Funding Through the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), Humanitarian Relief Is Announced

Phoenix, AZ, April 21, 2021 – The Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) National Board (hereafter, National Board) is pleased to announce that the application period for funding through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), Humanitarian Relief, opened on April 19.  Total funding is $110 million available to organizations that provided, or will provide, services to families and individuals from the southern border. Nonprofits, faith-based, and government organizations that provide shelter, food, transportation, basic heath and first aid, COVID-19 testing and associated medical care needed during quarantine and isolation, and other supportive services may apply.

To allow more opportunities for agencies to submit applications for funding, there will be multiple open application periods.  The first open application period begins on April 19, 2021 and will be for eligible expenditures incurred on or after January 1, 2021 through March 31, 2021.  The application will close on Friday, April 30, 2021, at 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.  Applications submitted after the April 30, 2021 deadline will not be considered for reimbursement in this application period.  If your agency has already submitted documentation to WHEAT for reimbursement for January 1 – March 31, 2021, you do not need to apply again for this funding. 

To Qualify for Funding:

• Applicant agencies must be nonprofit, faith-based, or governmental
• Provide eligible services to families and individuals encountered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
• Must have a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN)
• Must have a Data Universal Number System (DUNS)
• Current or former EFSP participation is not a requisite for application submission.
• Documentation for all application expenditures must be supported with proof of payment (e.g., cancelled check, credit card statement, etc.) or a receipt reflecting the purchase. Only one of these is required.

The ARPA Humanitarian Relief Application consists of five categories of service. All expenditures made by agencies must fall within one of the categories. 

• Primary – includes only food and shelter
• Secondary – includes, but is not limited to, health/medical services
• Administrative – includes, but is not limited to, temporary staff, permanent and voluntary staff overtime, and postage
• Equipment and Assets – includes purchases and leases, and necessary renovations to make facilities safe, sanitary, and compliant with local codes (e.g., showers)
• Transportation – includes local and long-distance travel (e.g. taxi, bus, air, train) for families and individuals encountered by DHS and for agency staff that may be required to assist them

Organizations can access the application and guidance directly on the Emergency Food and Shelter Program website, under the Supplemental Funding Info tab, for the $110 million in humanitarian relief funding made available to assist migrants assisted by the Department of Homeland Security.

WHEAT is available to provide assistance to agencies who wish to apply but may feel uncertain about the process.  Contact:  EFSP@HungerHurts.org or 602/955.5076 to begin the process.

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WHEAT  (www.HungerHurts.org) is a statewide anti-hunger and poverty organization staffing the Emergency Food and Shelter Program for Apache, Gila, Maricopa, Navajo, Pinal & Yavapai Counties and the Arizona State Set-Aside Committee.