Background

The Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) was created in 1983 to supplement and expand the work of local social service agencies, both nonprofit and governmental, to help people with economic emergencies (not disaster-related [i.e., fires of any kind, floods, tornadoes, etc.] emergencies). Therefore, EFSP funds are not to be used to provide emergency assistance for circumstances that are the immediate result of a disaster situation. EFSP funds may be used to provide economic assistance in the long term, even if the current circumstances may have been impacted by an earlier disaster occurrence.

EFSP funds are Federal funds made available through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency. The EFSP funding is open to all organizations helping hungry and homeless people. EFSP funds must be used to supplement feeding, sheltering (including transitional sheltering) and rent/mortgage and utility assistance efforts only. The program is governed by a National Board composed 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 Board is chaired by a representative of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).  

Use of Funds

Program funds are used to provide the following, as determined by the Local Board in funded jurisdictions. No individual, family or household may be charged a fee for service or be required to attend religious/counseling services with relation to assistance received under EFSP.

Local organizations, whether nonprofit or governmental, may apply. Successful applicants are referred to as Local Recipient Organizations (LROs). The Local Board is: (1) responsible for considering all applications, (2) determining which services are funded, and (3) determining which organizations will receive funds. Please Note: It is expected all LROs expend at least 25% of award in each category (or have a spending plan) by October 10th 2025, or award will be reallocated. Orange County applicants, enter award request reflective of what organization is fully capable of expending in each service category.

Available Funds

The following awards have been made to the jurisdictions below by the Emergency Food and Shelter Program based upon the available statistics (including the total number of unemployed in the identified jurisdiction as compared to the total of unemployed in all qualifying jurisdictions):

EFSP Phase 42

Jurisdiction	Award Amount
Orange County, Florida 1680-00	$474,152
Osceola County, Florida 1684-00	$139,231
Seminole County Florida 1718-00	$154,558

 

Eligibility

EFSP funds may only be used to supplement and extend existing food and shelter services. Funds may not be used as a substitute for other program funds or to start new programs. Under the terms of the grant from the National Board, local agencies chosen to receive funds must:

• Be nonprofit or government agency;
• Not be debarred or suspended from receiving Federal funding;
• Have a checking account (cash payments are not allowed);
• Have an accounting system or fiscal agent approved by the Local Board;
• Have a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN);
• Have a Unique Entity ID (UEI) issued by the System for Award Management (SAM.gov);
• Conduct an independent annual audit if receiving $100,000 or more in EFSP funds;
• Conduct an annual accountant's review if receiving $50,000 to $99,999 in EFSP funds;
• Conduct annual audit, if expending $750,000 or more in Federal funds, in compliance with the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards at 2 CFR 200 of the Office of Management and Budget;
• Be providing services and using its other resources in the area in which they are seeking funding;
• Must not charge a fee to clients;
• Practice nondiscrimination (those agencies with a religious affiliation wishing to participate in the program must not refuse services to an applicant based on religion or require attendance at religious services as a condition of assistance, nor will such groups engage in any religious proselytizing in any program receiving EFSP funds);
• Have a voluntary board if private, not-for-profit; and,
• To the extent practicable, involve homeless individuals and families, through employment, volunteer programs, etc., in providing emergency food and shelter services.

Fiscal Agency/Fiscal Conduit

Heart of Florida United Way serves as the fiscal agent/fiscal conduit for all agencies awarded EFSP funds. As such, Heart of Florida United Way must issue all payments on behalf of recipient organizations to vendors only. Heart of Florida United Way may not issue reimbursements to recipient organizations. The exception to this is when an LRO is using the per diem allowance for mass shelter or the per meal allowance for served meals.

Please review the following documents for the full list of terms, conditions, guidelines, articles, and other requirements:

1. EFSP Phase 35 Responsibilities and Requirements Manual
2. EFSP Phase 42 Overview
3. EFSP Online Application User Manual

Recipient organizations must adhere to all EFSP terms, conditions, guidelines, manuals and/or addendums released by the EFSP National Board.

Application Process

Intent to Apply: To apply for funding, agencies must submit an intent to apply by 5:00 p.m. on January 24, 2025. Please email efsp@hfuw.org with (1) the name of your organization, (2) the complete contact information for the person who should receive a login to the online application, and (3) the jurisdiction/county in which your organization will apply.

Online Application: The application for EFSP Phase 42 must be submitted online. The deadline for submitting the completed application and all required attachments is 5:00 p.m. on January 31, 2025. Late, incomplete, and/or applications missing any of the required attachments will not be accepted.For Orange County applicants, enter funding request reflective of what the LRO is fully capable of expending within individual service category. 

To submit your organization's EFSP application and all required documentation/attachments:

1. Go to www.UnitedWayWorks.org and enter your login. 
2. Complete the online application for EFSP Phase 42. Separate applications must be submitted to each jurisdiction.
3. Upload all required documentation into the online system.

Please Note: Submission of the online application and required documentation through the online portal is required.

Required Attachments

In addition to the fully completed application, your organization must submit the following attachments:

1. Proof of incorporated/recognized status in the State of Florida as a nonprofit organization
2. Proof of tax exempt status under Internal Revenue (IRS) Code 501(c)(3)
3. A list of your organization’s current Board Members
4. The organization's independent annual audit dated 2023 or later (final version only)
5. The audited financial statement's management letter or a letter from your organization's CPA indicating no management letter was issued
6. CertificationRegardingDebarment,Suspension,IneligibilityandVoluntaryExclusionContractsSubcontractsForm.pdf
7. Copy of System for Award Management (SAM) search results showing the organization’s name, Unique Entity ID, status, and expiration date
8. Agency Revenue Comparison (with most recently completed fiscal year and current fiscal year)
9. Agency Expenditure Comparison (with most recently completed fiscal year and current fiscal year)

Please Note: The attachments are required by EFSP National, therefore no exceptions can be made and no applications with missing documentation may be considered by the Local Board.

Electronic Signatures

If your organization receives EFSP funding, all forms completed by Local Recipient Organizations (LROs) (such as the Local Recipient Organization Certifications, Fiscal Agent/Fiscal Conduit Relationship Certification Forms, Lobbying Certifications, etc.) must be electronically signed using DocuSign. You do not need a DocuSign account to electronically sign EFSP documents and there is no cost for using DocuSign for EFSP documents. There are no exceptions to this requirement. Your organization is responsible for checking your spam folder and/or firewall to ensure these electronic documents are delivered to your email inbox.