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Adopt a resolution approving participation in the 2025 Cal Fire County Coordinator Grant Program for the period of May 15, 2025 through July 31, 2026, affirming the grant expenditure plan and authorizing the Sheriff, Undersheriff, Director of Administrative Services, or Emergency Services Manager to take any actions necessary to obtain and administer this grant, and pending County Counsel concurrence, sign all grant related documents and any service or operational contracts and subsequent amendments itemized in the grant expenditure plan; and Approve an Appropriation Transfer Request recognizing $151,500 in unanticipated grant revenue offset by grant expenditures (4/5 vote required)
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Published Notice Required? Yes No X
Public Hearing Required? Yes No X
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Sheriff recommends that the Board of Supervisors:
1. Adopt a resolution approving participation in the 2025 Cal Fire County Coordinator Grant Program for the period of May 15, 2025 through July 31, 2026, affirming the grant expenditure plan and authorizing the Sheriff, Undersheriff, Director of Administrative Services, or Emergency Services Manager to take any actions necessary to obtain and administer this grant, and pending County Counsel concurrence, sign all grant related documents and any service or operational contracts and subsequent amendments itemized in the grant expenditure plan; and
2. Approve an Appropriation Transfer Request recognizing $151,500 in unanticipated grant revenue offset by grant expenditures (4/5 vote required).
SUMMARY:
In early April 2025, the California Fire Safe Council (CFSC) released the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the 2025 Cal Fire County Coordinator Grant Program. This grant program provides funding to support counties in enhancing wildfire mitigation outreach, coordination, and collaboration; with a primary objective to educate the public, encourage local action, and strengthen coordination among wildfire mitigation groups operating within each county.
CFSC awards funding through a competitive process with priority given to counties that have successfully closed out a 2021 or 2022 Cal Fire County Coordinator Grant or who have been notified of eligibility by the CFSC. The Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) applied for and on May 14, 2025, received notice of award.
The 2025 Cal Fire County Coordinator Grant Program (Plan) is summarized in Attachment B and a more detailed description of the Plan follows in the Discussion section.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Solano County’s award for the 2025 Cal Fire County Coordinator Grant is $151,500. The Appropriation Transfer Request would increase appropriations by $151,500 to continue and expand wildfire preparedness programs through staffing a part-time position and updating the Solano County Living with Wildland Fires guide. These expenditures would be entirely offset with unanticipated grant revenue; therefore, Board approval will not impact the County General Fund. Grant expenditures will be reimbursed by CFSC on a quarterly basis and will not significantly impact the County’s cash flow.
The cost associated with preparing the agenda item is nominal and absorbed by the Department’s FY2025/26 Working Budget.
DISCUSSION:
The California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) funds projects to mitigate the risk of wildfire and reduce wildfire potential to communities, through CAL FIRE’s Wildfire Prevention Grants program. CAL FIRE awarded to CFSC California Climate Investment funds to administer the 2025 Wildfire County Coordinator Grant Program. In turn, CFSC has sub-awarded these funds to select counties under its 2025 Cal Fire County Coordinator Grant Program. Previously, Solano County has received funding through the County Coordinator Grant Program. In 2021, funding from the 2021 County Coordinator Grant Program was used to hire a contractor, Nevada Environmental Consulting, to help establish local fire safe councils and identify and present high fire threat zones throughout the county. In 2024, funding from the 2022 County Coordinator Grant Program was used to hire an Extra Help Emergency Services Coordinator to participate in and help coordinate outreach and/or educational events and trainings, contract for graphic design services to assist with completing the multilingual Living with Wildland Fires guide, and printing services for educational and outreach efforts.
Solano County’s proposed Expenditure Plan for the 2025 Cal Fire County Coordinator Grant Program was developed through a targeted assessment of operational needs and alignment with the required deliverables outlined in the NOFO. The plan focuses on building capacity, fostering local partnerships, and supporting strategic wildfire planning efforts. Key activities include continuing to fund the County Coordinator position, updating the Solano County Living with Wildland Fires guide, integrating with CAL FIRE, promoting the CWPP toolkit, and supporting local wildfire mitigation groups. The plan also includes participation in trainings, meetings, and statewide workshops, as well as tracking and reporting all grant-related efforts. A detailed description of the Plan is provided below:
County Coordinator: $94,832 to continue to fund the extra-help County Coordinator position to lead program implementation and ensure alignment with county wildfire mitigation efforts. The extra-help County Coordinator will work alongside full-time staff to complete wildfire mitigation tasks including: coordinate with the local CAL FIRE unit and key stakeholders to enhance integration and collaboration; maintain updates to the CFSC GIS Networking Portal; attend CAL FIRE Qualified Entities Training on defensible space and home hardening assessments; initiate preliminary planning for updating the County-level Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) and submit findings; promote CWPP Toolkit training and stakeholder use; engage and support local wildfire mitigation groups and report on progress; provide a program update presentation to the Board of Supervisors within six months; track collaborative efforts and deliverables throughout the grant term; attend CFSC’s in-person Networking and Peer Learning Workshop in Sacramento; participate in monthly virtual County Coordinator meetings hosted by CFSC; and submit quarterly programmatic and fiscal reports to track grant activities and expenditures.
Solano County Living with Wildland Fires Update: $56,668 to review and update the Solano County Living with Wildland Fires guide to reflect current local conditions, best practices, and community needs.
The Office of Emergency Services will manage all aspects of program implementation and provide oversight to ensure grant compliance, impact, and fiscal accountability.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board of Supervisors could choose not to authorize participation in the grant program; however, this alternative is not recommended as non-participation may negatively impact the County’s wildfire mitigation efforts. Additionally, this alternative is not fiscally prudent as funds would be redistributed to other counties and without these funds, the Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services does not have sufficient appropriations to carry out the activities.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION