, supplies, vehicles, firefighting training tools or equipment,
personal protective gear, fitness equipment or immunizations;
AED, CPR or fire extinguisher training for operational staff;
Installation of sprinkler systems that do not include an educational component;
Fire hydrant/dry hydrant installation;
Suppression-related training including Firefighter I, Firefighter II, wildland firefighting,
training exercises or drills for suppression or disasters activities;
Wildland fire fuel reduction projects that are prescribed burns or fuel reduction equipment;
Communication equipment including portable radios, mobile data terminals (MDT) or
computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems;
Weather/disaster notification devices (sirens etc.);
Community projects that include the use of tot finder/child finder, elderly or pet finder
decals; and
Driver simulator training tools that are not part of a state or national education effort that
leads to driver certifications compliant to NFPA 1002 or its equivalent.

B.1.1. Eligible Projects for the Firefighter Safety Research and Development Activity:
The purpose of this funding activity is to improve firefighter health and life safety through
research and development projects. All projects must address injury outcomes or their surrogates
such as firefighter fitness or health indicators.
Applicants should consider projects that address topics known to be major causes, or related to,
major causes of firefighter morbidity and mortality. For instance, the leading causes of four out of
every five deaths among firefighters are overexertion/cardiovascular, being trapped, and motor
vehicle crash events (Fahey, NFPA, 2006). Overexertion/strain, contact with flames or smoke,
struck or assaulted, and falls, together account for about half (57 percent) of non-fatal injuries
(USFA, chapter 5). Reports of near miss events include clusters of cases regarding falls,
loss/trapped/disoriented firefighters, structural collapses, and power lines. Analysis points to
unsafe acts that are errors (rather than violations), such as poor decision-making due to
insufficient/incorrect information, preconditions such as loss of situational awareness, and
supervisory practices such as lack of oversight (Near Miss Reporting System Annual Report
2006).

The National Institute for Standards and Technology awarded a grant to the National Fallen
Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) to facilitate the development of a research agenda for the Nation’s
15

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

Fire Service. In June 2005, NFFF hosted a working group to establish this agenda. The projects
that meet the intent of the research and development agenda with respect to firefighter health and
safety, as identified by this working group, will be given consideration. However, the applicant is
not limited to these specific projects. All proposed projects, regardless of whether they have been
identified by this working group, will be evaluated on their relevance to firefighter health and
safety. A copy of the research agenda is available on the NFFF website www.firehero.org.
Four project categories are listed below, not in order of importance. This is not an all-inclusive
list of the categories of projects that will be considered; however, any project must address injury
outcomes or provide strong justification that proposed outcomes can be readily linked to injury
outcomes.
(a) Behavioral, clinical, and social science studies:
Foundational research may investigate the underlying risk and protective factors associated with
injury outcomes. These may include individual level characteristics, departmental/organizational
policies, practices, norms, and environmental factors that may be linked to incidents involving
injury outcomes.
Where evidence exists to move to more applied research, study should emphasize intervention
development and testing for effectiveness in the field setting. For instance, if certain tests in
clinical care settings are known to identify those at risk for cardiovascular events, then the study
may focus on modification (if necessary) and implementation of such tests in fire service settings
using a randomized control trial, with comparison to usual care.
Where effectiveness of an intervention has been established in the field setting, dissemination
research may investigate strategies for widespread implementation with fidelity (See
Dissemination and Implementation Studies).
(b) Database systems:
The systematic collection of information that aims to determine predictors and correlates for
incidents of near injury, injury, and death. The focus of data collection may be about, but is not
limited to:










Firefighter demographic and health factors (age; blood pressure);
Firefighter employment factors (e.g., shift; volunteer; training);
Firefighter safety behaviors (e.g., seat belt use; hydration);
Firefighting equipment;
Personal protective equipment;
Departmental/organizational safety policies and practices;
Cultural or social norms regarding injury prevention practices;
Community-based resources (e.g., hospitals, communication systems);
Environmental factors.

