State Fire Assistance for Mitigation (SFAM)- Mechanical Fuel Reduction Grant

Grant Funded Through USDA – Forest Service

Award #20-DG-11083148-001, #21-DG-11083148-001, & #22-DG-11083148-001

CFDA #10.664

GRANT APPLICATION PERIOD IS CLOSED FOR 2023

 Grant recipients are posted in the tables below.

Scope of Project: Reduce the risk of home loss to wildfire through the use of accepted mechanical fuel reduction practices. Projects will be located within the 32 counties in Central Texas identified by Texas A&M Forest Service Mitigation and Prevention Department and Applied Technology Department as high priority (see eligible map). The goal of the grant is to protect high risk communities by reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire on private and public lands.

Grant recipients will be reimbursed for actual costs up to the thresholds listed below for conducting mechanical fuel reduction projects on their property. Work will be conducted by a hired contractor of the landowner’s choosing. The contracting service hired must not be affiliated with the landowner. Work cannot be conducted by the landowner. Previous work conducted before pre-inspections will not be accepted. Individual landowners may submit more than one application per different project location. Only one application can be approved per landowner. All applications will be reviewed on a competitive ranking system.

Maximum Total Reimbursement per recipient: Grant recipients will be reimbursed actual costs not to exceed $750 per acre for hand-cut fuel breaks or $2000 per acre for mulched fuel break (see treatment descriptions below). Total limit of reimbursement per grant recipient is $10,000. Reimbursable costs are limited to those expenditures listed on a contractor's invoice that are directly related to the installation of the fuel breaks or the rental of equipment that is directly related to the installation of the fuel breaks. The purchase of equipment is not reimbursable. Paid in full invoices are required documentation prior to our agency reimbursing actual costs.

Hand-cut Fuel Break ($750/Acre) – Fuel break is a minimum of 66’ wide. Trees are thinned with hand cutting tools so open gaps are created in crown overstory. Branches of remaining trees are pruned up; dead woody debris and understory brush is removed. Hand cut fuel breaks should be located in strategic locations throughout the property. These projects may also occur as landscape-wide treatments within wildland areas between homes in a community. 

Mulched Fuel Break ($2000/Acre) –Fuel break is a minimum of 66’ wide. Trees are thinned with a forestry mulcher (masticator) open gaps are created in the crown overstory. Branches of remaining trees are pruned up. Mulched fuel breaks can be linear or landscape wide. Linear mulched fuel breaks should be in strategic locations throughout the property to reduce fuel loading near the boundary. 

Application Process: This grant is competitive and selection will be based on the goal of reducing wildfire risk to homes. Applications for the grant will open April 1, 2023 and close April 30, 2023. They will then be reviewed by Texas A&M Forest Service Fuels Team and approved/declined based on the intent of the grant. Approval or declined notification letters for applicates will be mailed by May 31, 2023. We do not guarantee acceptance based on previous year approvals.

The landowner is required to complete all questions on the online application to be considered. The landowner will need to create a map of the proposed project area displaying property owner’s boundary, location of proposed fuel treatment or fuel break, dimensions of treatment, and landowner name with aerial imagery as map background. All incomplete maps will result in disqualification. The applicant must submit contractor information and an estimate ($) of service. The last section of the online application will help calculate the estimated reimbursement using the entered project type and dimensions. Pictures of the landscape, topography and overall vegetation may be submitted for consideration. Individual landowners may submit more than one application per different project location. Only one application can be approved per landowner.

If approved, the approval letter will include a W-9 Tax Form, a Terms of Conditions Form, and your submitted application for the landowner to sign and return to Texas A&M Forest Service within 5 weeks. Applicants may switch contractors until the signed application with updated contractor information is received. Once all documents are received by Texas A&M Forest Service, the landowner will receive a letter to coordinate a pre-inspection. Only after the pre-inspection has been completed may work begin. If the contractor declines or fails to complete the work by the deadline, then the applicant may re-apply the following grant cycle. This is only available on the first occurrence. Failing to complete the work 2 years in a row will result in automatic disqualification the 3rd cycle/year.

A Texas A&M Forest Service staff member will reach out to schedule the pre-inspection. Any work conducted before pre-inspections will not be considered for reimbursement. The Texas A&M Forest Service employee will take pre-treatment photos, confirm the dimensions of your project, and answer any remaining questions about the grant process.All debris generated from the project must be removed from the property or dispersed as mulch or chips. If any debris generated from this project is left on landowner’s property, we will not cover reimbursement.

The hired contractor will have up to 180 days to complete all work. If work is not completed by the end of the 180-day term, the landowner can be reimbursed for the acreage that was completed. The landowner may also apply again next year for any acreage missed. No extensions will be granted this year. Invoices must have project address and county, description of work conducted, acreage completed and show the balance paid in full or zero balanced.

After the contractor completes their work, the landowner will contact us to schedule a post-inspection visit which will verify any work completed. The post-inspection will calculate acreage and verify dimensions were met in the approved location. After the post-inspection, the landowner must submit their receipts and invoices for reimbursement. Once the post-inspection is conducted and the reimbursement forms have been submitted, Texas A&M Forest Service will process all documentation and mail your reimbursement check. 

For more information, visit our webpage https://tfs.tamu.edu/mechgrant/

or email us at sfammech@tfs.tamu.edu.

*At all times during and after termination of this award, grant recipient shall, to the extent authorized under Texas law, indemnify and hold harmless Texas A&M Forest Service, The Texas A&M University System, its regents, officers, employees and affiliates against any claim, proceeding, demand, liability, or expenses (including legal expenses and reasonable attorneys’ fees) which relates to injury to persons or property or against any other claim, proceeding, demand, expenses and liability of any kind arising out of or in connection with grant recipients performance under this grant agreement.*

2023-2024 SFAM Mechanical Fuels Reduction Grant Timeline

SFAM Mechanical Fuel Reduction Grant FAQ

SFAM Mechanical Fuel Reduction Grant Eligibility Map

SFAM Mechanical Fuels Grant Summary FY 2022