EMS Flex Grant

Flex Grant award recipients received $32 million in funds to help stabilize EMS service providers to ensure they can continue to respond to emergencies throughout the state. All Flex Grant recipients must submit an Expense Report. Reports are due March 31, 2023, and September 30, 2023.

View the list of EMS Flex Grant Recipients

Services were notified via email on December 1, 2022, informing services of its availability in E-License. An additional email will be sent as a reminder one week prior to the due date of each reporting period.

• Expense Reports must be completed and submitted in E-License from the awarded service’s account
• To initiate your Service’s Expense Report
  • Log into your department’s account via E-License
  • look for “Service Applications”
  • Find the application entitled: “EMS Flex Grant Expense Report”
• To trigger the second payment, EMS services need to submit their first expense report prior to the due dates with the required documentation.
• If an extension is needed to expend funds, a written request must be submitted along with a justification and documentation explaining the need for an extension.
• All requests for extensions will be reviewed and a written decision will be provided via email: DHSFlexGrant@dhs.wisconsin.gov

• 1st Report due March 21, 2023
• 2nd Report due September 30, 2023
• If delays are expected to provide proof of payment due “delayed delivery,” or “payment upon delivery,” services must submit documentation from the seller and a written justification to DHSFlexGrant@dhs.wisconsin.gov during the open reporting period. Submissions are subject to review and approval by the EMS Flex Grant Team.

• If a service needs both payments to complete a purchase, they will submit the first expense report, indicate in the justification that all funds are needed to complete the purchase, and upload quotes with estimated delivery dates and costs.
• If a service has not spent 100% of the payment, as documented with the invoice and proof of payment, correspondence will be sent requesting additional documentation of expenses and proof of payment. If the intent was to provide a justification of needing additional funds to complete a purchase, the report will be opened for resubmission.
• If the first payment has not been received by January 1, the Service needs to check E-License for the status update and/or check with the municipality clerk to see if the funds have been received, if tied to the local government. If there is no update status in E-License, or no funds have been received by the municipality, please check with the EMS Team at DHSFlexGrant@dhs.wisconsin.gov (opens external email)

• Canceled checks
• Bank statement indicating the amount, date, and who the payment was made to.
• Credit card receipt indicating the amount, date, and who the payment was made to
• Proof of payment should correspond to the receipt or invoice amount
• Documentation must be legible
• Ensure costs do not occur before the date on the Notice of Award
• Only report the amount of Flex Grant funds used for purchases.
• If the receipt or invoice indicates a method of payment (for example, “paid with Visa ending in 1234”) and the amount, no other proof is needed.
• If you have an invoice for an order, but the payment was provided later, please upload proof of payment.

• Duplication is only applicable to money received from both FAP SFY 2023 and EMS Flex Grant.
• Recipients of both grants cannot not use funds on one or more identical cost items.
  • Duplication is only applicable to money received from both FAP SFY 2023 and EMS Flex Grant.
  • Recipients of both grants cannot not use funds on one or more identical cost items.
  • Example 1 (Impermissible Duplication):
    • Service X has received separate award money from both the EMS Flex Grant and SFY 2023 FAP. Service X wants to purchase a new ambulance for a total cost of $100,000. Service X reports spending $100,000 of EMS Flex Grant money, and $100,000 of SFY 2023 (FAP) money, for a total of $200,000 spent towards the new ambulance. The "over-spending" for one item is considered duplication as both grants are independently funding the entire cost of the same ambulance.
  • Example 2 (Appropriate Overlapping):
    • Service Z has received separate awards from the EMS Flex Grant and SFY 2023 FAP. Service Z would like to purchase a new ambulance for a total cost of $100,000. Service Z uses $50,000 from EMS Flex Grant money, and $50,000 from SFY 2023 (FAP) money, to purchase one new ambulance. This is considered an appropriate overlap of funding sources and not duplication.

• Recruitment and retention: Use of Flex Grant funds to assist with retention or recruitment of staff is an eligible cost, however, approval is based on the actual activity. Any funds utilized for staff recruitment or retention activity must be documented when completing the expense reports. Provide a receipt or invoice for the purchase. Provide the employee’s name and date of the item provided or conducted as documentation (for advertisements or events).
  • Services must demonstrate how funds are used to recruit new staff. This may include advertisements and postings to attract new hires, signage, or other incentives. Services can provide a copy of the ad as proof of posting.
  • If the Service intends to utilize gift cards, this will require proof of purchase and the date provided to new hires. Additionally, the Service must demonstrate proof of hire for the new staff and receipt of incentive
• One-time bonuses or incentives:
  • If the Service intends to provide staff with a one-time bonus, this must be documented and used within the grant period of one year from the award. Documentation should include the staff person’s name, the type of bonus, and the date(s) bonus was provided.
  • If this is a gift card, it cannot exceed $100 for any one staff member
  • If you provide the bonus via payroll, you may provide payroll stubs or spreadsheets to indicate staff, date of bonus, and the amount of the bonus
• Pay increases:
  • This may include an increase in pay rate, which can be demonstrated with a copy of a letter sent to staff awarding the higher rate of pay, payroll stubs with both rates and dates of pay identified by staff name, or payroll processing spreadsheet or timecard for staff that displays different rates and date of payment.
  • The staff name
  • Proof of the increase (letter to staff or paystubs with previous and new rates)
  • Proof of payment made

