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




+ APPLY HERE
Applications will open on April 1, 2024! Please check back then.