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Updated August 31, 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
Fiscal Agents: Fiscal Agents are agencies that meet the
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act in 2000. It is
LRO requirements; they are responsible for receiving and
codified at 42 U.S.C. §§11331 et seq.
disbursing funding to vendors, and maintaining financial
FEMA has continuing authority to administer the EFSP, as
records and documentation on behalf of another LRO.
the original legislation establishing the EFSP did not
For the EFSP-H, Fiscal Agents prepare advanced funding
include a sunset provision. The authorization of
requests on behalf of LROs, receive and disburse funds to
appropriations in the U.S. Code for the EFSP expired at the
LROs and vendors, and support program compliance.
end of FY1994. Congress has continued to provide funding
to FEMA for EFSP program activities since FY1995.
Program Funding Award Process
Program Structure
After Congress appropriates EFSP funding to FEMA,
FEMA issues a Notice of Funding Opportunity and awards
National Board: The EFSP is governed by a National
the funding as a single grant to the National Board.
Board that, by statute, includes representatives from six
private nonprofit organizations: (1) the American Red
To determine a jurisdiction’s EFSP grant eligibility, the
Cross, (2) Catholic Charities U.S.A., (3) the Council of
National Board uses a formula that considers population
Jewish Federations, Inc., (4) the National Council of
data, poverty data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census’s
Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., (5) the Salvation Army,
American Community Survey, and unemployment data
and (6) the United Way of America (also referred to as
from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jurisdictions must meet
United Way Worldwide). United Way Worldwide serves as
specific criteria to qualify for regular EFSP funding. These
the EFSP National Board’s secretariat and fiscal agent and
criteria may vary by Phase. For example, per the National
administers the program day to day, along with the
Board’s website, a jurisdiction could qualify for Phase 40
Director. The National Board is responsible for identifying
(FY2022) funding if it met one of the following criteria:
localities in need of EFSP assistance and determining the
300 or more unemployed with a 3.9% unemployment rate
amount of funding to allocate to such localities using a
or 300 or more unemployed with a 12.8% poverty rate.
formula; establishing program policies, procedures, and
EFSP jurisdiction allocations are determined by dividing
guidelines, which vary by Phase (i.e., a grant cycle aligning
the available funds by the number of unemployed persons
with a tranche of appropriated funding; see Table 1); and
within each qualifying jurisdiction, which creates a per
disbursing the funding as smaller grants.
capita rate. In addition, any jurisdiction within a given state
For the EFSP-H, the National Board makes the final award
(formula-qualified or not) may receive EFSP funding
determinations and disburses funding directly to awarded
through the “State Set-Aside” process. The National Board
organizations or Fiscal Agents (for advanced funding).
allocates a portion of the appropriated funds—for example,
8% of the regular EFSP award for Phases 39 and ARPA-R
Director: The National Board is chaired by a Director,
(FY2021)—for such purposes based on the unemployment
who, by statute, is the FEMA Administrator.
rates in the jurisdictions that do not qualify under the
Local Board: Each jurisdiction (county/city) designated for
formula. These grants can be used to address pockets of
funding must establish a Local Board. Membership mirrors
homelessness and poverty or immediate needs. SSAs act as
the National Board and also includes the highest-ranking
Local Boards to manage these funds and establish a
formula/criteria to fund jurisdictions within the state.
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There is no “national” EFSP application process. Instead,
Table 1. Funding Made Available for the EFSP
the Local Boards of jurisdictions that are designated for
FY2017-FY2023
funding select the LROs. The National Board disburses
funds directly to LROs recommended by the Local Boards.
Fiscal
EFSP
Amount
Funding Measure
Year
Phase
(millions)
For the EFSP-H, rather than formula-based allocations, the
National Board prioritizes communities most affected by
FY2023
Phase HR23a P.L. 117-328
$350b
the influx of migrants, and the grant process is competitive.
(Div. F, Title II)
The FY2019 supplemental appropriation (Phase SAHA) set
FY2023
Phase 41
P.L. 117-328
$130
aside $25 million (83.3%) for southern border state LROs.
(Div. F, Title III)
Subsequent tranches of EFSP-H funding were available
nationwide, but the National Board noted that it anticipated
FY2023
Phase HR
P.L. 117-180
$75
awarding most funding to LROs in southern border states.
