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Updated May 15, 2023
FEMA’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP)
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s)
local government official, a representative who is or was
Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) provides
homeless, and a tribal representative (if applicable). Local
supplemental grants to local government and nonprofit
Boards are responsible for advertising funding availability,
organizations to support and expand existing programs that
setting funding priorities, determining community needs,
aid individuals and families who are, or are at risk of,
establishing client eligibility, selecting grant recipients,
experiencing hunger and/or homelessness. The EFSP is
monitoring recipients’ program compliance, and grant
typically funded by annual appropriations provided in the
reporting.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations
For the EFSP-H, Local Boards review and submit
Act, and occasionally through supplemental appropriations.
applications to the National Board.
The EFSP has also been funded to supplement humanitarian
relief for migrants encountered by DHS (EFSP-H).
State Set-Aside Committees (SSAs): SSAs act as Local
Boards, but represent statewide interests.
Program Authorization
The EFSP was established in 1983 through the Temporary
Local Recipient Organizations (LROs): LROs are EFSP
Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 (P.L. 98-8), and
grant recipients. They can be local governmental, nonprofit,
later authorized under the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless
or faith-based organizations.
Assistance Act of 1987 (P.L. 100-77), renamed the
Program Funding Award Process
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act in 2000. It is
codified at 42 U.S.C. §§11331 et seq.
After Congress appropriates EFSP funding to FEMA,
FEMA issues a Notice of Funding Opportunity and awards
FEMA has continuing authority to administer the EFSP, as
the funding as a single grant to the National Board.
the original legislation establishing the EFSP did not
To determine a jurisdiction’s
include a sunset provision. The authorization of
regular EFSP grant eligibility,
appropriations in the U.S. Code for the EFSP expired at the
the National Board uses a formula that considers population
data, poverty data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census’s
end of FY1994. Congress has continued to provide funding
to FEMA for EFSP program activities since FY1995.
American Community Survey, and unemployment data
from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jurisdictions must meet
Program Structure
specific criteria to qualify for regular EFSP funding. These
National Board: The EFSP is governed by a National
criteria may vary by Phase. For example, per the National
Board’s website, a
Board that, by statute, includes representatives from six
jurisdiction could qualify for Phase 40
private nonprofit organizations: (1) the American Red
(FY2022) funding if it met one of the following criteria:
Cross, (2) Catholic Charities U.S.A., (3) the Council of
300 or more unemployed with a 3.9% rate of
Jewish Federations, Inc., (4) the National Council of
unemployment or 300 or more unemployed with a 12.8%
Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., (5) the Salvation Army,
rate of poverty.
and (6) the United Way of America (also referred to as
EFSP jurisdiction allocations are determined by dividing
United Way Worldwide). United Way Worldwide serves as
the available funds by the number of unemployed persons
the EFSP National Board’s secretariat and fiscal agent and
within each qualifying jurisdiction, which creates a per
administers the program day to day, along with the
capita rate. In addition, any jurisdiction within a given state
Director. The National Board is responsible for identifying
(formula-qualified or not) may receive EFSP funding
localities in need of EFSP assistance and determining the
through the “State Set-Aside” process. The National Board
amount of funding to allocate to such localities using a
allocates a portion of the appropriated funds—for example,
formula; establishing program policies, procedures, and
8% of the regular EFSP award for Phases 39 and ARPA-R
guidelines, which vary by Phase (i.e., a grant cycle aligning
(FY2021)—for such purposes based on the unemployment
with a tranche of appropriated funding; see Table 1); and
rates in the jurisdictions that do not qualify under the
disbursing the funding as smaller grants.
formula. These grants can be used to address pockets of
For the EFSP-H, the National Board makes the final award
homelessness and poverty or immediate needs. State Set-
determinations and disburses funding directly to awarded
Aside Committees act as Local Boards to manage these
organizations.
funds and establish a formula/criteria to fund jurisdictions
within the state.
Director: The National Board is chaired by a Director,
who, by statute, is the FEMA Administrator.
There is no “national” or “regular” EFSP application
process. Instead, LROs are selected by the Local Boards of
Local Board: Each jurisdiction (county/city) designated for
the jurisdictions that are designated for funding. The
funding must establish a Local Board. Membership mirrors
National Board disburses funds directly to LROs
the National Board and also includes the highest-ranking
recommended by the Local Boards.
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For the EFSP-H, rather than formula-based allocations, the
Table 1. Funding Made Available for the EFSP
National Board prioritizes communities most affected by
FY2017-FY2023
the influx of migrants, and the grant process is competitive.
