MSVFA LINKS

Links To Resources:

 
 

Public Education Links

 
 

Minnesota State Laws Pertaining To;


Minnesota Laws

Links to Minnesota law resources and Attorney General Opinions, Minnesota Statutes and Rules, State Law Library, State Register, Municipal Ordinances and State Constitution.LawMoose
A search engine and directory specifically for Minnesota legal resources. www.lawmoose.com/index.cfm
Minnesota Attorney General Opinions
Includes opinions from 1993 to present with a summary of the opinion, the date it was released and the party requesting the opinion. www.ag.state.mn.us/Resources/ResourcesAttGenOpinion.asp
Minnesota Constitution
Minnesota Constitution www.house.leg.state.mn.us/cco/rules/mncon/preamble.htm
Minnesota Rules
The full text of the Minnesota Rules, provided by the Revisor of Statutes. The Drafting Manual with Styles and Forms and Rulemaking in Minnesota: A Guide are also available. www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/rules/
Minnesota State Law Library
Library information and catalog, along with links to Minnesota legal resources. www.lawlibrary.state.mn.us/
Minnesota State Register
The State Register publishes proposed and adopted rules, official notices, and contracts. www.comm.media.state.mn.us/bookstore/state_register.asp
Minnesota Statutes
The full text of the Minnesota Statutes, provided by the Revisor of Statutes. www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/statutes.htm
Municipal Ordinances for Minnesota Counties and Cities
The Minnesota State Law Library provides links to Minnesota county and city ordinances online. www.lawlibrary.state.mn.us/ordinance.html


Federal Laws

Links to the Federal Register, U. S. Codes and the Federal Constitution. Code of Federal Regulations
A search engine provided by the National Archives and Records Administration. www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html
Federal Register
Published by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents. www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/
U.S. Code -- Full text from Cornell University
Searchable full-text from Cornell with the best organized results. www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/index.html
U.S. Constitution Online
Includes the text of the U.S. Constitution. Each amendment has its own link, which includes a list of states that ratified the amendment and the dates. There are commentary, history, explanations, and more on this site. www.usconstitution.net/


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Corporate Members of MSVFA - Click here for details

Here is a listing of MSVFA corporate members who support our members.
We  great fully acknowledge their contribution and participation.

Platinum Level - $20,000

Gold Level - $15,000

Silver Level - $10,000

Copper Level - $5,000

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Other States Firefighter Associations

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MN Firefighter Resources

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News and Magazine Publications

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US Federal Government Resources


Agriculture
  Web Site Subject(s)
  Fire and Aviation Management Fire Protection, Research and Technology, Wildfire
  National Database of State and Local Wildfire
Hazard Mitigation Programs 		Wildfire
  Remote Sensing Applications Center Maps and Data, Wildfire
  SMOKEYBEAR.com Kids Sites
  USDA Online Photography Center Wildfire

Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board
  Web Site Subject(s)
  Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board Hazardous Materials
Commerce
  Web Site Subject(s)
  Building and Fire Research Laboratory (BFRL) Fire Protection, Research and Technology
  Fire on the Web Fire Safety & Education, Research and Technology, Fire Protection
  Fire Research Information Services (FRIS) Fire Protection, Research and Technology
  Home Smoke Alarm Tests Fire Protection, Research and Technology
Commerce
  Web Site
Subject(s)
  National Fire Weather Page Research and Technology, Wildfire
  National Weather Service Wildfire, Research and Technology
  NOAA Satellite and Information Service Wildfire, Maps and Data
  NTIA Public Safety Division Research and Technology, Communications

Consumer Product Safety Commission
  Web Site
Subject(s)
  Consumer Product Safety Commission Fire Safety & Education
  Consumer Product Safety Commission Kidd Safety Kids Sites

Corporation for National and Community Service
  Web Site Subject(s)
  USA Freedom Corps Volunteerism
  USA Freedom Corps For Kids Volunteerism, Kids Sites
Defense
  Web Site Subject(s)
  Civil Air Patrol - Emergency Services Emergency Medical Services/Rescue, Volunteerism
  Fire and Emergency Services Equipment Grants/Surplus Property/Other Assistance
  U. S. Coast Guard Search and Rescue Emergency Medical Services/Rescue
  US Air Force Academy Fire Department Federal Fire Departments
Energy
  Web Site Subject(s)
  Emergency Management Issues Special Interest Group Emergency Management, Hazardous Materials

