Just in time for post-storm cleanup, the Nevada County Office of Emergency Services (OES) is providing the opportunity for Firewise Communities to apply for a new round of micro-grant funding aimed at supporting hazardous vegetation removal, improving evacuation route safety and advancing defensible space objectives. In 2022, Nevada County made an inaugural round of micro-grants available to Firewise Communities as they worked on wildfire mitigation efforts in their neighborhoods. The program was overwhelmingly successful, garnering 76 applications for 26 available $3,600 grants, demonstrating both the interest and the need for this type of local programming. The project received the National Association of Counties (NACo) Award.
“The micro-grant was critical,” said Kristen Cook, You Bet Firewise Community Leader, who received a Firewise Community Grant in 2022. "We have a nine-mile one way in one way out road - there’s one area where first responders have told me that if a fire comes up that ravine, it’s going to block our road. The micro-grant allowed us to clear vegetation on the downhill side, which will reduce the fire intensity. It’s a critical juncture for our only road in and out.”
To provide continued support, the Nevada County Board of Supervisors approved a second round of micro-grant funding for recognized Firewise Communities on February 20, 2024. The micro-grants are intended to fund collaborative projects that provide community-wide benefits, such as renting a chipper for community use, contracting for transportation of vegetation to processing sites, or hiring a contractor to clear or improve evacuation routes on private roadways.
The application will be administered by the Sierra Business Council (SBC) with funds available to recognized Firewise Communities. Proposals must include a match of at least 10 volunteer hours, and projects within underserved communities will be prioritized.
“Firewise Communities contribute so much to helping protect our community through grass-roots efforts of volunteerism. These communities have proven that they can stretch a few thousand dollars and make major strides toward emergency preparedness and mitigation goals. I can’t wait to see the outcomes that this next round brings,” said Craig Griesbach, Director of Nevada County’s Office of Emergency Services.
The application is expected to open in late February and will be available at Firewise Community Grants.
