Emergency Shelter Grant Program (ESGP)
Program Description
The Emergency Shelter Grant Program (ESGP) is designed to help improve the quality of existing emergency shelters for the homeless, to help make available additional emergency shelters, to help meet the cost of operating emergency shelters and to provide certain essential social services to homeless individuals in order to provide access to not only safe and sanitary shelter, but also to the supportive services and other kinds of assistance needed to improve their situations. The program is also intended to restrict the increase of homelessness through the funding of preventive programs and activities.
Eligible Applicants
Under this program, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has been authorized by Congress to provide these funds. As a result, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) anticipates a funding allocation which will be made available to units of general local government on behalf of not-for-profit organizations providing homeless assistance, and/or directly to not-for-profit organizations located outside the corporate limits of the City of Chicago and Cook County. A not-for-profit organization is defined as a secular or religious organization described in Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, making it exempt from taxation, assuring it has an accounting system and voluntary governing board, and practices non-discrimination in the provision of services
Emergency Shelter Grants Program funds may be used to implement one or more of the following activities:
Rehabilitation, renovation or conversion of buildings for use as emergency shelters - These activities can include, but are not limited to, expenses for labor, materials, tools and other associated costs of building improvements such as the replacement of principal fixtures, installation of security or handicapped access devices, and alterations designed to improve energy efficiency.
New or expanded essential services - These activities must be provided in connection with such direct services by the shelter as job training, substance abuse counseling, health and educational services, or mileage expenses related to the provision of shelter services.
Homeless Prevention - These activities or programs must be designed to prevent the incidence of homelessness, such as short-term subsidies to defray rent and utility arrearages for families that have received eviction or utility termination notices, security deposits or first month's rent, or other innovative programs an activities designed to prevent homelessness.
Operation or maintenance expenses directly related to the operation of the shelter - These activities can include costs for the purchase of shelter supplies, equipment and furnishings, insurance premiums, utility payments, and overall maintenance costs such as minor repairs or painting. Additionally, a small percentage of ESGP funds may be used to pay staff costs related to the operation of the emergency shelter.
For more information about the Emergency Shelter Grant Program please contact:
Lou Ann Williams
Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
620 E. Adams
Springfield, IL. 62701
217/558-4104
(TTY) 800-758/6055