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Service Planning Grant Program

Background

After a very successful round of Shared Services Grants in 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2015. The State Fire Marshal Division is once again seeking grant funding for another round of Service Planning Grants from the Fire Service Advisory Committee for fiscal year 2017 and 2018.

The Service Planning Grant Program refers to any number of scenarios where fire-and-rescue service organizations are working together to become more effective or more efficient. The Service Planning concept does not necessarily result in financial savings, nor does it mean that fire departments must formally merge.

 “A Blueprint for Shared Services” document is also available with different types of Service Planning models.

The final reports of 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2015 studies are being made available on the SFM website. You can find them here.  


Program evaluation

In 2016,  Minnesota Management Analysis and Development evaluated the Shared Services Grant Program. The evaluation found that the Minnesota fire service believes the program is useful but could be improved in the following ways: 
  1. Expand the State Fire Marshal Division's involvement. 
  2. Establish categories of grants, articulate expected outcomes, and establish performance measures accordingly.
  3. Develop a questionnaire to help interested departments assess the extent to which they are already sharing or collaborating.
  4. Establish program performance measures, improve program evaluation.
  5. Improve information sharing​.
 
We will​l be working on these items in the near future. Here is a link to the evaluation​. 
The Recommendations from Minnesota Management Analysis and Development have been taken into consideration and a new program - Service Planning Grant Program is currently seeking funding to continue.  Results will be announced in August 2017.

If you have any questions please contact:
 
Tate Mills
445 Minnesota Street Suite 145
St. Paul, MN 55101
320-333-2817