A $10,000 grant has been given to 150 volunteer fire departments across 43 states to buy necessary equipment to improve responder safety and better safeguard their communities. The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) and the State Farm Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program work together to provide the grants.

Volunteer firefighters make up 82 percent of fire departments in the United States. Due to their tight budgets, many of these departments find it difficult to purchase equipment that would allow them to perform their duties more efficiently and safely. Acknowledging this need, State Farm and the NVFC collaborated to give local fire stations $1.5 million in 2026. A total of $4 million has been given out since the program's launch in 2024 to help volunteer fire units meet their equipment demands.

“Volunteer firefighters are there for their communities no matter what the emergency, from structure and wildland fires to vehicle crashes and medical emergencies to natural disasters and hazardous materials incidents,” said NVFC Chair Steve Hirsch. “Yet many local departments lack the funding to purchase the resources and gear they need, forcing them to rely on outdated or insufficient equipment. We thank State Farm for taking action to address this need by helping local departments secure critical equipment so they can do their jobs more safely and effectively.”

“At State Farm, we are committed to helping people manage everyday risks and building safer, stronger communities,” said Rasheed Merritt, State Farm HR&D exec-corporate responsibility. “We are proud to support volunteer firefighters with equipment needed to enhance safety.”

Today, which is widely observed as Volunteer Firefighters Recognition Day, the 2026 recipients were announced. Grants will be used to buy a wide range of departmental essentials, such as communication gadgets, EMS and rescue instruments, personal protection equipment and much more.

This fall, State Farm and the NVFC will accompany a few fire department beneficiaries to community engagement activities, such as parades, open houses, fire safety events and other neighborhood get-togethers.

In order to give more responders access to a variety of benefits, such as free training and support services, State Farm offered free NVFC memberships to the first 2,000 qualified applicants in addition to the 150 scholarships. The top national nonprofit organization for volunteer fire, emergency medical, and rescue services is the NVFC.

Visit the NVFC website to learn more about the Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program, which includes a list of departments who receive the funding.