Grants for Search and Rescue Teams: Federal, State, and Private Funding

Who can get grants for search and rescue

Search and rescue in the United States is run by many kinds of groups, and each is eligible for different money. In most states, the county sheriff is legally responsible for search and rescue, and volunteer teams work under the sheriff. Before you look for grants, be clear about which of these your team is:

• A fire department that does technical rescue (rope, water, confined space, or structural collapse).
• A sheriff's office or its volunteer SAR unit, which is part of local government.
• An independent nonprofit SAR team, often a 501(c)(3), that responds when the sheriff calls.
• A FEMA US&R task force, sponsored by a large fire department or state agency.
• A K9 or specialty team, such as dive rescue, avalanche, or cave rescue.

Federal grants almost never go to an informal group or to individual volunteers. If your team is not a government unit, forming a nonprofit or working through a government sponsor is usually the first step. The Grants.gov eligibility page explains the applicant types federal programs use.

FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grants

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant program is the largest federal grant most rescue-minded agencies hear about. It pays for equipment, protective gear, vehicles, training, and wellness programs. According to the FY 2025 AFG listing, the program offered $291.6 million in federal funds, with about 1,800 expected awards and a cost share required. FEMA announced the FY 2025 awards on September 30, 2026. When we checked on November 7, 2026, FEMA had not posted a FY 2026 application period.

Eligible applicants are fire departments, nonaffiliated EMS organizations (public or nonprofit EMS groups not tied to a fire department, generally ones that provide medical transport), and state fire training academies. That means:

• A fire department with a rescue team can apply and may request rescue-related equipment and training if it fits the notice's rules.
• A volunteer SAR nonprofit that is not a fire department or an EMS transport agency usually cannot apply on its own.
• A SAR team may benefit indirectly when a partner fire district applies for shared or regional equipment.

FEMA also runs two related programs, SAFER (staffing) and Fire Prevention and Safety. Neither is aimed at search and rescue teams. Read the current notice of funding opportunity closely, since eligible items and cost-share rules change from year to year.

How FEMA's urban search and rescue funding works

FEMA's National Urban Search and Rescue Response System has 28 task forces trained for collapsed structures and other large disasters. Each task force is sponsored by a state or local agency, often a big-city or county fire department.

FEMA funds these teams through a yearly readiness cooperative agreement. The FY 2026 listing shows $55,593,824 in total funding for 28 awards, ranging from $1,898,333 to $2,389,333, and says the applicant must be one of the 28 FEMA-designated sponsoring agencies. In other words, this is not an open grant. A volunteer team cannot apply for it. If you want to be part of the system, FEMA suggests contacting the task force in your state or your emergency management office about joining as a member.

Homeland security money through your state

FEMA's Homeland Security Grant Program helps state, local, tribal, and territorial governments prepare for terrorism and other threats. The money is awarded to each state's administrative agency, which then passes part of it to local governments, usually based on state and regional priorities. A sheriff's office or county emergency management agency may be able to request SAR-related equipment or training through this route if it fits the state's plan.

Nonprofit SAR teams generally take part through their county partner, not by applying directly. Ask your county emergency manager when the local request window opens and what the state is prioritizing this year.

State search and rescue funds

Some states set aside money just for search and rescue, usually from outdoor license and registration fees. Colorado's program is one of the best documented. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife:

• Funding: a $1.25 fee on hunting and fishing licenses and on boat, snowmobile, and off-highway vehicle registrations, plus money from the optional Keep Colorado Wild pass and the CORSAR card.
• CORSAR card: $5 for one year or $20 for five years. It is not insurance for the buyer. It adds money to the Search and Rescue Fund.
• Mission reimbursement: counties ask for reimbursement after a backcountry incident; the sheriff certifies the request within 60 days. If the person rescued held a CORSAR card or eligible license, payment goes out right away; otherwise it waits until year-end.
• Grants: Colorado counties with coordinated backcountry SAR teams apply through a consolidated application, and money goes to sheriff's offices. Uses include equipment, training, vehicles, small capital projects, mental health services, and software. CPW reports $6.8 million awarded across 197 grants since 2023. The 2026 window closed August 8, and CPW says it reopens in May 2027.

Other states fund SAR through their emergency management office, fish and wildlife agency, or boating programs. Rules differ widely, so ask your state emergency management agency and your sheriff's SAR coordinator. If your team is in Colorado, our guide to Colorado assistance programs covers other state resources.

Foundation and corporate grants

For nonprofit teams, private money is often the most realistic source. Common options include:

• Community foundations. Most counties are served by one. They often fund local safety, youth, and outdoor groups, and they like small, concrete requests.
• Corporate foundations and local businesses. Utilities, banks, outdoor retailers, and ski resorts sometimes fund equipment or training for teams that serve their customers or workers. The Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, for example, has long funded equipment for first responder agencies; check its current rules, since we could not confirm whether volunteer SAR teams are eligible.
• Service clubs. Rotary, Lions, and similar clubs often give smaller grants for a specific item, such as radios or a rescue litter.
• Equipment donation programs. Some manufacturers and larger agencies donate or sell used gear. Always check safety standards and expiration dates on rope and protective equipment.

Our guide to grants for homeless nonprofits covers foundation basics, like board approval and budgets, that apply to any small nonprofit.

Funding sources compared

Training and certification costs

Training is one of the biggest ongoing costs for any team. Many volunteer teams train members in-house and send some to outside courses. The National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR), a nonprofit, offers SAR courses and certifications that many teams use. State emergency management agencies and state fire academies may offer free or low-cost courses, including federal incident command courses.

When you ask funders for training money, be specific: name the course, the number of members, the cost per person, and how the skill will be used on real calls. Funders respond better to "certify six members in swiftwater rescue before spring runoff" than to "general training."

How do you write a SAR grant application?

Good grant writing for a SAR team is mostly good record keeping. These steps help with almost any funder:

1. Get your paperwork in order. Have your IRS determination letter (for nonprofits), board list, budget, and the agreement or memo with your sheriff or county.
2. Register early for federal grants. Federal applications need a free SAM.gov registration and a Unique Entity ID, which can take weeks. Never pay a company to register you.
3. Use your own data. Count your missions per year, hours volunteered, area covered, response times, and how many people you helped. Funders trust real numbers.
4. Tie the request to a gap. Explain what you cannot do now, what the equipment or training will change, and what happens if it is not funded.
5. Get real quotes. Attach vendor quotes and match your budget to them exactly.
6. Show partnerships. Letters from the sheriff, fire district, or emergency manager show the team is part of the local response system.
7. Plan for the match. Many grants require a cost share. Know where your share will come from before you apply.
8. Report on time. Funders remember teams that report well, and good reports lead to future awards.

Search for current federal opportunities on Grants.gov. Be wary of anyone who charges a fee to "guarantee" a grant; the FTC explains how government grant scams work.

Related guides

• Grants for service dog training
• Grants for homeless nonprofits
• Government assistance for house fire victims
• Colorado assistance programs

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information. Grant rules, deadlines, and amounts are set by each funder and change every year. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with FEMA, any state agency, or any search and rescue organization.