Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG)

The Emergency Shelter Grants program was established by the Homeless Housing Act of 1986 in response to the growing issue of homelessness in the United States. In 1987, the program was incorporated into Title IV of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 11371¬11378), now known as the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awards these funds to the State of Idaho. The Governor of Idaho has designated Idaho Housing and Finance Association to administer ESG funds on behalf of the State.

The Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) program was created to replace the Emergency Shelter Grants program when the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act was signed into law on May 20, 2009. The HEARTH Act amended and reauthorized the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and included major revisions to the Emergency Shelter Grant Program.

The new ESG Program is designed to support sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons, as well as those at risk of homelessness, by providing the services necessary to help those persons to regain stability quickly in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis and/or homelessness. The change in program name reflects the change in focus from addressing the needs of the homeless in emergency or transitional shelters to assisting people to regain stability in permanent housing.

ESG funds are awarded to nonprofit agencies on a competitive basis. The ESG grant cycle runs from October 1 to September 30. The 2022 ESG application submission period is expected to open in June 2022.

The 2021 application submission period has ended.

Contact

Special Needs Assistance Programs team: snap@ihfa.org