The Community Foundation of Abilene offers a special grant cycle for volunteer fire departments (VFDs) in the West-Central Texas region to support their critical role in rural communities, especially during wildfire seasons. The grants help VFDs purchase necessary safety and firefighting equipment, including personal protective equipment, communication devices, and training resources. Grant amounts range from $5,000 to $25,000, with larger requests requiring a preliminary interview with the rural grants manager. Eligible VFDs must be verifiable, tax-exempt entities.