Emergency Food & Shelter Program

Emergency Food & Shelter Program

The Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) was created to supplement and expand the work of local social service agencies, both nonprofit and governmental. The program is an effort to assist people experiencing severe economic crisis that is not the immediate result of a natural or man-made disaster. EFSP funds must only be used to supplement feeding, sheltering (including transitional sheltering), rent/mortgage, and utility assistance efforts only. 
 
Locally, EFSP is administered by United Way of Snohomish County. Funding allocation decisions are made by a local EFSP board of 16 organizations. 

Nationally, EFSP is a Federal program administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and has been entrusted through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 (PL 100-77) “to supplement and expand ongoing efforts to provide shelter, food and supportive services” for hungry and homeless people across the nation.  
 

The program's objectives are:  

  • To allocate funds to the neediest areas  
  • To ensure fast response  
  • To foster public-private sector partnerships  
  • To ensure local decision-making  
  • To maintain minimal, but accountable, reporting 

 

ELIGIBILITY: 

To be eligible to apply for this funding opportunity, an organization must: 

  • Be a 501(c)(3) non-profit or agency of government in good standing with the IRS 
  • Be eligible to receive Federal funds 
  • Have an accounting system 
  • Have a valid Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) 
  • Have a Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number issued by Dun & Bradstreet 
  • Practice non-discrimination (agencies with a religious affiliation, will not refuse service to a client based on religion, nor engage in religious proselytizing or religious counseling in any program receiving Federal funds) 
  • Have the capacity to deliver emergency food programs 
  • Have a voluntary board if private, not-for-profit 

 

EFSP GRANTEE ORGANIZATIONS

The most recent EFSP Phase (Phase 40) awarded $321,828.00 to the following organizations: 

  1. The Everett Gospel Mission
  2. Volunteers of America
  3. YWCA, Pathways for Women
  4. Domestic Violence Services of Snohomish County
  5. Housing Hope
  6. Senior Services of Snohomish County – Homage
  7. Interfaith Association of NW Washington
  8. United Way of Snohomish County
  9. Pacific Treatment Alternatives
  10. Millennia Ministries
  11. Greater Trinity Academy
  12. Washington West African Center
  13. Everett Public Schools Family Resource Center

The funding is broken down into the following categories: 

  • Served Meals ($27,177)
  • Other Foods ($186,969)
  • Mass Shelter ($80,469)
  • Other Shelter ($8,000)
  • Supplies/Equipment ($12,776)
  • Administration ($6,437)

 

EFSP APPLICATION

The Emergency Food & Shelter Program is not currently seeking applications. When the next round is announced, we will provide information on the application process. Check back regularly. For questions regarding EFSP, please contact Trish Lehr at snocoefsp@uwsc.org.