About
The Emergency Food and Shelter Program Local Board are convened in qualifying jurisdictions to determine the highest need and best use of funds and to select Local Recipient Organizations that will provide emergency food and shelter services. Each year, needs are to be assessed to respond to changes in the community.
Howard County’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program Local Board meets at least semi-annually, and their responsibilities include:
- Elect board members and a Board Chair for each Phase of funding
- Review the needs of the community and set funding priorities accordingly
- Review applications for funding
- Allocate funds to Local Recipient Organizations (LROs)
- Assist LROs in use of grant funds and correct reporting of expenditures to National EFSP
- Address any grievances
If you are experiencing homelessness or in danger of losing housing contact: Grassroots 24/7 Crisis Hotline 410-531-6677
Information
The Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) was established on March 24, 1983, with the signing of the "Jobs Stimulus Bill," Public Law 98-8. That legislation created a National Board, chaired by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that consisted of representatives of the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities USA, The Jewish Federations of North America, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, The Salvation Army and United Way Worldwide.
The EFSP was authorized under the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (P.L. 100-77 signed into law on July 24, 1987, since renamed the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and subsequently reauthorized under P.L. 100-628, signed into law on November 7, 1988). Since 1983, in its 38-year history, the EFSP will have distributed $5.03 billion to over 14,000 human service agencies in more than 2,500 communities across the country through this collaborative effort between the private and public sectors.
The original authorizing legislation (PL 100-77) specifically calls for "sensitivity to the transition from temporary shelter to permanent homes and attention to the specialized needs of homeless individuals with mental and physical disabilities and illness and to facilitate access for homeless individuals to other sources of services and benefits."
Also, in accordance with the legislation, the National Board encourages Local Boards, the decision-making local bodies, to place special emphasis on identification of and assistance to the elderly, families with children, Native Americans, Veterans, and people with mental and physical disabilities. In addition, the authorization as revised (PL 102-550) in 1992 requires that a homeless or formerly homeless person serve on the Local Boards.
Funding History
- Phase 41 Funding
- Phase 40 Funding
- Phase 39 and ARPA-R Funding
- Phase 37, Phase 38 and Phase CARES Funding
Previous Applications