Proposals in this category may aim, for instance, to expand variables and data collection methods
for an existing database system, expand existing sample to a broader State or regional level
16

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

database system, and/or apply a database system to observe patterns before and after policy
changes.
(c) Technology and product development studies:
Applications in this category are to develop and test new technology that can be incorporated into
the fire service. These projects should aim to improve the safety of Firefighters through an
enhanced understanding of hazards posed by:
 Incidents;
 Buildings and building materials;
 Environmental conditions;
 Technology projects should address such hazards by adapting existing technologies
and/or developing new ones.
(d) Research regarding dissemination and implementation of effective programs and products:
Applications may seek to study the dissemination and implementation of programs, products or
other interventions that have credible evidence of effectiveness. Credible evidence of
effectiveness is defined as positive results from systematic and rigorous study, and the absence of
negative results or side effects.
For instance, this category may be applied to the study of dissemination and implementation of a
result from a prior AFG-funded, R&D activity, providing that the project resulted in success as
represented by publication in a peer review journal or other expert review of findings deemed
appropriate by the Grantor. Information regarding previously funded AFG R&D activities is
available on the AFG website www.firegrantsupport.com

B.1.2. Ineligible Activities and Items under the Firefighter Safety Research and
Development Activity:






Activities that focus primarily on curriculum development, delivery of education or
training materials;
A descriptive study about the fire service (without injury or safety outcomes);
Studies with local emphasis and little or no indication of broader application to the fire
service;
Studies that emphasize funding for service delivery; and
Applications that request more than one million dollars.

17

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

Appendix 2

Other Allowable Costs

Both the FP&S Activity and the Firefighter Safety Research and Development Activity have other
costs that are eligible to be included in the grant request. The combined total of Administrative,
Audit, Indirect, and Grant Writer costs charged to the grant shall not exceed three percent
(3%) of the total grant award.
(1)
Administrative Costs: Administrative costs are allowable under the program areas listed
above, in accordance with Cost Principles for Educational Institutions (OMB Circular A-21), Cost
Principles for State, Local, and Indian Tribal Governments (OMB Circular A-87), Cost Principles
for Nonprofit Organizations (OMB Circular A-122) and, Contracts with Commercial Organizations
(Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 31.2, codified at 48 CFR 31.2), as applicable. (For more
information about the Circulars, go to www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars).
Administrative costs are identifiable costs that are directly associated with the implementation and
management of the grant. Applicants can apply for administrative costs only if the expenses are
directly related to the implementation of their proposed project and cannot exceed three percent of
the award. The costs should be listed under the “other” category in the budget and explained in
the project narrative. FEMA will only reimburse costs that are based on actual expenses and not
on a percentage of the overall grant. Examples of eligible administrative costs include shipping,
office supplies, computers, and software associated with the National Fire Incident Reporting
System (NFIRS) reporting requirements (see Grantee Responsibilities, below), etc. Grant writer
fees, if specifically listed on your application, are eligible and can be charged to the grant as an
administrative cost in accordance with the provisions outlined (see
(8) below). The AFG Program Office has the option to assess the reasonableness of requested
administrative costs in each application and will determine what is appropriate and in the best
interest of the program.
(2)
Indirect Costs: An indirect cost rate is an expense based on a percentage of the overall
operational costs of an organization. The rate is established by a Federal department or agency for
a grantee organization that the grantee uses to compute the dollar amount they charge to the grant
for indirect costs incurred during the execution of the grant project.
Applicants can charge indirect costs to the grant only if they have a previously negotiated and
approved indirect cost rate. Prior to submitting any claims for reimbursement of indirect costs,
applicants must first submit documentation that supports the indirect cost rate to FEMA for review
and approval. The appropriate documentation for an approved indirect rate is a negotiated indirect
cost agreement. The indirect rate is applicable as long as it is consistent with the established terms
of the agreement. For example, some indirect cost rates may not apply to capital procurements. In
these cases, indirect cost rates would not apply for grant equipment.
Indirect costs are those that have been incurred for common or joint objectives and cannot be
readily identified within a particular final cost objective. A cost may not be allocated to an award
as an indirect cost if any other cost incurred for the same purpose, in like circumstances, has been
assigned to an award as a direct cost. Typical examples of indirect costs for many
18

