Mt. Morris fire district receives $23,850 state equipment grant

The Mt. Morris Fire Protection District has been awarded $23,850 through Illinois’ FY26 Small Equipment Grant Program for eligible small firefighting or ambulance equipment.

The Illinois State Fire Marshal announced the awards June 4, 2026. The statewide program awarded $6 million to 260 Illinois fire departments, fire protection districts and EMS providers, with grants of up to $26,000.

Funding goes to the fire district, not the village

The recipient is the Mt. Morris Fire Protection District in Ogle County, not the Village of Mount Morris itself. The distinction matters because the fire district is a separate public body responsible for emergency services in the village and surrounding rural areas.

Village of Mt. Morris materials describe the district as serving Mount Morris residents and about 1,900 people across roughly 45 square miles outside the village. The grant therefore has relevance beyond municipal limits, although the available award documents do not identify the specific equipment the district plans to purchase.

What the grant can pay for

The state program is intended to help eligible agencies buy small firefighting and ambulance equipment that might otherwise be difficult to afford. The award is public-safety funding for the district, not general-purpose money for village operations.

Neither the state announcement nor the recipient listing reviewed for this report specifies the equipment type, whether a local match is required, when purchases will occur or whether the district has begun procurement. Those details will need to come from the fire district as it moves forward with the award.

Separate from the planned firehouse

Mount Morris is also planning a new firehouse, according to village economic-development materials. That project should not be confused with the small-equipment grant. The village information describes the firehouse as a separate project supported by federal, state and local funding.

For residents, the immediate confirmed development is the $23,850 award to the fire protection district. The next useful update will be information from the district about the equipment it intends to buy and the timing of those purchases.

Sources

• Illinois State Fire Marshal grant announcement
• Official FY26 recipient list
• Village of Mt. Morris fire services page