FAQs

All organizations that apply for EFSP funding have to be registered as a 501©3 nonprofit organization or government agency.

Each year, the EFSP Board creates a Request for Applications. The application is posted on the EFSP website and made available through social service newsletters. Organizations have to respond to the questions included in the RFA and provide a proposed budget by the assigned deadline. The local EFSP Board reviews all applications and makes decisions regarding funding recommendations based on the funding available from the National EFSP Board and the quality of the application. The local Board has the option to accept, reject, or adjust the requested amount on all applications. All applicants will be informed of their status once a decision has been reached. The local EFSP Board forwards its recommendations to the National Board. The National Board has the right accept or reject the local Board’s recommendations.

EFSP funds are intended to be non-disaster supplemental funding which helps people with economic emergencies. They can be used to supplement and expand existing programs in these categories:

• Food
• Shelter
• Rent/mortgage assistance
• Utility assistance

• Phase 37 funds – $576,393 available for Austin/Travis and Williamson counties
• CARES Act Funds – $821,771 available for Austin/Travis and Williamson counties.

Funding amounts vary from year to year.

The National EFSP Board releases its payments to individual local recipient organizations (LROs) in two stages. The first payment is made once the National EFSP Board has approved the recommendation from the local Board. About mid-way through the grant cycle, each LRO has to submit an individual second payment request and the local EFSP Board has to submit an overall request. Once approved, the National Board releases a second payment to each organization.

LROs are expected to document and maintain records on services provided using EFSP funds and, in some cases, the individual recipients of services. A full listing of the documentation requirements can be found in the Phase 35 manual which is available on the Resources page of this website.

The list of organizations funded through EFSP can be found here. For a more comprehensive list of organizations that provide emergency assistance, please call 2-1-1.