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

non-profit organizations may include depreciation or use allowances on buildings and equipment,
the costs of operating and maintaining facilities, general administration, and other general
expenses, such as the salaries and expenses of executive officers, personnel administration and
accounting.
Indirect costs shall be classified within two broad categories - facilities and administration.
Facilities is defined as depreciation and use of allowances on buildings, equipment and capital
improvement, interest on debt associated with certain buildings, equipment and capital
improvements, and operations and maintenance expenses. Administration is defined as general
administration and general expenses such as the cost for the director's office, accounting,
personnel, library expenses and all other types of expenditures not specifically chargeable to the
grant.
(3)
Audit Costs: Grantees with large awards may be required to undergo an audit in
accordance with OMB Circular A-133. Specifically, recipients of Federal funding that spend in
excess of $500,000 of Federal funds in one year must undergo an audit. (For more information
about the Circular, go to www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars). Reasonable costs incurred for such
an audit would be an eligible expenditure if included in the proposal’s budget. Applicants should
consider including anticipated costs of an audit if applying for a significant level of funding.
FEMA does not require any other type of audit; therefore, other audit costs not related to the A133 portion of the organizations audit are not eligible. Audit costs are considered “administrative”
expenditures. See “Administrative Costs” (page 18) for additional guidance on administrative
cost limitations.
(4)
Renovation and Equipment Installation Costs: Renovations to an existing facility are
allowable only if the costs comply with the final rule as published in the Federal Register (i.e.,
limited to minor interior alterations costing less than $10,000). In order to be eligible, renovations
must be essential to the successful completion of the grant scope of work. Activities involving
equipment installation and renovations to facilities are subject to all applicable environmental and
historic preservation requirements. Applicants seeking assistance to renovate their facilities or to
install equipment may undergo additional screening. Specifically, DHS is required to ascertain to
what degree the proposed equipment installation and renovations might affect an applicant’s
facility relative to the National Environmental Policy Act, National Historic Preservation Act of
1966, National Flood Insurance Program regulations, and any other applicable laws and Executive
Orders. No project can proceed – except for project planning – prior to formal DHS approval.
Noncompliance with this provision may jeopardize an applicant’s award and subsequent funding.
Construction costs are not eligible under the Fire Prevention and Safety Grants. Construction
includes major alterations to a building that changes the profile or footprint of the structure.
Note: Installation of fire suppression, fire alarms or detection systems are not considered
renovations and accordingly, not subject to the limits outlined for renovation costs. The costs,
however, must be reasonable and justified. Fire departments who are considering installation of
suppression, fire alarm or detection systems in a fire department facility are encouraged to apply
under the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program under Modification to Facilities.
(5)
Transportation Costs: Tow vehicles or other means of transport may be eligible as a
transportation expense, if adequately justified in the proposal. Transportation expenses are limited
to $6,000 per application.

19

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

(6)
Pre-award Costs: Generally, grantees cannot use grant funds to pay for products and
contracted services or purchases prior to the effective date of the grant. However, expenses
incurred after the application deadline, but prior to award, may be eligible for reimbursement if the
expenses were justified, unavoidable, consistent with the grant’s scope of work, and specifically
approved by FEMA. FEMA will consider requests for reimbursement for pre-award costs on a
case-by-case basis.
(7)
Pre-application Costs: Expenses, obligations, commitments or contracts incurred, or
entered into, prior to the application deadline are not eligible as a grant expense with the exception
of grant preparation costs (see (8) below).
(8)
Grant Writer Fees: Fees for grant writers may be included as a pre-award or
pre-application expenditure. However, fees payable on a contingency basis are not an eligible
expense. For grant writer fees to be eligible as a pre-award expenditure, the fees must be
specifically identified and listed in the application. In order to be eligible, the fees must also be
paid prior to award, (i.e., paid within 60 days of the end of the application period). Applicants
may be required to provide documentation to support these pre-award expenditures. The hiring of
a grant writer, or use of any other third parties in the preparation of the application, does not
eliminate the applicant’s responsibility for assuring that the information contained in the
application is true and correct. Grant writer fees are considered “administrative” expenditures.
See “Administrative Costs” (page 18) for additional guidance on administrative cost limitations.
(9)
Personnel Costs: Due to the maintenance of expenditure requirement, personnel costs are
eligible as long as the personnel costs are "new" to the grantee (i.e. the costs would not be incurred
if it not for the grant). For example, in a fire prevention project, the grantee might ask staff or
firefighters to work overtime to deliver the project during off-duty hours. In this case, the
overtime would not have been required if it was not for the fire prevention project. Another
example might be hiring of a new staff person to deliver the project. The grantee would only incur
this cost as a result of the fire prevention project. FEMA will not fund any existing positions, i.e.,
current staff reassigned to the grant.
(10) Cost Share Requirement: There is no cost share requirement for the applicant for the
FY 2008 FP&S grants with the exception to fire departments. Fire departments are subject to
the same cost share requirements applied under the Assistance to Firefighters Grants
Program. Grantees must share in the costs of the projects funded under this grant. 15 U.S.C.
2229(b)(6). Fire departments that serve populations of less than 20,000 must match the Federal
grant funds with an amount of non-Federal funds equal to five percent of the total project cost.
Fire departments serving areas with a population between 20,000 and 50,000, inclusive, must
match the Federal grant funds with an amount of non-Federal funds equal to ten percent of the
total project cost. Fire departments that serve populations of over 50,000 must match the Federal
grant funds with an amount of non-Federal funds equal to twenty percent of the total project costs.
All non-Federal funds must be in cash, i.e., in-kind contributions are not eligible. No waivers of
this requirement will be granted except for applicants located in Insular Areas as provided for in
48 U.S.C. 1469a.