• Supplies
  • Supplies are items typically costing less than five thousand dollars and are associated with most disposables commonly used for patient care and other materials that were exhausted as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
    • Examples of compliant purchases: Gloves, face masks, and shields, gowns, bottles, replacement items used during the COVID-19 pandemic, cot sheets, cot pillowcases, Sphygmomanometers, Stethoscopes, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Respiratory isolation hoods, Laptops, portable radios, and cell phones, portable Wi-Fi
• Equipment
  • Equipment costs are items costing more than five thousand dollars and are associated with the materials needed for patient contact, patient extrication, patient monitoring, and transport materials.
    • Examples of compliant purchases: Stretchers, Power-load stretchers, Cardiac monitors, IV pumps, Ventilators and Portable ventilators, Capnography monitors, Portable ultrasound, CPR assist device, Ambulance child restraint, Disinfectant fogger machine
• Ambulance
  • Ambulance costs are associated with the purchase of, or maintenance of any emergency vehicle, including any motor vehicle, boat or aircraft, whether privately or publicly owned, which is designed, constructed or equipped to transport sick, disabled or injured individuals.
    • Examples of compliant purchases: Emergency sirens and lighting, vehicle maintenance, chassis, Department/Service name/logo
• Emergency response vehicles
  • Emergency Response Vehicles are costs are associated with the purchase of, or maintenance of any vehicles that do not transport patients.
    • Examples of compliant purchases: Emergency sirens and lighting, vehicle maintenance, ATVs, snowmobiles, winter EMS sleds, Rapid Response Vehicles, Trucks (SUVs), Department/Service name/logo
• Training
  • Training costs can be for any EMS related training needs
  • Examples of compliant purchases: training costs associated with continuing education requirements, service and/or provider upgrades, safe handling of equipment, enhanced scope of practice training.
• Staffing
  • Staffing costs are associated with helping to recruit new staff or to retain existing staff.
    • Examples of compliant purchases: increase in pay, bonuses, uniform reimbursement or allowances, job advertisement postings, or other incentives to attract new hires.
  • Gift Cards cannot exceed $100 for any one staff member and gift card information must be documented. (See details for providing proof of this expense under the topic header of "Staffing Expenses" above )

1. Question: How do I submit the report when I need all the funds to make a purchase?
   • Answer: Services can submit the Expense Report, upload quotes for the item to be purchased, which should include a cost and estimated delivery date. Indicate in the justification, state that the total award is necessary to complete the purchase.
2. Question: How do I submit the report when part of the funds has been spent?
   • Answer: Submit the invoice/receipts for the items that were purchased, along with proof of payment. Include the quote for the remaining items and indicate in the justification that remaining funds will be combined with the second payment to complete the purchase (state the item).
3. Question: What is “delivery is delayed?”
   • Answer: If the items have not been paid for because they have not been received, please submit a written request to the EMS Team at dhsflexgrant@dhs.wisconsin.gov (opens external email) requesting an extension to comply with the grant term. You will need to provide documentation from the supplier of the delay and estimated delivery date.
4. Question: Why did I only receive a partial payment?
   • Answer: The Flex Grant award was divided into two equal payments. These payments are not specific to budget categories. The Service has the ability spend funds on items and complete orders as they determined best for them. Only submit reports and indicate the items purchased with Flex Grant funds.
5. Question: Where is my payment?
   • Answer: If your payment has not been received by December 1, please login to E-License and check the status in your service account. Also, check with the municipality if you are locally owned or governed. You may also reach out to the EMS Team at dhsflexgrant@dhs.wisconsin.gov (opens external email) with questions.

View answers to other frequently asked questions about this grant opportunity:

• EMS Flex Grant Expense Reporting Webinar-10/26/2022 (opens external video) Recording from Wisconsin Department of Health Services on Vimeo.
• 2022 EMS Flex Grant Expense Reporting Seminar – PowerPoint Presentation