Environmental Protection Agency

  Web Site Subject(s)
  Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention Hazardous Materials
  Local Governments Reimbursement Program Grants/Surplus Property/Other Assistance,
Hazardous Materials

Federal Communications Commission
  Web Site Subject(s)
  Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Public Safety Research and Technology, Communications

Government Printing Office
  Web Site Subject(s)
  Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids Kids Sites

GSA
  Web Site Subject(s)
  GSA Presents Firefighter Forcible Entry Tutorial Training

Health and Human Services

  Web Site Subject(s)
  Bioterrorism Planning and Response Research and Technology, Terrorism
  Communicating in a Crisis: Risk Communication Guidelines for Public Officials Emergency Management
  Communicating in the First Hours: Initial Communication with the Public During a Potential Terrorism Event Communications, Emergency Management,
Hazardous Materials, Terrorism
  Demilitarization of Chemical Weapons Emergency Medical Services/Rescue, Hazardous Materials
  Emergency Preparedness and Response Emergency Medical Services/Rescue, Firefighter
 Health and Safety, Hazardous Materials
  healthfinder Fire Safety & Education
  HHS Disasters and Emergencies Emergency Management, Emergency Medical Services/Rescue, Terrorism
  National Center for Environmental Health - Emergency Preparedness and Response Emergency Management, Emergency Medical Services/Rescue
  National Center for Health Statistics Statistics
  National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Fire Safety & Education, Research and Technology, Statistics
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Firefighter Health and Safety, Research and Technology
  NIOSH Firefighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program Firefighter Health and Safety
  U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) National Institutes of Health Emergency Medical Services/Rescue,
Research and Technology
  Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders (WISER) Hazardous Materials

Homeland Security
  Web Site
Subject(s)
  Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program Grants/Surplus Property/Other Assistance
  Citizen Corps Emergency Management, Volunteerism
  Department of Homeland Security Emergency Management, Research
and Technology, Terrorism
  Federal Emergency Management Agency Emergency Management, Training
  Lessons Learned Information Sharing Terrorism
  Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) Emergency Medical Services/Rescue, Terrorism
  National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) Emergency Management, Emergency Medical Services/Rescue
  National Infrastructure Protection Center Critical Infrastructure Protection, Terrorism
  Office for Domestic Preparedness
Grants/Surplus Property/Other Assistance, Training
  Ready.gov Terrorism
  SAFECOM Communications, Research and Technology
  U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team Critical Infrastructure Protection, Terrorism,
Research and Technology

Housing and Urban Development
  Web Site Subject(s)
  Firefighter - Emergency Medical Technician Next Door Home Sales Program Grants/Surplus Property/Other Assistance

Interior
  Web Site Subject(s)
  BLM National Training Center Training
  Fire Management Program Center Wildfire
  GeoData.gov Maps and Data, Wildfire
  National Park Service Research and Technology, Wildfire
  U.S. Fire and Wildlife Service Fire Management Wildfire
  U.S. Geological Survey Emergency Management, Research and Technology
  US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Hazardous Materials

Justice
  Web Site
Subject(s)
  ATF Online/Arson and Explosives Arson, Research and Technology, Training
  FBI Laboratory Arson, Research and Technology

Labor
  Web Site Subject(s)
  Bureau of Labor Statistics Firefighter Health and Safety, Statistics
  Fire Safety in the Workplace Fire Protection, Fire Safety & Education
  OSHA Assistance for the Pyrotechnics Industry Hazardous Materials
  OSHA Emergency Preparedness and Response Firefighter Health and Safety, Hazardous Materials

National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  Web Site Subject(s)
  MODIS Rapid Response System Research and Technology, Wildfire
  NASA's Disaster Finder Emergency Management
  Technology Transfer Program - At the Firehouse with NASA Firefighter Health and Safety, Research and Technology
  Visible Earth Research and Technology, Wildfire

National Interagency Fire Center
  Web Site
Subject(s)
  Joint Fire Science Program Wildfire
  National Interagency Fire Center Wildfire
Transportation
  Web Site Subject(s)
  Emergency Medical Services Emergency Medical Services/Rescue
  Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities Emergency Management
  Intelligent Transportation Systems Public Safety Program Firefighter Health and Safety, Research and Technology
  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Emergency Medical Services/Rescue, Firefighter Health and Safety
  Office of Hazardous Materials Safety Firefighter Health and Safety, Hazardous Materials
  Safe Communities Emergency Medical Services/Rescue, Firefighter Health and Safety
  Safety City's EMS Page Emergency Medical Services/Rescue, Kids Sites
  Traffic Incident Management Program Emergency Management, Firefighter Health and Safety

