Curry Fire Rescue

How Randy Judge used Funding Navigator to secure funding – and help a neighboring department, too

  • Grant and donor support for a Decon Washer

    3 private funding sources secured to fully fund the need

  • The department

    Curry Fire Rescue is a volunteer department of 25 serving Walker County, a rural Alabama community that has experienced rapid growth since 2020.

  • The problem

    They needed money to purchase the Decon Washer; a refrigerator-sized unit that cleans and removes 98% of the harmful chemicals that build up on firefighters’ air packs.

  • The solution

    With the help of Funding Navigator, Randy learned how to identify the right grants, understand donor expectations, and pull together the information needed to win support.

The department

For fifty years, Curry Fire Rescue has served Walker County, a rural community that’s grown rapidly since 2020.

Their coverage area stretches across miles of winding roads and neighborhoods tucked around Lewis Smith Lake, a deep, sprawling man-made reservoir that draws families, retirees, and weekend adventurers.

The problem

Randy Judge serves on the board for the department.

“I’ve come to know the team and understand their challenges and goals,” he says. “They’re an interesting group — dedicated, humble, and always looking for ways to get better.”

One need surfaced early. A Decon Washer, a refrigerator-sized unit that cleans and removes 98% of the harmful chemicals that build up on firefighters’ air packs. Without proper cleaning, toxins can become carcinogenic.

The solution

  • Funding awarded

    $18,000 from a private foundation
    +
    $23,500 from 2 community foundations

Background

“It’s definitely an important need,” Randy says. “And the firefighters give me more credit than they should. I just had the time to learn to use the tool. It’s very user-friendly and now I’m comfortable handing it off to them.”

Outcome

With new equipment, improved processes, and a renewed focus on strengthening their ISO rating, the department is stepping into a new chapter.

“When you start to score wins in areas you didn’t know you could, the confidence you operate in changes,” Randy says. “Now we’re hosting training, and the crew is a notch above.”

These incremental wins are supporting the department’s desire to do right by their neighbors and is shaping Curry Fire Rescue’s next fifty years.

With the help of the Funding Navigator tool, Randy learned how to identify the right grants, understand donor expectations, and pull together the information needed to win support. The department secured the Decon Washer — and now loans it to a neighboring department that lacks the equipment.

How Funding Navigator Works

  • Onboard your data (one time only)
  • Get help building your application
  • Submit application
  • Secure your grant

Customer reflections

Customer reflections

“The dashboard just makes the process so user friendly that anybody can do it. It just makes the process so smooth. To me, it’s a match made in heaven.”

“Funding Navigator does a lot of the legwork for us by finding the companies that are willing to fund certain projects. Narrowing down our funding sources is a big help.”

“The Dayton Foundation wasn’t on any list I’ve ever had. Funding Navigator finds funding that we’re just unable to find.”

“I was amazed — the process just moved so quickly.”

“The platform’s easy to use and navigate through. As long as you follow the steps — which is simple — the time savings is everything. It’s a win-win for everybody.”

Schedule a
30-minute consultation

Talk with one of our grant experts about how Funding Navigator could help your organization secure grants like Chief Birk did.

Schedule now