United Way of the Tri-Valley Area
Serving the Maine Communities of Franklin County, Livermore, & Livermore Falls

Emergency Food & Shelter Program (EFSP)

The United Way of the Tri-Valley Area administers the EFSP in the Franklin County area.

See the Local Recepiant Organizations for Franklin County

About the Emergency Food and Shelter Program

The Emergency Food and Shelter Program began in 1983 with a $50 million federal appropriation. The program was created by Congress to help meet the needs of hungry and homeless people throughout the United States and its territories by allocating federal funds for the provision of food and shelter.

The program is governed by a national board composed of representatives of the American Red Cross; Catholic Charities, USA; United Jewish Communities; The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.; The Salvation Army; and United Way of America. The Board is chaired by a representative of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

During its first 17 years of operation, the program disbursed $1.9 billion to over 11,000 local providers in more than 2,500 counties and cities.

The program's objectives are:

• to allocate funds to the neediest areas,
• to ensure fast response,
• to foster public/private sector cooperation,
• to ensure local decision making, and
• to maintain minimal, but accountable, reporting.

How is the Program Governed Locally?

Locally, the program is a model of public-private cooperation. Each civil jurisdiction (a county or city) funded by the program must constitute a local board. The board must be composed of representatives of the same organizations as those on the National Board, with a local government official replacing the FEMA representative. The Local Board members elect their chair it chooses. Local boards may also have additional members, and, since 1993, local boards have been required to include a homeless or formerly homeless person as a member. If a jurisdiction is located within or encompasses a Federally recognized Indian reservation, a Native American representative must be invited to serve on the local board.

The National Board awards funds to jurisdictions based upon a formula; in addition, a small portion of the overall award is allocated by formula to state set-aside committees, who then allocate funds to jurisdictions based upon the criteria they feel is most appropriate.

Once an award is made by either the National Board or a state set-aside committee, local boards decide which agencies are to receive funds, and then those agencies are paid directly by the National Board. Within a jurisdiction, no more than 2% of the entire award may be used for administrative costs by the local board and agencies combined.

What is a State Set-Aside Committee?

In 1985, the National Board created a state set-aside process to identify and fund areas of need not reflected in the national criteria. State set-aside committees, with members mirroring local boards, receive funds based upon the number of unemployed people in counties within their state that do not qualify under the National Board's criteria. State committees may use any criteria they wish to develop a needs-based formula determine which jurisdictions receive funding. The committees must give priority to jurisdictions which have not qualified under the National Board formula, but they may also select, with National Board approval, jurisdictions that were funded by the National Board.

State set-aside committees may charge up to 0.5% of the grant for administrative expenses. In a few states, the state set-aside committee acts as a local board and funds agencies directly state-wide.

How Are Emergency Food and Shelter Program Funds Used?

Program funds are used to provide the following, as determined by the Local Board in funded jurisdictions:

• Food, in the form of served meals or groceries.
• Lodging in a mass shelter or hotel.
• One month's rent or mortgage payment.
• One month's utility bill.
• Minimal repairs to allow a mass feeding or sheltering facility to function during the program year.
• Equipment necessary to feed or shelter people, up to a $300 limit per item.

Are Administrative Costs Allowed?

A jurisdiction may use up to two percent of its award for administrative purposes. The National Board uses up to one percent of the total allocation for its administrative costs. On average, no more than about two and a half percent of the entire award is spent on administrative expenses.

How Does My Agency or Organization Apply?

When a jurisdiction is funded, the Local Board must advertise the availability of funds. Local organizations, whether nonprofit or governmental, may apply. The Local Board is responsible for considering all applications, and for determining which organizations will receive funds. The Local Board also determines which services are funded. Contact the National Board staff for specific local contacts.

What Documentation for Expenditures is Required?

All funded agencies must retain invoices and canceled checks for all program expenditures. Agencies funded for the first time under the program, and those that have had previous compliance problems, must submit their documentation to the National Board. To help ensure that agencies maintain National Board standards of accountability, National Board staff routinely conduct on-site reviews of agency programs and financial documentation. In addition, any agency may be asked to submit its documentation to the National Board at any time. For more information about the Emergency Food and Shelter Program, contact the program's staff at (703) 706-9660.

Where can I get more information?

You can visit the United Way EFSP website by going here: www.efsp.unitedway.org