Emergency Solutions Grant Program (ESG)

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 14.321
Agency: Department of Housing and Urban Development
Office: Office of Community Planning and Development

MISSION

What is the overall mission of the Emergency Solutions Program (ESG) Program? 

The Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act of 2009 (HEARTH Act) amended the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, revising the Emergency Shelter Grants Program in significant ways and renaming it the Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) program. The ESG Interim Rule took effect on January 4, 2012. The second allocation of FY 2011 ESG funding and future years are all subject to the ESG regulations. The first allocation of FY 2011 ESG funding and prior years are subject to the Emergency Shelter Grants Program regulations. 

The ESG program provides funding to:

1. 
   
   1. Engage homeless individuals and families living on the street:
   2. Improve the number and quality of emergency shelters for homeless individuals and families;
   3. Help operate these shelters;
   4. Provide essential services to shelter residents;
   5. Rapidly Re-House homeless individuals and families; and
   6. Prevent families and individuals from becoming homeless.

ESG funds may be used for five program components: street outreach, emergency shelter, homelessness prevention, rapid re-housing assistance, and HMIS; as well as administrative activities (up to 7.5% of a recipient’s allocation can be used for administrative activities).*

*Please check New Castle County Funding Application for eligible ESG projects.