FY23 CRa
(Div. A; referencing
P.L. 117-103, Div. F)
The National Board’s website provides publicly available
information on EFSP-funded LROs, jurisdiction-level data
FY2022
Phase 40
P.L. 117-103
$130
on assistance provided (e.g., number of meals), and amount
(Div. F, Title III)
spent by fiscal year and Phase. FEMA’s EFSP web page
has provided some EFSP-H award information for FY2023.
FY2022
Phase HR22a P.L. 117-103
$150
(Div. F, Title V)
Eligible Costs
FY2021
Phase
P.L. 117-2
$400
The National Board is not subject to agency rulemaking
ARPA-R
(Title IV)
requirements, and can set cost eligibility and make program
changes through the guidance issued for each Phase. Per the
FY2021
Phase
P.L. 117-2
$110
program guidance implemented with the FY2021 regular
ARPAa
(Title IV)
EFSP Phases, eligible costs include, but are not limited to:
FY2021
Phase 39
P.L. 116-260
$130
• food (e.g., served meals or groceries);
(Div. F, Title III)
• shelter services, including mass shelter services, and
FY2020
Phase
P.L. 116-136
$200
hotel/motel lodging assistance (up to 90 days);
CARES
(Div. B, Title VI)
• rent/mortgage assistance (up to 90 days);
FY2020
Phase 38
P.L. 116-93
$125
• utility assistance (up to 90 days); and
(Div. D, Title III)
• necessary equipment (up to $300 per item).
FY2019
Phase
P.L. 116-26
$30
EFSP-H eligible expenditures must fall within one of five
SAHAa
(Title III)
service categories: (1) Primary (food and shelter); (2)
FY2019
Phase 37
P.L. 116-6
$120
Secondary (health/medical/other supportive services); (3)
(Div. A, Title III)
Administrative (e.g., staff time and postage); (4) Equipment
and Assets (purchases/leases/necessary renovations); and
FY2018
Phase 36
P.L. 115-141
$120
(5) Transportation (local/long-distance domestic travel).
(Div. F, Title III)
EFSP Appropriations
FY2017
Phase 35
P.L. 115-31
$120
According to the National Board, “During its 40 years of
(Div. F, Title III)
operation, the program disbursed over $6.5 billion to over
Sources: CRS Appropriations Status Table; National Board website.
14,000 local providers in more than 2,500 counties and
Notes: HR23: Humanitarian Relief for FY2023; HR FY23 CR: FY2023
cities.” Table 1 lists the funding made available for the
EFSP-H funding made available through the continuing resolution;
EFSP for FY2017-FY2023. Phases funding the core EFSP
HR22: Humanitarian Relief for FY2022; ARPA: American Rescue Plan
mission through annual appropriations are numbered.
Act of 2021 (ARPA-R is funding appropriated for the regular EFSP);
Supplemental and humanitarian relief phases use acronyms.
CARES: CARES Act; and SAHA: Supplemental Appropriations for
The Biden Administration has requested EFSP funding.
Humanitarian Assistance.
However, previous Administrations, on occasion, proposed
a. Denotes funding made available for the EFSP-H.
transitioning the program and budget authority from FEMA
b. In FY2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
transferred $800 mil ion to FEMA for the SSP, of which
(HUD) or eliminating the EFSP altogether—citing it as
FEMA could use up to $785 mil ion to implement the EFSP-
being duplicative of HUD’s programs and stating the
H while the SSP was established. FEMA awarded $425
provision of food and shelter is a state/local responsibility.
mil ion to the National Board for the EFSP-H ($75 mil ion
After FY2023, the EFSP-H program is transitioning to the
provided in Phase HR FY23 CR and $350 mil ion provided
new Shelter and Services Program (SSP).
in Phase HR23). DHS/FEMA also al ocated $363.8 mil ion
Additional EFSP Resources
for the SSP, and FEMA was permitted to use up to $11.2
mil ion for its administrative costs.
For additional information, see FEMA’s EFSP web page at
https://www.fema.gov/grants/emergency-food-and-shelter-
Elizabeth M. Webster, Analyst in Emergency
program, and the National Board’s EFSP website at
Management and Disaster Recovery
https://www.efsp.unitedway.org/efsp/website/index.cfm.
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FEMA’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP)
IF12026
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