Announcing $500,000 Grant Program for Residents

The Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (MWPA) has launched a $500,000 grant program to allow Marin residents to obtain funding for expenses related to the creation of defensible space and home hardening on their properties. The grant funds are available to qualified residents who complete a home and property evaluation from their local fire agency.

“To become a fire resilient community, we must help residents become aware of risks on their property and give them resources to offset the costs of making these improvements,” stated Mark Brown, Executive Officer of MWPA. “With these grant opportunities, there are available funds to serve as a natural extension to our Defensible Space and Home Hardening Evaluation program where evaluators inspect properties for fire resiliency and produce a report for residents to reduce wildfire risks to their home and property.”

Qualified residents will now be directed to available grants as part of their evaluation report allowing them to submit a funding request through an automated system. Based on local evaluations conducted from May to October of this year, over 80% of assessed properties have identified risks that would qualify for the grants.

To learn more about the requirements and to apply for the grant program, residents should visit the MWPA grants webpage. The grant funds are broken into two categories: Defensible Space grants and Home Hardening grants. Current funding is available through the 2021-22 fiscal year ending on June 30, 2022.

‍• Defensible Space grants intend to help residents create a buffer between structures on their properties and the grass, trees, shrubs or vegetation that surround it. MWPA’s Defensible Space grants are available to families with children, older adults, low-income and other residents with Access and Functional Needs as defined by the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, for parcels in the MWPA jurisdiction. $250,000 in Defensible Space grants are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis to residents in amounts between $100 (minimum) to $1,000 (maximum) per year, and eligibility documentation is required.

‍• Home Hardening grants address the most vulnerable components of your house with building materials and installation techniques that increase resistance to heat, flames, and embers that accompany wildfires. $250,000 in Home Hardening grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis in amounts between $100 (minimum) to $500 (maximum) per year and this grant program requires a 50% match from the applicant. Eligibility documentation is required. MWPA’s Home Hardening grants are available for all parcels in theMWPA jurisdiction.

For residents who have not yet received an eligible evaluation report, the MWPA grant application process will help residents request one from the local fire agency. The integration between the Defensible Space and HomeHardening Evaluation report program has been developed by Fire Aside, a private company dedicated to using technology to support wildfire prevention activities.