As a result of the 2024 Office of Emergency Services (OES) Congressionally Directed Spending request, federal funds for the Critical Evacuation Route Microgrant Program have been approved and confirmed available by federal grant administrators.
The Microgrant program is intended to enhance or strengthen evacuation routes in Nevada County. This program is being offered to community-based groups such as Firewise communities, road associations, homeowner associations (HOAs), local agencies, Tribal groups, schools, and non-profit entities. Preference will be given to projects occurring on privately maintained roads, and applicants with projects occurring on county-maintained roads are highly encouraged to apply. Only one application will be accepted per organization/entity.
The application period will remain open through June 27, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. with grant awards expected in early August.
“This Microgrant Program goes beyond simply improving evacuation routes—it’s about empowering communities to identify and pursue the projects that matter most to them. When smaller efforts don’t meet the minimum scale, we encourage local groups to join forces. Larger, more coordinated projects tend to have a greater impact and a higher likelihood of success during an emergency event,” said Alex Geritz, Forestry Project Manager Office of Emergency Services.
OES has developed a virtual office hours video series to assist interested groups with the application process available at ReadyNevadaCounty.org/CriticalEvacMicrogrants.
Requests for funding must be between $10,000 and $60,000 not including the applicant’s in-kind match requirement. Match requirements can be satisfied by any activity directly related to the project after the grant is awarded. Each adult working to support the project can count $38.61 for every hour of effort put into completing the project. For example, acquiring Right of Entry agreements, flagging project boundaries, outreach/education with landowners included in the proposed project area, labor to remove vegetation. More information can be found in the Grant Guidelines.
Match requirements can be satisfied by any activity directly related to the project after the grant is awarded. Including acquiring Right of Entry agreements, flagging project boundaries, outreach/education with landowners within in the proposed project area, and labor to remove vegetation.
For more information on the Microgrant Program and applicant Resources visit:
ReadyNevadaCounty.org/CriticalEvacMicrogrants
For application questions, contact OES at oes@nevadacountyca.gov.
