Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG)

The Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program is authorized by subtitle B of Title IV – Housing Assistance of S.896 The Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act of 2009. The ESG interim rule (24 CFR Parts 576), published in the Federal Register on December 5, 2011, establishes the regulations for the Emergency Solutions Grant Program. The program focus is to assist people to quickly regain stability in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis and/or homelessness. The program authorizes the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to make grants to states, units of general purpose local government, and territories for the rehabilitation or conversion of buildings for use as emergency shelters for the homeless, for the payment of certain expenses related to operating emergency shelters, for essential services related to emergency shelters and street outreach for the homeless, and for homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing assistance.

The ESG program is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Eligible applicants include any general purpose units of local government including cities, boroughs, and townships, towns, counties, home rule municipalities, and communities that desire to apply “on behalf of” other municipalities. Local Governments may apply “on behalf of” other nonprofit organizations, which will perform services as a subcontractor. Non-profits are eligible applicants for their own projects as of this year and can apply on a regional level only which means it must be a multi-county project. If non-profits decide to apply for a regional shelter program, they must get approval from their local municipality. Applications are accepted yearly for a funding period lasting 18 months.

 

Current ESG Funding Opportunities

ESG-CARES 2 (Application closes June 4, 2021)

Overview:

Emergency Solutions Grant – CARES (ESG-CV) – The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of 2020 (CARES Act) provided for a supplemental appropriation of Homeless Assistance Grants under the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) as authorized by McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 (P.L. 100-77), as amended by the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-22) (42 U.S.C.S.§11371 et. seq.).

The CARES Act provides for two allocations of homeless assistance funds to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, among individuals and families who are homeless or receiving homeless assistance and to support additional homeless assistance and homelessness prevention activities to mitigate the impacts created by coronavirus.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, through the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), has received the second allocation of ESG-CV funds – an appropriation of $19,930,907 based on a new HUD formula accounting for variables that quantify the population currently experiencing and at risk of homelessness such as total homeless population, unsheltered homeless population, total very low income (VLI) renters, VLI renters that are overcrowded or without a kitchen or plumbing.

DCED allocated $2,997,961 of the second round of ESG CV funds to a Code Blue program to provide winter sheltering during the 2020-2021 season. The remaining $16,932,946 will be available for this application.

DCED will use the ESG CARES funding to support applicants who will work to end or prevent homelessness quickly and as efficiently as possible for all vulnerable populations.

Uses:

Eligible activities include activities listed in the Emergency Solutions Grant Interim Rule, published in the Federal Register on December 5, 2011 and the Notice CPD 20-08 released September 1, 2020. ESG-CV funds may be used for any single activity or combination of eligible activities as outlined below and address the priorities and any published supplemental requirements of the CARES Act in order to prepare for, prevent the spread of and respond to the coronavirus.

  • Emergency Shelter
  • Temporary Emergency Shelter
  • Rapid Rehousing
  • Homelessness Prevention
  • Landlord Incentives
  • Street Outreach
  • Hazard Pay
  • Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)
  • Administration

For more information about the ESG-CV 2 Application and Guidelienes, please click here: https://dced.pa.gov/programs/emergency-solutions-grant-cares-act-esg-cv/

ESG FY2021 Annual Allocation (Application closes June 25, 2021)

Overview:

Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) is federal grant providing funding to assist with the rapid rehousing of homeless persons, street outreach, homelessness prevention, and emergency shelter activities. Funds may also be used to support the maintenance of a homeless management information system (HMIS) and administration. This program is authorized by McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act as amended by the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act of 2009.

Uses:

Eligible activities include all activities listed in the Emergency Solutions Grant Interim Rule, published in the Federal Register on December 5, 2011. ESG funds may be used for any single activity or combination of eligible activities as outlined below:

  • Rapid Rehousing
  • Street Outreach
  • Homelessness Prevention
  • Emergency Shelter
  • Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)
  • Administration

To learn more about ESG FY2021 application and guidelines, click here: https://dced.pa.gov/programs/emergency-solutions-grant-esg/

Links
Emergency Solutions Grant Trainings (Regular Allocation)
Emergency Solutions Grant Trainings (ESG-CV)
ESG Program Guidelines
ESG FY20 Recipients/Sub-Recipients/Activities
ESG-CV 1 Recipients/Sub-Recipients/Activities
ESG-CV Code Blue Recipients and Sub-recipients
ESG-CV 2 Recipients and Sub-recipients