Grants Management Office offers free wildfire recovery guide, funding scans and technical assistance; reports 18:1 ROI

Kevin Hibbert, Director of the State Budget Department, and Christine Imminger, administrator of the Grants Management Office, described materials and services the GMO offers to help local governments and landowners navigate recovery and mitigation funding.

Imminger summarized two primary products: a Wildfire Recovery Guide that lists federal programs and contact points for common post‑fire needs (livestock, hay, small business recovery, infrastructure and revegetation) and a broader Funding Opportunity Scan that catalogs state, federal and foundation programs relevant to wildfire recovery and mitigation. Both documents are available from the State Budget Department website under a wildfire recovery resources header.

Imminger said the GMO provides free technical assistance to jurisdictions and individuals — the office holds the contract and provides support at no cost to applicants — and that the GMO coordinated webinars in December 2024 and October 2025 to walk through opportunities. The GMO also asked the committee to note that eligibility for some federal programs depends on declarations (e.g., FMAGs or a presidential disaster declaration) and that loan products exist but are not always favored by applicants.

Director Hibbert added the GMO has handled hundreds of technical assistance requests (587 to date) across counties and that other states have used the Wyoming model. Imminger said the GMO will continue outreach and provide LSO and the committee requested follow‑up information to ensure local stakeholders have the materials and contact lists they need.