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The 2025 SAR Award is Open for Applications

The 2025 SAR Award is Open for Applications

Rocky Talkie will be awarding over $100,000 to SAR teams through the annual 2025 Search and Rescue Award. The goal of the SAR Award is to support underfunded teams across the United States & Canada while driving greater awareness of the incredible contributions that volunteer SAR members make to their communities every day.

To meet the evolving needs of the SAR community, 3 grant levels are available this year. SAR teams can apply for a grant based on their team's financial needs to help acquire critical equipment, fund important projects for their operations, complete advanced training, etc. Several grants will likely be awarded at all 3 levels.

Rocky Talkie will be awarding over $100,000 to SAR teams through the annual 2025 Search and Rescue Award. The goal of the SAR Award is to support underfunded teams across the United States & Canada while driving greater awareness of the incredible contributions that volunteer SAR members make to their communities every day.

To meet the evolving needs of the SAR community, 3 grant levels are available this year.SAR teams can apply for a grant based on their team's financial needs to help acquire critical equipment, fund important projects for their operations, complete advanced training, etc. Several grants will likely be awarded at all 3 levels.

$5,000
$10,000
$25,000

Timeline

Timeline

Applications will be accepted from Monday February 3rd, 2025 until Friday February 28th, 2025 at 11:59 MST. The winners will then be chosen by a Selection Committee of members from trusted organizations. All applicants will be contacted by late March 2025 whether they have been selected for their grant or not. Selected SAR teams will be publically announced in April.  

Applications will be accepted from Monday February 3rd, 2025 until Friday February 28th, 2025 at 11:59 MST.The winners will then be chosen by a Selection Committee of members from trusted organizations. All applicants will be contacted by late March 2025 whether they have been selected for their grant or not. Selected SAR teams will be publically announced in April.

Application Process

Application Process

To apply for a grant through the 2025 SAR Award, please complete the application below and submit before the deadline. The application and questions can be downloaded to work on with your team before submitting your official application. See the full list of FAQs below. 

To apply for a grant through the 2025 SAR Award, please complete the application below and submit before the deadline. The application and questions can be downloaded to work on with your team before submitting your official application. See the full list of FAQs below.

Eligibility

Eligibility

The SAR Award is open to any SAR team that is registered in the United States or Canada as a non-profit, or partners with a non-profit organization that can accept donations or grants on their behalf, ie: "Friends of the ABC SAR Team".

The SAR Award is open to any SAR team that is registered in the United States or Canada as a non-profit, or partners with a non-profit organization that can accept donations or grants on their behalf, ie: "Friends of the ABC SAR Team".

Application Below is Open

Application Below is Open

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

When do applications close and when are winners announced? 

Applications for the 2025 SAR Award will close on February 28th at midnight Mountain Time. Winning teams will be contacted by Rocky Talkie in March to confirm they can accept their award. Winning teams will be announced publicly in April.

What if my team has applied and/or won in the past?

Even if your team has applied for SAR Award in the past and/or won, we still encourage you to apply again this year. 

Does the grant need to be for a specific 2025 project or completed by Dec 2025?

No, the funding/project does not need to be completed in 2025. We understand that some funding needs or projects can be multi-year fundraising efforts (ie: specialized vehicles, building renovations, etc). 

Rocky Talkie has made really impactful videos in the past with the SAR Awards. Will Rocky Talkie still be making a video highlight SAR this year?

Yes! We are still committed to raising awareness for SAR teams by telling their stories through video. However, we saw the video component as a potential barrier to SAR teams applying for our SAR Awards in the past. You will see a question at the end of the application asking if your team would be interested in sharing your team's story in some way with Rocky Talkie to raise awareness for SAR. If your team expresses interest in this opportunity, you might be contacted in the future to be included in a video project.  

What if our SAR team needs partial funding for a larger project (ie: new building, SAR vehicle, etc), can we still apply?

Yes. The grant your team chooses to apply for in 2025 can either cover multiple projects, one project, or be used to partially fund a larger project. 

I am not a SAR team member, but I know my local SAR team could use funding. Can I submit an application on their behalf?

We would not recommend submitting an application on behalf of your local team if you are not personally a member of that team. The application requires team specific information that only a SAR team member would have access to. We would absolutely encourage you to share this opportunity with your local team and work with them to submit the application. Thank you for supporting SAR!

I have submitted my application, when will I hear back?

All teams will be notified if their application has been selected or not by March 31st. Winners will be publicly announced in April 2025. 

We're concerned about meeting the February 28th submission deadline. Are there any extensions?

Unfortunately, we can not offer extensions and applications will close on February 28th at 11:59 PM Mountain Time. Thank you for your understanding.  

I just learned more than one person from our SAR team submitted an application. What do we do?

No worries at all. If we see your team has multiple applications submitted, we will reach out to your team to confirm which of the applications should be reviewed by the Selection Committee. Any additional applications will be removed from consideration. 

What if I have a question that is not answered in these FAQs?

If you have any questions about the 2025 SAR Award, please reach out to Jessica at jessica@rockytalkie.com with the subject line "2025 SAR Award Question". 

Rocky Talkie Pledge & SAR Award History

In the United States, 99% of Search and Rescue team members are volunteers. We're grateful for all the dedicated SAR team members who answer the call to rescue people in need.

To support the critical work these teams do in their communities, we pledge $2 from every radio purchase to supporting underfunded SAR teams in the form of the annual SAR Awards.

Rocky Talkie Pledge & SAR Award History

In the United States, 99% of Search and Rescue team members are volunteers. We're grateful for all the dedicated SAR team members who answer the call to rescue people in need.

To support the critical work these teams do in their communities, we pledge $2 from every radio purchase to supporting underfunded SAR teams in the form of the annual SAR Awards.

Learn About Our PledgeLearn About Our PledgeLearn About Previous WinnersLearn About Previous Winners
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