20

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

Appendix 3

Grantee Responsibilities

Recipients (Grantees) must agree to do the following:
(1)
During the relevant period of performance, maintain annual operating expenditures (not
including award or matching funds) in the areas funded by this grant activity at a level equal to, or
greater than, the yearly average for those operating expenditures during the two years preceding
the year in which this assistance is received. This AFG Program is meant to supplement rather
than replace or supplant the applicant’s regular expenses.
(2)
Retain grant files and supporting documentation for three years after the closeout of the
grant. The retention period of the grant files starts on the day the grantee submits the closeout
report. If any litigation, claim, negotiation, audit or other action involving the records was started
prior to the expiration of the three year retention period, all records must continue to be retained
until completion, and resolution, of any and all actions or until the end of the regular three year
retention period, whichever is longer.
(3)
Grantees are required to follow their own established procurement policies to ensure that
all procurement actions are conducted in a manner that provides, to the maximum extent possible,
open and free competition. If the organization has no established policies, at least two quotes/bids
for procurement must be obtained. Documentation of the process used must be maintained in a
grant file for the period of three years.
(4)
Report performance progress made on your grant activities after six months. At grant
closeout, applicants need to report how the grant funding was used and what benefits were realized
from the award in a final report. An accounting of the funds should also be included.
(5)
Make grant files and all records available if requested for FEMA’s review to ensure
compliance with requirements of the grant program.
(6)
If the applicant is a fire department, it must agree to provide information, through
established reporting channels, to the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Incident Reporting
System for the period covered by the assistance. If a fire department does not currently participate
in the incident reporting system and does not have the capacity to report at the time of the award,
that grantee must agree to provide information to the system for a twelve-month period
commencing as soon as they develop the capacity to report.
(7)
If the applicant is a fire department, they must comply with Homeland Security
Presidential Directive-5 (HSPD-5). Starting October 1, 2004, HSPD-5 requires that all recipients
of Federal preparedness funding – including recipients of Federal grants and contracts – adopt the
National Incident Management System (NIMS) as a condition for receipt of the Federal funds.
Recipients of FY 2007 AFG funds must comply with this directive (see appendix A). AFG
recipients will be considered in compliance with this NIMS requirement if the grantee has an
operational knowledge of the Incident Command System (ICS) and an understanding of NIMS
principles and policies. Organizations that have already been trained in ICS do not need re21

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

training if the previous training was consistent with DHS standards. In order for FEMA to
document compliance, grantees will be required to self-certify their recognition of NIMS/ICS as
part of their grant closeout process.
DHS offers ICS and NIMS training for those organizations that have not implemented the Incident
Command System or those that are unfamiliar with the principles and policies of NIMS. For
example, FEMA offers ICS training from introductory courses to advanced ICS training. For
more information regarding ICS and NIMS training, visit the NIMS website at
www.fema.gov/nims. For more information about ICS training, contact DHS’s Centralized
Scheduling and Information Desk (CSID) at 1-800-368-6498, or visit the website of DHS’s
Emergency Management Institute (EMI) and the National Fire Academy (NFA) at
www.usfa.fema.gov. Your state emergency management training office may also be a source of
information in this regard.
(8)
Follow the audit requirements of OMB Circular A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments,

and Non-profit Organizations, which call for grantees who expend $500,000 or

more in Federal funds in the organizations’ fiscal year (from all Federal sources) and perform a single

audit. (For more information about the Circulars, go to www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars).

