To implement the National Fire Plan and assist
communities at risk from catastrophic wildland fires by providing assistance
in the following areas: Provide community programs that develop local
capability including; assessment and planning, mitigation activities, and
community and homeowner education and action; plan and implement hazardous
fuels reduction activities, including the training, monitoring or maintenance
associated with such hazardous fuels reduction activities, on federal land, or
on adjacent nonfederal land for activities that mitigate the threat of
catastrophic fire to communities and natural resources in high risk areas;
enhance local and small business employment opportunities for rural
communities; enhance the knowledge and fire protection capability of rural
fire districts by providing assistance in education and training, protective
clothing and equipment purchase, and mitigation methods on a cost share basis.
TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:
Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
Use of Property, Facilities, and Equipment. Place Cursor Here for Definition
Provision of Specialized Services. Place Cursor Here for Definition
Advisory Services and Counseling. Place Cursor Here for Definition
Dissemination of Technical Information. Place Cursor Here for Definition
Training. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
Hazard reduction activities are restricted to Federal
lands, or adjacent nonfederal land for activities that benefit resources on
Federal land. Most of these lands are located in the Western United States and
Alaska. Assistance can be used for helping BLM support community based efforts
to address defensible space and fuels management issues to support outreach
and education efforts associated with fuels management and risk reduction
activities and to increase the effectiveness of rural fire protection. Funding
is highly variable each fiscal year.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant Eligibility: States
and local governments at risk as published in the Federal Register, Indian
Tribes, public and private education institutions, nonprofit organizations,
and rural fire departments serving a community with a population of 10,000 or
less in the wildland/urban interface.
Beneficiary Eligibility:
States and local governments at risk as published in the Federal Register,
Indian Tribes, public and private education institutions, nonprofit
organizations, and rural fire departments serving a community with a
population of 10,000 or less in the wildland/urban interface.
Credentials/Documentation:
For grants awarded, cost will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular
No. A-87 for State and Local Governments; OMB Circular No. A-21 for
educational institutions; OMB Circular No. A-122 for nonprofit organizations;
and Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 31.2 for private foundations,
firms, individuals, and other nonprofits excluded from coverage under OMB
Circular No. A-122.
Pre-application Coordination:
Coordinate cooperative project proposals with BLM State or District Offices.
This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application Procedure:
Wildland Urban Interface Community Assistance is coordinated by Bureau State
and Field Offices. No specific application forms apply, except for grants
awarded, the standard application forms furnished by the Federal agency and
required by 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart C, "Uniform Administrative
Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local
Governments," and 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart F, "Uniform Administrative
Requirements for Grants and Agreements With Institutions of Higher Education,
Hospitals, and Other Nonprofit Organizations", must be used by this
program.
Award Procedure: Wildland
Urban Interface community projects are reviewed at State level and funding
recommendations are made through each State's annual work plan. Final budget
approvals rest with the State Director or Field Office Manager.
Deadlines: None.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:
Wildland Urban Interface community assistance and rural fire projects are
approved through the Bureau budget cycle that normally requires at least one
year to receive funding.
Appeals: Not applicable.
Renewals: Not applicable.
ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula and Matching Requirements:
This program may include matching requirements, for example: Rural fire
departments must have the capability to meet cost share at a minimum of 10
percent, which may include in-kind services.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:
No specific restrictions, however, most projects are funded on a year-to-year
basis and funds are expended during a particular fiscal year.
POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports: Performance
monitoring schedules and/or progress reports will be developed in consultation
with the applicant, but at a minimum will take place at least once during the
life of a project.
Audits: Projects will be
audited at least once during life cycle. In accordance with the provisions of
OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local
Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that
expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a
single or a program- specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal
entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt
from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No.
A-133.
Records: Records relating
to work performed and costs are kept by the Bureau. There is no fixed records
schedule. Records for grants awarded to State, Local and Indian Tribal
Governments will be maintained in accordance with the provisions of 43 CFR
Part 12, Subpart C, "Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and
Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments." Records for
grants awarded to institutions of higher education and other nonprofit
organizations will be maintained in accordance with the provisions of 43 CFR
Part 12, Subpart F, "Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and
Agreements With Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other
Nonprofit Organizations".
FINANCIAL INFORMATION:
Account Identification:
14-1125-0-1-302.
Obligations: Not separately
identifiable.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance: $1,000 to $50,000.
BLM's wildland urban interface community assistance
program is guided by the provisions of the National Fire Plan. A variety of
public information on this plan is available by contacting the appropriate
State Office or the National Interagency Fire Center's web site at:
http://www.nifc.gov.
INFORMATION CONTACTS:
Regional or Local Office: See
Catalog Appendix IV for addresses.
Headquarters Office: Chief,
Community Protection and Assistance, Planning-Resources Group, Bureau of Land
Management (FA-130), National Interagency Fire Center, 3833 S. Development
Ave, Boise, ID 83705. Telephone: (208) 387-5150.
Web Site Address: http://www.blm.gov/nhp/index.htm http://www.nifc.gov
EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:
(1) Assessment and planning for reducing wildland fire
risks to communities and their associated watersheds and natural resources.
(2) Hazard fuel reduction activities and projects that mitigate wildfire
hazards to communities and natural resources. (3) Implementation of programs,
workshops or training that distribute educational materials and develop
partnerships between stakeholders in wildland urban interface communities. (4)
Assistance and technical transfer of information that promotes homeowner's and
rural fire department's action to implement community wildfire mitigation
activities. (5) Wildland fire assistance to rural fire departments through
mitigation education, training, and providing necessary safety equipment.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
Criteria used to select assistance proposals are based
on their ability to reduce the risk of wildland fire to community values and
to increase the capabilities of rural fire organizations, in the vicinity of
Federal lands.
