Title
Office of Wildfire Preparedness and Resilience, a division of the Chief Administrative Office, recommending the Board:
1) Accept a grant award under the California Fire Safe Council’s County Coordinator Grant Program to fund the El Dorado County Fire Safe Coordinator Project, in the amount of $151,500 and with a term of May 15, 2025, through July 31, 2026; and
2) Authorize the Chief Administrative Officer or Assistant Chief Administrative Officer to execute any grant related documents including, but not limited to, the grant agreement, amendments for term extensions and increases to grant funding, requests for payments, reports, and all other associated documents necessary to secure the grant funds and implement the approved project.
FUNDING: California Climate Investment Program funds through the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The California (CA) Fire Safe Council (FSC) is responsible for administering the statewide County Coordinator Grant Program with funding provided through the State, by and through the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, as part of the California Climate Investment Program. The purpose of this Grant Program is to educate, encourage, and develop county-wide collaboration and coordination among various wildfire mitigation groups, with funding provided to counties to hire a County Coordinator position. The primary goals include building a census of all active wildfire mitigation groups, analyzing the gaps in countywide wildfire resiliency and emergency preparedness and developing recommendations to fills those gaps, and developing mechanisms to improve program related outreach and coordination efforts.
On April 25, 2025, the Office of Wildfire Preparedness and Resilience (OWPR) submitted an application to the CA FSC for this Grant Program to fund the full-time County Fire Safe Coordinator position dedicated to accomplishing these goals through organizing, facilitating, and participating in outreach activities to educate members of the public on fire prevention, defensible space, home hardening, and other fire safety activities and projects.
On May 14, 2025, OWPR received notification from the CA FSC of the award of this grant in the amount of $151,500.00 with a term of May 15, 2025, through July 31, 2026, with no local matching funds required. Key activities under this grant include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Development of a process to implement strategies identified in the 2025 CWPP update which includes coordination with partner agencies, including the El Dorado County Fire Safe Council, local Fire Safe Councils (FSC), local fire agencies, CAL FIRE, Resource Conservation Districts (RCD), and other organizations as appropriate. Include strategies from the CA Fire Safe Council Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) Toolkit. Coordinate activities with Tahoe Basin CWPP efforts.
• Development, in conjunction with County Geographic Information System (GIS) staff, of a CWPP dashboard to update residents and partners on CWPP projects and progress.
• Increase in the number of communities certified as Firewise, and developed strategies for completing risk assessments, 5-year plan reporting, and annual certifications. Increase the number of residences and acres included in FSCs. Develop strategies to increase community participation at FSC meetings.
• Implement a strategy to coordinate fire prevention messaging and outreach across organizations so residents are hearing the same message from multiple sources.
• Represent OWPR at the Coordination Group Meeting, a monthly meeting including CAL FIRE, USFS, El Dorado County OES, Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team, El Dorado County Fire Safe Council, El Dorado County Fire Chiefs Association and OWPR staff to coordinate efforts across agencies to maximize prevention benefits.
• Represent OWPR at monthly Fire Prevention Officers meeting, and El Dorado County FSC meetings. Participate in FSC committees, such as Grants and Public Outreach Committees.
This is the third time the County has been awarded this grant. The first award was in the amount of $175,000 with a term of November 15, 2021, through April 30, 2023. The second award was in the amount of $114,781.51 with a term of April 15, 2024, through December 31, 2024.
OWPR filled the recruitment for this position in June 2024, which was funded by the previous CA FSC grant covering the period of April 15, 2024 through December 31, 2024. The position is currently funded under the BLM Grant as of January 1, 2025. The Board’s acceptance of this grant would allow OWPR to fund the position under the CA FSC and reallocate funding from the BLM Grant to other appropriate activities.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board may choose not to accept this grant funding and therefore, forfeit the $151,500 in available funding for this project. As the allocation for this coordinator position was previously approved by the Board on April 2, 2024, OWPR would continue to fund the position under the BLM Grant.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
The Board has previously taken the following actions related to this CA FSC Grant Program and Fire Safe Coordinator position:
• Legistar file 21-1184 - August 21, 2021 - The Board authorized the Chair to sign a letter of support for the RCD to apply on behalf of the County for the 2021 CA FSC County Coordinator Grant Program.
• Legistar file 21-1967 - February 1, 2021 - The Board accepted the 2021 CA FSC County Coordinator Grant Program and authorized the Chair to sign the grant agreement and an agreement with the RCD to implement the El Dorado County Fire Safe Coordinator Project.
• Legistar file 24-0422 - April 2, 2024 - The Board approved Resolution 047-2024 amending the Authorized Personnel Allocation, adding four full time equivalent (FTE) positions, including 1.0 FTE Administrative Analyst I/II position to fill the OWPR Fire Safe Coordinator role under this grant program.
• Legistar file 24-0869 - May 21, 2024 - The Board accepted the grant award under the California Fire Safe Council’s County Coordinator Grant Program to fund the El Dorado County Fire Safe Coordinator Project and authorized the Chief Administrative Officer, or designee, to execute any grant related documents.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
N/A
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no increase to Net County Cost associated with the acceptance of this grant and there are no local matching funds required.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
N/A
CONTACT
Sue Hennike, Assistant Chief Administrative Officer