Grant Writing

Can be used for operations and safety including training, equipment purchases (like PPE and breathing apparatuses), wellness programs, and facility modifications. This grant also can provide funding for vehicle acquisition and regional projects.

Can be used for initiatives like recruitment campaigns, training programs, leadership development, tuition assistance, and even personal protective equipment for new recruits.

Can be used for personnel training and certification, behavioral health training, equipment acquisition, overdose reversal medications, and

recruitment and retention.

Haigh Solutions is available to assist your department with creating or renewing a SAM.Gov or eRA Commons account, or help with fixing any issues with the account.

Can request up to $40,000. High priority items include equipment (vehicle extrication tools, AEDs, bunker gear, thermal imaging cameras, automated chest compression systems, vehicle stabilization struts, bulletproof vests, all-terrain vehicles, fire hoses), prevention education, and scholarships/continuing education and disaster relief. Close proximity to a Firehouse Subs location preferred.

The Enbridge Safe Community First Responder program considers grants to emergency response organizations that support communities within 10 miles (in the U.S.) of our operations.

Safety equipment such as rescue sleds, firefighting apparatus and/or tools, communications and training technologies, PPE, boats, ATVs, vehicles, flashlights, automated external defibrillators (AEDs), or HAZMAT or related training.

Grant requests are limited to Equipment and Training.

Estimated May 1-August 16, 2025 

May 1 - portal open for Letters of Inquiry

August 15 – deadline to submit a Letter of Inquiry for current calendar year

October 13 – deadline to submit a completed application (for invited applicants only)

Beginning of December – final decisions made, all Grantees contacted

January - September - Grant Fulfillment

April 1 - September 1, 2025

Organization must operate in Norfolk Southern’s 22-state network. Project or program must be located within 30 minutes of NS main line. Qualify as a tax-exempt nonprofit as either a public 501(c)(3), government entity, or public/charter school.

Priorities: Education and Awareness: Programs that prevent accidents and encourage safe behavior. Response Readiness: Programs and equipment that enable first responders to effectively respond to events and emergencies.

2026 Dates TBD

Active SAM registration, NFIRS Compliant for 2 previous years, GATA Grantee Portal (https://grants.illinois.gov/portal).

Applicants must demonstrate that the fire station for which the grant is sought will continue to be operated by the applicant as a fire station for at least 10 years.

A minimum of 60% of grant funds per funding opportunity shall be set aside for volunteer or combination fire departments.

Municipalities, townships, counties, and other local governments that provide for the safety of the public within ComEd’s service area (see map) in the following counties are eligible to apply: Boone, Bureau, Carroll, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Ford, Grundy, Henry, Iroquois, Jo Daviess, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, Lee, Livingston, Marshall, McHenry, Ogle, Rock Island, Stephenson, Whiteside, Will, Winnebago and Woodford.