22

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

Appendix 4

Excess Funds

Occasionally, due to successful competitive bid processes, breaks in service, etc., some grantees
have funds remaining after the completion of their obligations outlined above. Grantees who have
completed the approved scope of work and still have grant funds available may either close out
their grant and return the funds, or submit a request to FEMA in writing for permission to use the
excess funds to extend their activities in a manner consistent with the original scope of work and
within the originally approved period of performance. Written requests should include a detailed
accounting of the reason for the excess and a budget plan for remaining funds grantees wish to use
for activity extension. Excess funds are not eligible for Administrative, Indirect, Audit,
Renovation, Transportation, or Personnel Costs, and are subject to all relevant cost-share
requirements. These funds shall be requested in writing via an amendment through the online
system.

23

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

Appendix 5

Human Subjects Research

DHS has a responsibility to ensure that mechanisms and procedures are in place to protect the
safety of human subjects in DHS-supported research. DHS requirements are set forth in
Management Directive 10300, which adopts 45 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 46,
Subparts A-D. A grantee must agree to meet all DHS requirements for studies using human
subjects (and ensure that any sub-grantees or subcontractors meet those requirements) prior to
implementing any work with human subjects. Therefore, before enrolling participants or
commencing research involving human subjects, a grantee will provide a copy of the following for
review and approval by the DHS Regulatory Compliance Office (RCO):
 Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Federal-wide Assurance (FWA) Number
[Note: The RCO will assist domestic or international institutions that do not currently have a
FWA in submitting an application to HHS.]
 Documentation of review by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) registered with HHS,
including IRB registration number, IRB name, and notice of IRB approval or exemption of the
relevant research
 IRB-approved research protocol

 IRB-approved informed consent document (template) or IRB waiver of informed consent.

These documents may be submitted electronically to [email protected]. The RCO

will conduct a regulatory compliance assessment and forward comments and/or concerns to the

grantee. The grantee must address in writing all regulatory concerns to the satisfaction of the

RCO before a letter of certification is issued and participant enrollment can begin. However,

development of tools (e.g., survey instruments), protocols and data gathering approaches may

proceed prior to project certification. The grantee must submit annual reports to the RCO, to

include evidence of subsequent IRB reviews, amendments, and/or minor changes of protocol.

24

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants

Appendix 6

Biographical Sketch Sample

Applicants for the Firefighter Research and Development activity should provide Curriculum
Vitae (CV’s) for Project Investigators (PI) and lead scientists should also be included in the
appendices of the online application as an attachment. The attachment is limited to a maximum of
two pages per CV.
(Font: Minimum 10 pt; Pages: Maximum two)
Must be completed by:

PI and Co-PI(s)

NAME

POSITION TITLE

(Last, First, Middle):
Institution/Organization
EDUCATION/TRAINING (Begin with baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing, and include
postdoctoral training.)
DEGREE
INSTITUTION AND LOCATION
YEAR(s)
FIELD OF STUDY
(if applicable)

A. Positions. List all appointments or other professional positions held, beginning with your present
position (include years, title, organization, city, state, & country).
B. Service. Include all positions held on advisory committees or other working groups, including all
Federal Government advisory committee or other public working groups, beginning with most
recent.
C. Honors. Include all honors received in past ten years, and selected others.
D. Peer reviewed publications. Include all peer reviewed publications in past ten years, beginning
with most recent, and selected others.
E. Other publications. Include all documents produced in past ten years, beginning with most
recent, and selected others.
F. Research Support. List funding sources and amounts for all ongoing and completed research
projects (federal and non-federal support) for past ten years, and selected others.

25