Secure Rural School Program of 2008-2011
Title III Overview – County Funds
Counties shall notify the Secretary of Agriculture of its election of funds  for Title III projects no later than September 30 of each fiscal year through fiscal year 2011. Title III projects are developed and selected by the counties. Projects should be advertised for 45 days to allow public comment. Proposed projects should also be sent to the Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) if one exists in the county. 
Title III funds may be used to:
(1)	carry out activities under the Firewise Communities Program to provide homeowners in fire sensitive ecosystems education and assistance with implementing, techniques in home siting, home construction, and home landscaping that can increase the protection of people and property from wildfires;
(2)	reimburse the participating county for search and rescue and other emergency services, including firefighting that are performed on Federal land after the date on which the use was approved and paid for by the participating county; and
(3)	develop community wildfire protection plans in coordination with the Secretary of Agriculture.
Under the new Secure Rural Schools Act, counties receiving more than $350,000 total payment cannot allocate more than seven percent to Title III projects, with the balance allocated to Title II or returned to the U.S. Treasury.  
Counties allocating funds for Title III projects must submit a certification that the funds were used in accordance with Title III to the Secretary of Agriculture no later than February 1 of the year after county funds were expended.
The authority to initiate Title III projects terminates on September 30, 2011. Funds obligated by September 30, 2012, will be returned to the U.S. Treasury.