Various Governmental Agency Partners
  Web Site
Subject(s)
  Federal Interagency Wildland Firefighter Medical Qualification Standards Firefighter Health and Safety, Wildfire
  Fire Regime Condition Class (FRCC) Wildfire
  FireSafety.gov Arson, Fire Safety & Education, Statistics, Training, Kids Sites
  Firewise Fire Safety & Education, Wildfire
  GeoMAC (Geospatial Multi-Agency Coordination) Wildfire, Maps and Data
  LANDFIRE Wildfire
  National Fire Plan Wildfire
  Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program Wildfire

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Federal and State Grants Information Resources Grants.gov, the Federal source for grants information: www.grants.gov The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance: www.cfda.gov State Government Home Pages: www.firstgov.gov

Federal Government Funding Sources

Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG) is a competitive program that directly awards one-year grants to fire departments and non-affiliated emergency medical services organizations nationwide in an effort to give every department the basic tools needed to respond to all hazards. Departments can apply for federal assistance for training, equipment, emergency vehicles, communications equipment, health and safety programs, and fire prevention and education programs.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) generally opens the application period for the AFG in early March and accepts applications for approximately one month.

Contact:

For more information about the program and to download an application once the application period opens, visit: www.firegrantsupport.com. DHS has a help desk to assist you with the application process, which can be reached at 1-866-274-0960 or firegrants@dhs.gov.
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SAFER Grant Program

The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program provides grants to fire departments for hiring personnel and to fire departments and regional and state fire associations to implement volunteer recruitment and retention programs. SAFER grant money for hiring personnel, which is disbursed over a five-year period, decreases annually and is gradually replaced with local dollars until the fire department bears the entire cost. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) generally opens the application period for the AFG in late May and accepts applications for approximately one month.

Contact:

For more information on the program and to download an application once the application period opens, visit: www.firegrantsupport.com. DHS has a help desk to assist you with the application process, which can be reached at 1-866-274-0960 or firegrants@dhs.gov.
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Volunteer Fire Assistance Program

The purpose of the Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) Program, formerly known as the Rural Community Fire Protection (RCFP) Program, is to provide federal financial, technical, and other assistance to state foresters to train and equip fire departments in rural areas and rural communities to prevent and suppress fires. A rural community is defined as having 10,000 or less population. This 10,000-population limit for participation in the VFA Program facilitates distribution of available VFA funding to the neediest fire departments. The funding must be matched on a 50-50% basis by non-federal dollars or in-kind.

Contact:

Your State Forester. For a list of State Foresters go to: www.stateforesters.org/SFlist.html.
Or for more information on the program, visit: http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/partners/vfa/help/guide.htm
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Department of Interior Rural Fire Assistance Program

The Department of Interior (DOI) Rural Fire Assistance Program is aimed at enhancing the fire protection capabilities of rural fire districts in the wildland urban interface. The program assists with training, equipment purchase, and prevention activities on a 90/10 cost-share basis. The rural fire department must serve a community with a population of 10,000 or less and must have a statewide agreement with the state forester who maintains cooperative agreements with the rural fire departments or volunteer fire departments or a cooperative fire agreement with an agency in the DOI. The money from Congress is divided among the four DOI agencies - Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and the National Park Service (NPS) - and the agencies distribute the money to their local offices. This program is aimed at enhancing close coordination among local, state, tribal, and federal firefighting resources.

Contact:

To find out the contact in your state go to: http://www.nifc.gov/rfa/index.html
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Rural Safety Initiative

Six million of the nation’s 8.4 million road-miles are considered rural, and fatal incidents on rural roads exceed the national average in every quantifiable measure. In order to address this problem, Department of Transportation (DoT) Secretary Mary Peters has launched the Rural Safety Initiative (RSI). The focus of the RSI is to concentrate on highway injuries and fatalities that occur on rural roads. It addresses five specific areas, including: safe drivers; better roads; smarter roads; better trained emergency responders; and outreach and partnerships. All relevant DoT agencies are working together to promote and implement this program. For more information, visit www.dot.gov/affairs/ruralsafety/ruralsafetyinitiativeplan.htm. 
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Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Grant Program

The Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) grant program provides financial resources to help rural communities respond to hazmat incidents. The program focuses on hazmat training and the establishment of Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs). According to the U.S. Fire Administration’s A Second Needs Assessment of the U.S. Fire Service, seven out of 10 rural fire departments provide hazardous materials response. Of those rural departments, 41 percent rely on personnel without formal hazmat training to respond to incidents involving hazardous materials. Administered by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, the $28 million HMEP grant program is an integral part of the Rural Safety Initiative that will help address the significant challenges facing rural departments. For more information, visit http://hazmat.dot.gov/training/state/hmep/hmep.htm. Contact:Find the HMEP coordinator for your state. 
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Federal Excess Property Program

Federal Excess Personal Property (FEPP) is federal personal property that was originally purchased for use by a federal agency, but is no longer needed. It is then acquired by the USDA Forest Service for loan to one of the 50 states or 6 territories for use in the state's rural or wildland fire protection program.
Contact:
Your State Forester. For a list of State Foresters go to: www.stateforesters.org/SFlist.html
Or for more information on the program, visit: http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/partners/fepp/  
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Community Facilities Grants and Loans

The Rural Housing Service (RHS) of the Department of Agriculture offers loans and grants to construct, enlarge, extend, or otherwise improve community facilities providing essential services to rural residents. Priority for funding will be given to those projects that will enhance public safety, such as fire, police, rescue, and ambulance services, and projects for health care facilities. The fire service can use the funding for fire stations, fire trucks, and rescue vehicles.

Contact:

U.S. Department of Agriculture
Rural Development Administration
Community Facilities Division
14th and Independence Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20250
Phone: (202) 720 4323
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhs/cf/cp.htm

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Office of Grants and Training Terrorism Formula Grants

The Office of Grants and Training (OG&T) provides funding through the states to enhance the capacity of emergency responders to prevent, deter, or respond to terrorist incidents involving weapons of mass destruction. The funding is awarded to a point of contact in each state and then distributed within the state for training, technical assistance, equipment, planning, and exercises. To learn more about the various terrorism grant programs administered by OG&T, check out the NVFC's Terrorism Awareness Guide at http://www.nvfc.org/resourcecenter-terrorism-resources.html#grants.

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Community Development Block Grants

Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) provides eligible communities with annual direct grants that they can use for community projects that benefit low- and moderate-income persons, including fire and life safety protection.

Contact:

Department of Housing and Urban Development
451 Seventh St., SW
Washington, DC 20410
Phone: (202) 708-1455
http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/communitydevelopment/programs/
Or contact the CDBG Coordinator at your county courthouse.

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Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program

This program provides a death benefit ($283,385 as of October 1, 2005) to the eligible survivors of federal, state, or local public safety officers whose death is the direct and proximate result of a personal (traumatic) injury sustained in the line of duty. The program also provides the same benefit to a public safety officer who has been permanently and totally disabled as the direct result of a catastrophic personal injury sustained in the line of duty. The injury must permanently prevent the officer from performing any gainful work. Contact:
Benefits Office
Bureau of Justice Assistance
810 Seventh Street, NW
Washington, DC 20531
Phone: 202-307-0635
Toll free: 1-888-SIGNL13 (744-6513)
Fax: (202) 616-0314
Email: AskPSOB@usdoj.gov
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/psob/psob_main.html

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Federal Property Reimbursement Agreement

Under Section 11 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974, reimbursement may be made to fire departments for fighting fire on property owned by the Federal government. Only firefighting costs over and above normal operating costs are reimbursable. Claims are submitted to USFA and are reviewed by the Deputy Administrator to ensure they meet the criteria outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations.

