Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP)

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 40-year history, the EFSP will have distributed $6.158 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.

United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley chairs the Local Board (LB) of the Bi-County Emergency Food and Shelter Board including Chippewa and Eau Claire counties.

What agencies are eligible to apply for EFSP funds?

Any agency holding 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, has been in operation for at least three years and provides one or more of the following services:

• Mass shelter (ex: night shelter)
• Mass feeding (ex: soup kitchens, home delivered meals)
• Other food (ex: food pantries, grocery vouchers)
• Other shelter (ex: motel voucher)

Upon notification from the EFSP National Board that an EFSP Phase will be released, United Way will update the button links below. EFSP Funds are a Federal Grant, and funding may not always be provided exactly per program period calendar. Funds are provided in two payments, the second payment may come after the close of the spending cycle, and costs can only be reimbursed for expenditures made during the specified spending cycle.