Emergency Food & Shelter Program

The purpose of the EFSP is to supplement and expand existing food and shelter services available in local communities. It is a needs-based program and program dollars must not be earmarked for particular clients. Funding is meant to serve and benefit the entire community. A complete copy of the annual program guidelines is available online at www.efsp.unitedway.org in the information section.

The Emergency Food and Shelter Program was established on March 24, 1983, with the signing of the "Jobs Stimulus Bill," Public Law 98-8. 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).

The program's objectives are to:

Allocate funds to the neediest areas;
Ensure fast response;
Foster public/private sector cooperation;
Ensure local decision-making; and
Maintain minimal, but accountable, reporting.

EFSP NATIONAL BOARD

A National Board, chaired by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), consists 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.

For more information about the EFSP National Board, please visit www.efsp.unitedway.org.

EFSP LOCAL BOARD

Each civil jurisdiction (a county or city) funded by the Emergency Food and Shelter program must constitute a local Emergency Food and Shelter 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.

EFSP FUNDING FOR AGENCIES

MERCER COUNTY AWARDED $169,298 IN FEDERAL FUNDS UNDER THE EMERGENCY FOOD AND SHELTER NATIONAL PROGRAM – EFSP PHASE 42. APPLICATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED AT THIS TIME. DEADLINE FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 2025, 1:00 PM

Notice is hereby given to all interested parties that the Mercer County Local EFSP Board will accept applications from local agencies and/or organizations for funding of (1)emergency food, (2)shelter, (3)utilities, and (4)rent/mortgage assistance. Funding is for eligible agencies only, not individuals or families. This is not FEMA funding for disaster relief.

Please note: EFSP funding is only for eligible organizations, not for individuals or families. Do not call or apply unless you are an agency. These funds are to supplement existing programs; they are not to be used for seed-money for new initiatives.

Under the terms of the grant from the National Board, local government or private voluntary organizations that chose to receive funds must: (1) be nonprofit, (2) have an accounting system, (3) practice nondiscrimination, (4) have demonstrated the capability to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs, and (5) if they are a voluntary organization, they must have a voluntary board. Qualifying organizations are urged to apply.

To Apply for these funds go to "Application" Tab above

For more information please contact

John Santana at john.santana@uwgmc.org (preferred) or call 609-896-1912 ext. 4918 (Leave a message)

Mercer County EFSP Local Board 598800

United Way of Greater Mercer County

3444 Quaker Bridge Rd

Building 3, Suite 101

Hamilton, NJ 08619

Appeal Process

Appeals Process

Applicants denied funding will be given the opportunity to file a written “Letter of Appeal." The appeals committee will convene. Appellants will be notified in writing via email, regarding the decision by the appeal board.

The final recommendations of the Board, based on the appeals decision will be transmitted to all awardees. The Local Board’s final report to the National EFSP Board will be filed, in accordance with the guidelines.

An agency filing an appeal should follow the aforementioned written procedures. An appeal should include the basis for the appeal, such as correction of erroneous application information, provision of information not previously available, or allegations of bias, fraud, abuse, or violation of federal or National Board guidelines.

The first level of appeal is with the Local Board (address below). The National Board only considers appeals when there is a significant question of misapplied guidelines, fraud, or other abuse on the part of the Local Board.

Agencies may not appeal to the requirements stated on the LRO Certification Form. Agencies must meet these requirements to be considered for funding.

The Mercer County Local Board Appeals Committee will consist of staff and board members of the United Way of Greater Mercer County who were not part of the board who made the original allocation decisions, as suggested by the National Board.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for these funds, you are encouraged to submit the online application(s), or you can submit the paper application(s) which are available to download below.

Please review the following before submitting your application.

EFSP Phase 35 Manual (This is the latest one as of 4/12/24 ) Pay attention to pages 65-74 for eligible and ineligible program costs.
Phase 41 Addendum to Manual
Program Guidance Reminders

The Local Board assumes that all applications meet the requirements set forth by the National EFSP and does not accept responsibility for any inaccurate or ineligible requests in an application.

Please follow the instructions carefully.

For online application (preferred):

Select the fund application in tab above or link below and complete by the due date
EFSP Phase 42 ONLINE APPLICATION Form
Once submitted, you will receive a confirmation email
Late or incomplete applications will not be considered

For paper application:

Download the EFSP Phase 42 PAPER APPLICATION Here
Send completed form(s) by email to john.santana@uwgmc.org with the subject line "EFSP Phase 40 Application [Organization Name]"
Postmarked, or submitted electronically by posted deadline
Late or incomplete applications will not be considered

Letters via email will be sent to all applicants indicating the decision of the Board. Applicants awarded funding will be notified that the amount designated for their program is subject to the appeals hearings.

SUBMIT THE PHASE 42 APPLICATION HERE

Local Board for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) recently awarded $170,731 from Phase 41 funds to twenty-one Mercer County agencies to provide emergency food and shelter services.

SERVED MEALS - Food preparation and served meals at mass feeding sites

Anchor House Inc., $ 2,000
Meals on Wheels of Mercer County, $ 8,000
Mercer Street Friends, $ 8,000
Mobile meals of Hamilton Township, Inc., $ 10,000
Salvation Army, The, $ 10,000
Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK), $ 14,000

OTHER FOOD - Food purchases for food banks and/or food pantries

Rolling Harvest Food Rescue, $ 2,500
Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) of Mercer County, $ 3,000
Oaks Integrated Care, $ 3,000
Womanspace, Inc, $ 3,000
Catholic Charities Diocese of Trenton, $ 3,500
Mount Carmel Guild of Trenton, $ 4,000
UrbanPromise Trenton, $ 5,000
Arm In Arm, $ 7,000
Community Action Service Center (RISE), $ 10,000
HomeFront, Inc., $ 10,000
Jewish Family & Children's Service of Greater Mercer County, $ 14,731

MASS SHELTER - Direct expenses associated with providing on-site housing at a mass shelter facility that has five beds or more in one location

HomeFront, Inc., $ 6,500
Rescue Mission of Trenton, The, $ 6,500

RENT/MORTGAGE – Up to three months of past due rent or mortgage payment; first month’s rent, or lot fee for a mobile home

Anchor House Inc., $ 5,000
Catholic Charities Diocese of Trenton, $ 5,000
Housing Initiatives of Princeton Charitable Trust, $ 5,000
John O. Wilson Hamilton Neighborhood Center, Inc., $ 5,000
Oaks Integrated Care, $ 5,000
Princeton Nursery School, The, $ 5,000
Salvation Army, The, $ 5,000
Womanspace, Inc, $ 5,000