Awaiting anything on vehicle grant submittal

[rescfrmn]

I applied for a new tender due to the one that we have is getting even more dangerous on a daily basis. I have not seen anything(reduction, 1199, nada). I am having trouble keeping this thing on the road anymore. It was a lumber truck prior to being converted to a tender. It has hydraulic brakes that are getting more and more dangerous to drive, and has also had the frame broken and received a substandard repair(ie frame no longer straight). I know that I will be lucky to receive this grant due to our call volume is low. but my need for a dependable tender is very great. Is it possible to appeal to a higher court on this. I am scared to drive this vehicle much less anyone else, being a former mechanic. I am afraid that we will receive a dj on this grant. Does anyone have any suggestions they can throw my way? even other grant possibilities that anyone knows of may help me. I am still new to this grant game and dont really know where all to look for funding. any help will be greatly appreciated

[farmerfire1156]

If you dont get this grant, there is no higher authority to appeal to that I know of. Your dept might look into USDA-Rural Development grant. They possibly can loan out the remainder of the truck purchase to help keep your payment where you can handle.

[islandfire03]

First off: It is extremely early in the award process for the 09 AFG. Those with reductions and 1199's and 10 questions so far are the highest scoring apps in the matrix. No awards have been given yet. We all hope to see round 1 in the next week or so. Last years award rounds continued on into September.

Now to address the problem of your dangerous tender. PARK IT and tag it out of service before you or one of your members gets killed. I don't say this lightly as I know how hard it is to keep old trucks running and SAFE. Have you asked for funding from your town or district to replace this dangerous truck?

Just because you have a low call volume doesn't mean your application will be turned down. There are many awards every year to low volume rural depts that get funded. Have you applied to AFG before to replace this truck? what was the outcome then? did you computer dj or peer review dj? Every application is score on it's merits and need. You need to score higher than the next dept thats need might be just as pressing as yours.

The best way is to get educated on how to write AFG grants and learn the little nuances that makes your application stronger. There are many little details that it takes to write a well scoring application and some simple errors that many make to cost them points.

Good luck on your application and no there is not an appeal process if you get the dear john at either computer scoring or peer review. You are one of approximately 20 thousand applications in the pool this year for funding.

[jam24u]

I want to ask you, Did you write the grant app yourself? Did you or have you attending any grant writing classes? If you have had the training or experience then you probably have done all you can.

Park that puppy for good. Make sure you write again if not awarded and be sure to mention you've taken it out of service for safety reasons. Mention everything again. BEG!

and Pray of course. It does help.

Then bug your community leaders. Become a squeeky wheel or better yet, take them for a drive in the thing and bail out at the last moment. LOL

[mtndew21]

Other resources would be FEPP- Federal Excess Personal Property Program
http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/partners/fepp/

or the DoD program if you state is part of it.

They had some nice pumpers mid nineties models back at X-Mas time. If you monitor the site weekly you'll found what you need. Example was a year ago out of Minnesota was a 4 door 1250gpm 1000 gal pumper the was stationed at the Vet's hospital in the cities.It is now at a local dept here in Iowa and has been a darn good truck for them.

If you want some help just ask....

[Greenacres2]

I want to ask you, Did you write the grant app yourself? Did you or have you attending any grant writing classes? If you have had the training or experience then you probably have done all you can.

Park that puppy for good. Make sure you write again if not awarded and be sure to mention you've taken it out of service for safety reasons. Mention everything again. BEG!

and Pray of course. It does help.

Then bug your community leaders. Become a squeeky wheel or better yet, take them for a drive in the thing and bail out at the last moment. LOL

Might not help on this application, but you're getting good info for future reference. Making sure that your community leaders know the issue is a good starting point--and it can be done with a good attitude. And like it or not, each Congressional district has a little "pork funding" available (maybe even in AFG--though i'm not convinced). Developing a relationship with your Congressional office and in particular the grants liason may give you the opportunity to make your Rep look like a hero. If nothing else, giving your Congressman a look at your situation gives them an understanding of why programs like AFG need a vote instead of a veto.

Local gov't is often concerned with public backlash from spending (wasting) too much money--but if your local newspaper can help tell the story of the risk involved, public sentiment may help grease the wheels. If we don't let people know we have a problem, they won't know we have a problem, and they sure aren't going to be willing to pay for the fix.

earl

[rescfrmn]

I want to ask you, Did you write the grant app yourself? Did you or have you attending any grant writing classes? If you have had the training or experience then you probably have done all you can.

Park that puppy for good. Make sure you write again if not awarded and be sure to mention you've taken it out of service for safety reasons. Mention everything again. BEG!

and Pray of course. It does help.

Then bug your community leaders. Become a squeeky wheel or better yet, take them for a drive in the thing and bail out at the last moment. LOL

I wrote this app myself. I have not attended and grant writing classes. Slated to attend one with Kurt next month. Problem with my community leaders is that the are giving me all they can which is 20k/yr.

[LVFD301]

Don't get discouraged. 20k a year is not great, but some of us do with a lot less than that!

[mtndew21]

Oh man what I could do with a 20k budget even for a year.
We would be able to buy that foam in a can to seal all the rust holes and still have enough to carry two cans of brake fluid on the truck.

[islandfire03]

Oh man what I could do with a 20k budget even for a year.
We would be able to buy that foam in a can to seal all the rust holes and still have enough to carry two cans of brake fluid on the truck.

Now thats just downright funny MTNDEW !! Except in our case, we had to carry gearbox oil, cause every time we pumped the pump seal let all the oil leak out into the fire stream. Had to refill it to drive back to the stn. Sure glad we managed to retire that old 58 pumper a few years ago.

[ktb9780]

I wrote this app myself. I have not attended and grant writing classes. Slated to attend one with Kurt next month. Problem with my community leaders is that the are giving me all they can which is 20k/yr.

I have had clients with less than $10K a year in budget. Their Chiefs and members reaching for their own personal plastic 3 months into the year to keep gas in the tank. Hang in there, that's why we are out here to help.

[jam24u]

I wrote this app myself. I have not attended and grant writing classes. Slated to attend one with Kurt next month. Problem with my community leaders is that the are giving me all they can which is 20k/yr.

Then you are about to feel your horizons expand after the first 15 minutes of Kurts class. My departments average operating budget has been between $7,000 and $10,000 average, of what we payout ourselves. You sound like so many departments. Know that you are not alone. I'm a little envious acutally.

I still think you should take out your towns elected officials and bail out though! Make sure they agree to begin to begin a budget titled 'Public Safety' as that is their main responsibility to their community. I was surprised when I discovered our village hadn't. Part of the general fund so to speak. Sometimes they just get occupied by roads and signs.