FY 2024 AFG Program: Insights from Past Successful Applications, Especially Related to Physicals or Health Screenings

Gaining insight into past successful applications for the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program can help applicants understand the key factors that make a proposal stand out. Particularly for initiatives related to physicals, wellness programs, and health screenings, several common strategies have proven successful in the past. This section will explore how past applicants have approached these areas and provide actionable insights for improving your chances of success.

1. Prioritizing Health and Safety Needs

Health and wellness programs, including physicals and screenings, have become an increasingly important focus for the AFG program, particularly as firefighter health risks, such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer, have gained greater attention. To ensure your application stands out, it is essential to clearly articulate how the funding will improve the overall safety and well-being of your department or EMS organization.

Successful strategies from past applicants:

• Data-Driven Justification: Many successful applications use real-world data to support their request. Applicants who have demonstrated the need for health screenings or physicals often provide data on their department’s injury rates, health risks, or existing gaps in medical preparedness. This could include statistics on firefighter fatalities due to heart disease or cancer, or a breakdown of the number of firefighters who have not had a recent physical.
• Clear Program Goals: Successful applicants often define measurable outcomes, such as increasing the percentage of staff who receive annual physicals or offering screenings for certain cancers that are prevalent in the firefighting community. This approach makes it easier for FEMA reviewers to see the impact of the proposed funding.

2. Demonstrating Cost-Effectiveness and Impact

FEMA highly values projects that are not only needed but also cost-effective and impactful. Applicants who have received funding for health-related initiatives often emphasize how their proposed programs will lead to long-term benefits, such as reduced absenteeism, fewer work-related injuries, or improved firefighter longevity.

Successful strategies from past applicants:

• Detailed Budget Breakdown: Applicants often include a clear, itemized budget that explains exactly how the funds will be used. For example, if the grant is intended for physicals and wellness checks, applicants may break down the costs for medical screenings, staff time, equipment, and follow-up care.
• Return on Investment (ROI): Successful applicants include estimates of the potential return on investment by improving firefighter health. They may show how preventative health screenings can reduce the overall costs of long-term medical care for injured or ill firefighters, thereby saving the department money in the long run.

3. Focusing on Collaborative and Comprehensive Programs

Another trend seen in successful applications is collaboration. Many applicants have demonstrated the strength of their proposals by working in partnership with other organizations, such as local health systems, universities, or regional fire departments. These collaborations can strengthen an application by showing a commitment to community-wide health initiatives.

Successful strategies from past applicants:

• Partnerships with Healthcare Providers: Some applicants partner with local hospitals or health clinics to provide the physical exams and screenings. These collaborations can make the application more attractive, as they demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed program and leverage additional resources.
• Multi-Agency Collaborations: Fire departments in smaller or rural communities often collaborate with other departments in the region to pool resources for larger health programs. This approach helps meet the funding thresholds and demonstrates a collective commitment to improving firefighter health across a larger area.

4. Alignment with FEMA’s Priorities and Guidelines

Aligning your application with FEMA’s stated priorities for the AFG program is critical for success. The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) outlines the specific focus areas for each funding cycle, and successful applicants have always tailored their proposals to meet these priorities.

Successful strategies from past applicants:

• Addressing Specific Health Risks: In past cycles, departments that applied for funding related to physicals and health screenings often linked their proposal to FEMA’s priorities on reducing firefighter fatalities and injuries. For example, a grant application might specifically focus on providing screenings for cancers that disproportionately affect firefighters, such as those related to smoke inhalation or exposure to hazardous materials.
• Risk Assessments: Successful applicants have conducted thorough risk assessments that support their health-related needs. They identify specific health risks that impact their team and explain how the proposed wellness program will mitigate these risks.

5. Using Supporting Documentation Effectively

Applications with supporting documentation that clearly demonstrate the need for funding have a higher success rate. This could include reports, data, and case studies that show how previous investments in health and wellness have improved outcomes in similar departments or programs.

Successful strategies from past applicants:

• Health Risk Assessments: Include health risk assessments or injury data that show the department’s current health challenges. For example, if you’re requesting funding for physical exams, provide a baseline report showing how many firefighters have not had a physical in the past year.
• Previous Program Results: If your department has implemented a pilot wellness program, include evidence of its success. For example, you could present data showing how providing physicals reduced the number of work-related injuries or illnesses over a set period.

6. Providing a Sustainability Plan

FEMA often favors projects that have a clear sustainability plan, ensuring that the benefits of the funded program extend beyond the life of the grant. For health-related programs, this means showing that your department will be able to continue offering physicals and wellness screenings in the future.

Successful strategies from past applicants:

• Long-Term Health Programs: Applicants who have secured funding for health screenings often outline plans to continue these efforts in the future. This might include seeking alternative funding sources, integrating health screenings into the department’s annual budget, or creating partnerships with local healthcare providers to offer services at a reduced cost.
• Regular Health Monitoring: In some cases, applicants propose setting up ongoing health monitoring systems, such as annual physicals for all department members. This ensures that the initiative continues well after the initial funding cycle.

7. Ensuring Community and Stakeholder Support

Demonstrating broad community and stakeholder support for your proposed project can also increase your chances of success. A well-supported program can show FEMA that the project has wide-ranging benefits and will be well-received by all involved parties.

Successful strategies from past applicants:

• Community Outreach: Applicants often engage with community members, including local healthcare providers, elected officials, and other emergency services, to garner support for their proposed health initiatives. This outreach helps demonstrate the project’s importance and its impact on the community as a whole.

Letters of Support: Including letters of support from community stakeholders—such as medical professionals, local businesses, or government officials—can strengthen your application. These letters show that your initiative is not only important to your department but also has a positive impact on the broader community.