Community Financial Assistance Opportunity
for Wildfire Preparedness Projects

Application period has ended

Request for Proposal Information

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

For more questions please call 509-436-1601,
or email Hillary Heard at hheard@chelancountyfire.com

Dear Community member:

We would like to share with your community an opportunity for financial assistance on projects that would help make your neighborhood better prepared for wildfire.

We are accepting proposals through April 30, 2020. Proposals should address wildfire concerns identified either in a Community Risk Assessment or Mitigation Action Plan. A panel of members from the partnership agencies will evaluate proposals and recommend an approved list for funding, up to the available grant total. The selected proposals will be announced this Spring, during the month of April or early May. Projects will need to be completed by October 31, 2020.

Program details:

• The funding amount for community proposals is estimated to be approximately $5,000-$10,000 per community.
• Examples of project ideas include, but are not limited to;
• Installation of demonstration projects in highly visible areas of the community (Firewise gardens, fuels reduction projects, etc.)
• Reducing fuels along emergency access routes, around structures, or critical infrastructures such as fire hydrants, above-ground power lines, or well houses
• Reducing the risk of ember ignitions through screening attic vents, hardscaping around structures, screening below decks, etc.
• Approximately $30,000 dollars of funding is available. If eligible project proposals exceed available funding, projects may be selected based on risk mapping or the order in which they are received: first come first served.

We are excited to announce that we have received grant funds this year from the Action and Implementation for Mitigation (AIM) Program from Coalitions and Collaboratives, Inc. based in Colorado.  The funds will be used to implement wildfire preparedness projects in Firewise USA Communities, and communities currently working through the recognition process.

We have formed a partnership between Cascadia Conservation District, Chelan County Fire District #1, and the Chumstick Wildfire Stewardship Coalition to manage this program and provide technical assistance to communities. All communities that have completed (or are awaiting completion of) the Firewise USA Community Risk Assessment are eligible to apply.