Last updated: July 8, 2025
1. How many departments applied for the Disaster Relief Grant in Round 1?
294 departments were eligible to apply in Round 1. Out of those, 206 submitted applications, resulting in 201 submissions after consolidating duplicates.
2. How much funding was requested vs. available in Round 1?
Departments requested nearly $44 million in total, while the available funding for Round 1 was $10 million.
3. When did award notifications begin going out?
Initial award and status letters began going out on June 30, 2025. However, because of changes resulting from the enactment of S.L. 2025-26, the process is still ongoing.
4. Why haven’t all departments received their award letters yet?
Some departments included items outside of the funding guidelines. These departments have been asked to submit revised budgets or itemized lists to bring their requests into compliance.
Additionally, departments requesting vehicles were asked to provide fleet inventories and vehicle specifications to further evaluate eligibility and need.
5. Are all departments still under consideration?
Yes. All departments that submitted applications are still under review. As revised information is received and dollars are freed up from ineligible items, additional awards are being made to departments next in line.
6. What is the difference between Round 1 and Round 2 funding?
- Round 1 was funded under S.L. 2025-2 (HB 47) and included 28 counties.
- Round 2, under S.L. 2025-26 (HB 1012):
- Includes 25 Counties
- Removed 5 counties from Round 1: Catawba, Gaston, Lincoln, Surry and Yadkin
- Added 2 counties: Graham and Cherokee
- Included 36 Rescue Squads within the eligible counties
Round 2 provides an additional $18 million in funding, with grants capped at $50,000 per department or rescue squad.
7. Will all eligible departments receive funding?
The goal is for all departments that applied and meet eligibility criteria to receive some level of funding. Awards are being made based on priority needs, eligibility, and the availability of funds.
8. Where can I find the official House Bills and program language?
9. When will the full list of grant recipients be published?
A complete list of all applicants, awards, and funding amounts will be posted to the OSFM website once all award determinations and notifications for both rounds are finalized.
10. When can we expect checks to be issued?
We anticipate checks will begin to be issued around August 2025. This timeline is dependent on departments submitting any outstanding documentation and receiving final approval. In addition, if your department has never received funding from OSFM or from the State of NC you will need to submit an NC sub W-9 to OSFMAdmin@ncdoi.gov.
11. Why isn’t OSFM’s regular grant management system being used for the Disaster Relief Grant Program?
OSFM’s grant management system was not designed to handle emergency or special-purpose funding programs like this Disaster Relief Grant Program, especially when legislation authorizing the funding is enacted mid-cycle with unique eligibility requirements. As we have seen in other relief efforts – such as the COVID relief programs – implementing new program criteria within the existing system can be time- and resource-intensive, causing delays in application processing and award disbursements.
To ensure timely and accurate disbursement, OSFM has opted to manage this program outside the traditional grant portal using a manual scoring and tracking system, which allows for faster review, better flexibility, and real-time adjustment as departments revise requests or as legislative changes occur (e.g., rescue squads and fire departments in additional counties becoming eligible to apply for the second round of grant funding provided in S.L. 2025-26).
A complete report containing a summary of applications received, awards disbursed, and the scoring sheet used to determine awards will be made published on OSFM’s website once the grant cycle is finalized.
12. Who can I contact with further questions?
Please contact Jennifer Gates at Jennifer.gates@ncdoi.gov or by phone 919-935-8091 for any questions related to your department’s application or next steps.
Jennifer Gates is managing the grant review and award process for all departments and rescue squads across both House Bills, so please be patient if you don’t receive an immediate call back. Due to the high volume of inquiries, we recommend sending an email with your specific questions so she can prepare the information you need and respond as efficiently as possible.