Recruitment and Retention Grant Program (R&R)
A state-funded competitive grant supporting volunteer firefighter and emergency services recruitment and retention. Funds health and wellness initiatives, leadership training, educational programs, community outreach, special events, and certain marketing and advertising campaigns.
Who it is for
Eligible volunteer fire and emergency services organizations in New York. Awards up to $25,000 per applicant.
Department types: Volunteer
An honest note on fit
Small awards, but a good fit for the staffing and volunteer-shortage problem that affects most New York volunteer departments. Worth pairing with a larger capital grant rather than relied on alone.
Before you start
How you apply: Apply directly to the funder.
Apply directly to DHSES through the E-Grants System after registering at grantsmanagement.ny.gov.
Match required: No match stated in the program materials. Confirm in the current RFA.
How to apply
- Register at grantsmanagement.ny.gov and set up your DHSES E-Grants account.
- Review the current Recruitment and Retention RFA on the DHSES state-funded programs page.
- Plan a recruitment or retention project that fits the allowed categories, such as wellness, leadership training, or community outreach.
- Complete and submit the application through E-Grants before the deadline.
Deadline: Competitive state fiscal year program. A SFY2025-2026 round was announced. Check the DHSES grant programs page for the current window. (Annual cycle)
Funding: A $1,000,000 total program pool, with individual awards up to $25,000.
Verified as of 2026-05-31. Programs are checked periodically against their official source. Funding details and deadlines change. Confirm the current requirements on the official program page before you apply.