Contact:

United States Fire Administration
16825 South Seton Avenue
Emmitsburg, MD 21727
Phone: (301) 447-1000
Fax: (301) 447-1441
http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/grants/rfff/

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Federal Surplus Property Programs

Federal surplus property is sold, or otherwise disposed of, primarily by the General Services Administration (GSA) who manages surplus property of civilian Federal departments and agencies. The Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service handles military surplus and excess property, however the donation of excess military property is handled through GSA via state agencies for surplus property.
GSA transfers federal surplus personal property to state agencies for surplus property. They in turn can distribute this surplus property for use by eligible recipients, which include public agencies (such as local-level governmental agencies which could include fire departments).
Each state agency responsible for the distribution of federal surplus property can set additional requirements for doing so within the parameters of federal law. A listing of the address and telephone numbers of these state surplus agencies can be found at: http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/channelView.do?pageTypeId=10430&channelId=-13241

Contact:

Property Management Division
Office of Transportation and Property Management
Federal Supply Service
General Services Administration
Washington, DC 20406
Phone: (703) 605-2912

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Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Local Governments Reimbursement Program

EPA'S Local Governments Reimbursement (LGR) program provides federal funds to local governments for costs related to temporary emergency measures conducted in response to releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances. The program serves as a safety net to provide supplemental funding to local governments that do not have funds available to pay for these response actions. Eligible local governments may submit applications to EPA for reimbursement of up to $25,000 per incident.

Contact:

Office of Emergency and Remedial Response
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
401 M. Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
Phone: (800) 431-9209
www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/er/lgr

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National Fire Academy Training Assistance

(Student Stipend Reimbursement Program)
Presently, the program covers reimbursement for the cost of a 21-day pre-purchase, nonrefundable ticket for round-trip transportation by common carrier, or privately owned vehicle mileage reimbursement not to exceed the cost of the airline ticket, for the resident program courses at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and a limited stipend for selected regional delivery courses throughout the nation. For Regional Delivery courses, a limited stipend of up to $100 for a one-week course and up to $200 for a two-week course is provided to help offset students' transportation and lodging.

Any student who is a member of a fire department or has significant responsibility for fire prevention and control and has been accepted into an eligible course at the National Fire Academy may apply for stipend reimbursement. Reimbursements are not made to federal employees who are attending on behalf of their employer, employees from private industry, or foreign students.

Contact:

National Emergency Training Center
Office of Admissions
16825 S. Seton Avenue
Emmitsburg, MD 21727
Phone: (301) 447-1000
http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/training/nfa

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State Fire Training Assistance

As partners with the National Fire Academy (NFA), state fire service training systems are enfranchised to deliver 2-day and 6-day NFA courses. States bear the entire cost of the courses. Currently there is a grant program to provide that funding. NFA will provide a master set of course materials, a list of qualified NFA instructors, and quality control oversight. States will continue to report student participation in all courses for inclusion in the NFA database, and students may receive NFA course certificates.

Contact:

Diane Close
National Fire Academy
16825 South Seton Avenue
Emmitsburg, MD  21727
Phone: 301-447-1376  
Email: diane.close@dhs.gov

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United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Developmenthttp://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhs/cf/cp.htm
Community Programs, a division of the Housing and Community Facilities Programs, is part of the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Development mission area. Community Programs administers programs designed to develop essential community facilities for public use in rural areas. These facilities include schools, libraries, childcare, hospitals, medical clinics, assisted living facilities, fire and rescue stations, police stations, community centers, public buildings and transportation. Through its Community Programs, the Department of Agriculture is striving to ensure that such facilities are readily available to all rural communities. Community Programs utilizes three flexible financial tools to achieve this goal: the Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan Program, the Community Facilities Direct Loan Program, and the Community Facilities Grant Program. Fire, Rescue, & Public Safety
  • Civil Defense Building
  • Communications Center
  • Fire Department Building
  • Fire Trucks
  • Jail
  • Mobile Communications Center
  • Multi-Service Fire/Rescue Building
  • Equipment Building
  • Jaws of Life
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Mn Funding Source
  • Minnesota Council on Foundations, a community of grantmakers, works actively to strengthen and expand philanthropy and improve the vitality and health of our communities. The Council is a regional membership association of family and private foundations, community and other public foundations, and corporate foundations and giving programs.
  • Otto Bremer Foundation
    • For funding in other communities: Grants and program-related investments respond to community needs by supporting programs, initiatives, and partnerships that address immediate concerns and/or long-term strategies. Grants support the following purposes:
      • Program or project development
      • General operations
      • Organizational effectiveness
      • Civic engagement
      • Capital
      • Challenge/matching grants
      • Program-related investments.


The AgStar Fund for Rural America, the corporate giving program of AgStar Financial Services is proud to announce the AgStar Fund’s Emergency Response Equipment Grant Program.  The mission of the program is to support rural areas in AgStar’s service area by funding emergency response equipment for volunteer fire, rescue or ambulance departments.
Shaded areas are the above counties

click image to enlarge
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