EMERGENCY FOOD & SHELTER (EFSP)

The Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP)

The Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) was created by Congress in 1983 to supplement and expand the work of local social service agencies, both nonprofit and governmental. EFSP funds must be used to supplement feeding, sheltering (including transitional sheltering), rent/mortgage, and utility assistance for existing food and shelter services and may not be used as seed money for new programs. This allocation is made available through the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program. 

Applications for Phase 40 are open as of Thursday, January 12th 2023 
To download a copy of the EFSP Phase 40 Application please click here 

Local nonprofit or government organizations with demonstrated capability in providing emergency food and/or shelter are eligible to apply. All awards must be utilized by the recipient organizations within the Phase 40 funding cycle (November 1, 2021, to December 31, 2023). The deadline for applications to be received is February 15, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. via email to efsp@lchra.com.  

As of the date of release of this Request for Proposal (RFP), EFSP Phase 40 awards have not been released by the National Board. Applications are being accepted on the basis that the Local Board anticipates EFSP funds will be available soon. 

Eligibility: 
 

• 501(c)3, non-profit agencies, or public agencies, providing food and/or shelter to homeless and low-income people,  

• Agencies must not charge fees to clients for EFSP-funded services,  

• Agencies must practice non-discrimination and not require religious participation,  

• Agencies must be governed by a volunteer Board of Directors (except for government units),  

• Agencies must have an annual accountant’s review if receiving from $50,000 to $99,999 in EFSP funds,  

• Agencies must have an independent audit if receiving over $100,000 in EFSP funds,  

• Agencies must capture client counts and submit required documentation and reports to the National Board, and 

• Agencies must use other available funding resources in conjunction with EFSP. 

• New for 2023: All non-governmental entities applying must have or agree to obtain a U.S. government issued Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) information can be found here https://sam.gov/content/home. 

The National Board, chaired by the U. S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency, consists of representatives from American Red Cross; Catholic Charities, USA; National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA; The Jewish Federations of North America, The Salvation Army; and United Way Worldwide. The National Board determines the local allocations.  

The Lancaster County EFSP Local Board is a co-led team of the United Way of Lancaster County and the Lancaster County Office for the Homelessness Coalition. This board is responsible for recommending agencies and distributing all funds made available under this program phase.  

Lancaster County anticipates receiving federal funds under the EFSP National Board program. The National Board will release the official announcement of the EFSP Phase 40 local awards shortly. The Local Board anticipates receiving $220,680 for Phase 40. 

During the past 35 phases, the Lancaster County EFSP Local Board has received more than $7 million. These funds have been used to support the great work of local organizations, helping people experiencing food insecurity and/or homelessness, such as Community Action Partnership, Clare House, CrossNet Ministries, Donegal Presbyterian Church, Elizabethtown Community Housing & Outreach Services (ECHOS), Ephrata Area Social Services (EASS), Hands Across the Street, Lancaster County Food Hub, Parish Resource Center, REAL Life Community Services, Tenfold, The Factory Ministries, Solanco Neighborhood Ministries, Spanish American Civic Association (SACA), and YWCA.