The FY2019 supplemental appropriation (i.e., Phase
Fiscal
EFSP
Amount
Funding Measure
SAHA) set aside $25 million (83.3%) for southern border
Year
Phase
(millions)
state LROs. Subsequent tranches of EFSP-H funding have
FY2023
Phase HR23a P.L. 117-328
$350 (up
been available nationwide, but the National Board has
(Div. F, Title II)
to $785b)
noted that most of the funding is anticipated to be awarded
to organizations in southern border states.
FY2023
TBD
P.L. 117-328
$130
Regularc
(Div. F, Title III)
For the regular EFSP, the National Board’s website
provides publicly available information on the funded
FY2023
Phase HR
P.L. 117-180
$75
LROs, jurisdiction-level data on assistance provided (e.g.,
FY23 CRa
(Div. A; referencing
number of meals provided), and amount spent by fiscal year
Div. F, P.L. 117-103)
and Phase. FEMA’s EFSP webpage has provided some
EFSP-H award information for FY2023.
FY2022
Phase 40
P.L. 117-103
$130
(Div. F, Title III)
Eligible Costs
FY2022
Phase HR22a P.L. 117-103
$150
As the National Board is not subject to agency rulemaking
(Div. F, Title V)
requirements, it can set cost eligibility and make other
program changes through its guidance documents for each
FY2021
Phase
P.L. 117-2
$400
Phase. Per the program guidance implemented with the
ARPA-R
(Title IV)
FY2021 regular EFSP Phases, eligible costs include, but are
FY2021
Phase
P.L. 117-2
$110
not limited to
ARPAa
(Title IV)
• food (e.g., served meals or groceries);
FY2021
Phase 39
P.L. 116-260
$130
• shelter services, including mass shelter services, and
(Div. F, Title III)
hotel/motel lodging assistance (up to 90 days);
•
FY2020
Phase
P.L. 116-136
$200
rent/mortgage assistance (up to 90 days);
CARES
(Div. B, Title VI)
• utility assistance (up to 90 days); and
•
FY2020
Phase 38
P.L. 116-93
$125
necessary equipment (up to $300 per item).
(Div. D, Title III)
EFSP-H eligible expenditures must fall within one of five
FY2019
Phase
P.L. 116-26
$30
service categories: (1) Primary (food and shelter); (2)
SAHAa
(Title III)
Secondary (health/medical/other supportive services); (3)
Administrative (e.g., staff time and postage); (4) Equipment
FY2019
Phase 37
P.L. 116-6
$120
and Assets (purchases/leases/necessary renovations); and
(Div. A, Title III)
(5) Transportation (local/long-distance domestic travel).
FY2018
Phase 36
P.L. 115-141
$120
EFSP Appropriations
(Div. F, Title III)
According to the National Board, “During its 40 years of
FY2017
Phase 35
P.L. 115-31
$120
operation, the program disbursed over $6.158 billion to
(Div. F, Title III)
over 14,000 local providers in more than 2,500 counties and
cities.” Table 1 lists the funding made available for the
Sources: CRS Appropriations Status Table; National Board website.
EFSP for FY2017-FY2023. Phases funding the core EFSP
Notes: HR23: Humanitarian Relief for FY2023; HR FY23 CR: FY2023
mission through annual appropriations are numbered.
EFSP-H funding made available through the continuing resolution; H
Supplemental and humanitarian relief phases use acronyms.
R22: Humanitarian Relief for FY2022; ARPA: American Rescue Plan
Act of 2021 (ARPA-R is funding appropriated for the regular EFSP);
The Biden Administration has requested EFSP funding.
CARES: CARES Act; and SAHA: Supplemental Appropriations for
However, previous Administrations, on occasion, proposed
Humanitarian Assistance.
transitioning the program and budget authority from FEMA
to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
a. Denotes funding made available for the EFSP-H.
(HUD) or eliminating the EFSP altogether—citing it as
b. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) transferred
being duplicative of HUD’s programs and stating the
$800 mil ion to FEMA “to support sheltering and related
provision of food and shelter is a state/local responsibility.
activities,” of which, up to $785 mil ion may be made
The Biden Administration did not request EFSP-H funding
available for the EFSP-H. FEMA awarded $350 mil ion to
in FY2024; the EFSP-H program is transitioning to a new
the National Board for Phase HR23, and the $75 mil ion
Shelter and Services Program (SSP).
provided in Phase HR FY23 CR is also part of the $800
mil ion transferred from CBP to FEMA.
Additional EFSP Resources
c. TBD: Phase name unavailable as of the date of publication.
• FEMA’s EFSP webpage: https://www.fema.gov/grants/
emergency-food-and-shelter-program.
Elizabeth M. Webster, Analyst in Emergency
• National Board’s EFSP website:
Management and Disaster Recovery
https://www.efsp.unitedway.org/efsp/website/index.cfm.
IF12026
https://crsreports.congress.gov
FEMA’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP)
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF12026 · VERSION 13 · UPDATED