Happy Wednesday, FAC NM family!
Today’s short and sweet Wildfire Wednesday focuses on two upcoming opportunities for Network Leaders and Members. As we wind down from wildfire season and transition into reflection and preparation for making our communities more fire prepared in 2025, we invite you to consider taking advantage of these opportunities to connect with others in the Network and to secure funding to kick off or advance your fire readiness work. If you are not yet a Member or Leader but would like to become one to be eligible for these opportunities, please consider joining the network today!
This Wildfire Wednesday features:
Applications for the Fall Microgrant funding offering are now open!
Leader and Member connectivity
Our next bi-monthly connection call will be held on 11/26!
The Cost of Retrofitting a Home for Wildfire Resistance
Be well,
Rachel
Autumn 2024 Microgrants
Looking to fund your community fire preparedness event?
Apply for a FAC NM Microgrant!
Applications are now open!
Click on the image to learn more about microgrant eligibility, preferred events, and more!
FAC NM Leaders and Members are eligible to apply for grants awards of up to $2,000 to provide financial assistance for:
convening wildfire preparedness events,
enabling on-the-ground community fire risk mitigation work,
developing grant proposals for the sustainable longevity of their Fire Adapted Community endeavor, or
other events or efforts related to community wildfire adaptation.
Round 4 of funding is open!
Applications will be accepted October 30 - December 15.
Successful applicants will be notified of their award by early January 2025.
Click the buttons below to apply for a microgrant and/or join the network to be eligible for funding.
Bi-monthly Connection Call
Join us on November 26, 2024!
Are you a Member or Leader within the FAC NM Network? One perk of membership is access to a bi-monthly open floor connection call with other members and leaders throughout New Mexico, held on Zoom and facilitated by a Network Coordinator. These meetings provide a time for members to learn from one another, share what they are working on, ask questions of the Network Coordinator and each other, and dive into specific fire adapted topics and upcoming events. This is a time for networking and learning.
Our next FAC NM bi-monthly members and leaders connection call will be held on Tuesday, November 26, 2024 from 12:00-1:00pm MST. During this call, we will be discussing the microgrants program, including previously funded projects, ideas for the current round of funding, and addressing questions or concerns about applying. We will also have time for a round robin where attendees can share updates, goals, and assistance requests. Come prepared to share!
Please save the date - a calendar invitation will be sent to all Leaders and Members shortly! To receive an invitation to attend the connection call, please join the network now!
In the News
The cost of retrofitting a home for wildfire resistance
Click on the image to download the full report.
“A growing body of research has shown that a new focus on wildfire resistance in the built environment—in our homes, buildings, and other infrastructure—could substantially reduce the risks facing communities in wildfire-prone areas. Many developers are already beginning to incorporate materials and methods into new homes to meet the wildfire challenge without a significant impact on building costs. However, how do we upgrade millions of existing homes that are currently in wildfire-prone areas?
“Headwaters Economics examined the costs for improving the structure and design of existing homes to increase their wildfire resistance... The results are detailed in a report, ‘Retrofitting a Home for Wildfire Resistance,’ and show that some of the most effective strategies to reduce the vulnerability of homes and neighborhoods to wildfire can be done affordably.”
Key takeaways:
Simple and effective retrofitting costs between $2,000-$15,000 for actions such as installing flame- and ember-resistant vents, placing metal flashing along a deck, keeping gutters clean, or using noncombustible mulch in the yard.
A full retrofit to the highest level of protection could cost nearly $100,000, but in many cases that approach is not necessary.
When paired with policy reforms and financing strategies, retrofitting existing homes can make communities safer while avoiding billions in disaster costs; preparing communities before a disaster occurs is the best way to avoid damage to homes and neighborhoods.
Retrofitting assistance in New Mexico
In September, the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) launched its Home Electrification and Appliance Rebate program.
This initiative, backed by $43 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, aims to advance clean energy adoption across New Mexico. The Home Electrification and Appliance (HEAR) program offers rebates to help low-income New Mexico residents—homeowners and renters alike—seeking to upgrade their homes with energy-efficient technologies, including insulation, heat pumps, and Energy Star-certified appliances.
Eligible participants can receive up to $14,000 in rebates per household, significantly reducing the financial barrier to making energy-efficiency upgrades.