Opportunity Information: Apply for DHS 25 DAD 024 00 99
The Fiscal Year 2025 Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program is a FEMA-supported grant opportunity under the Department of Homeland Security that funds the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP). EFSP exists to strengthen and supplement the day-to-day work of local public and nonprofit social service organizations across the United States that provide immediate, short-term help to people facing urgent needs. In practice, the program is a national funding stream that helps communities pay for emergency food, temporary shelter, and related crisis assistance, using a structure designed to push resources down to local organizations that are already serving people on the ground.
A key feature of this opportunity is that the EFSP National Board is, by law, the only entity that can apply for and receive the federal award. FEMA serves as the chair of this National Board, and the Board includes representatives nominated by six national nonprofit organizations specifically named in statute: the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities USA, The Jewish Federations of North America, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, The Salvation Army, and United Way Worldwide. The National Board sets EFSP policies and procedures, determines how funding is allocated among local communities nationwide, and defines the eligible uses of EFSP funds.
While the National Board is the only direct federal grantee, the program is built around extensive local administration and distribution. EFSP operates in more than 2,500 local jurisdictions that convene Local Boards, and it ultimately supports roughly 10,000 to 12,000 local public and nonprofit Local Recipient Organizations (LROs). At the community level, Local Boards and State Set-Aside Committees (SSAs) play the central role in deciding which LROs in their jurisdiction should receive EFSP funding. Their membership largely mirrors the National Board structure, except that Local Boards include a local government representative and SSAs include the Governor (rather than FEMA). Once local award decisions are made, the National Board disburses funds directly to the selected LROs, which helps standardize oversight while keeping local decision-making close to community needs.
For the FY 2025 award specifics, this opportunity is listed as a grant (Funding Instrument Type: Grant) in the broad activity areas of food and nutrition, housing, income security, and social services, and it is tied to CFDA 97.024. The opportunity number is DHS 25 DAD 024 00 99. FEMA anticipates making a single award (Expected Awards: 1) with an award ceiling of $117,000,000, reflecting that the National Board receives the federal award and then distributes funds nationwide through the EFSP structure. The posting indicates a creation date of 2025-08-01 and an original closing date of 2025-08-15.
Applications for this funding opportunity are submitted through FEMA Grants Outcomes (GO) at https://go.fema.gov/. Even though many local organizations ultimately receive EFSP support, eligibility to apply at the federal level is restricted by statute to the EFSP National Board, meaning other entities do not submit applications to FEMA under this specific notice; instead, they participate through their Local Boards/SSAs and local EFSP processes when funds are allocated within their jurisdiction.Apply for DHS 25 DAD 024 00 99
- The Department of Homeland Security - FEMA in the food and nutrition, housing, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year 2025 Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 97.024.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2025-08-01.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-08-15. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $117,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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FY 2025 Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program (EFSP) - FAQs
1) What is this funding opportunity?
The Fiscal Year 2025 Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program is a FEMA-supported grant opportunity under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that funds the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP). EFSP is designed to strengthen and supplement the day-to-day work of local public and nonprofit social service organizations that provide immediate, short-term assistance to people facing urgent needs.
2) What does EFSP help pay for?
Based on the program description provided, EFSP supports emergency food, temporary shelter, and related crisis assistance intended to address urgent, short-term needs in communities.
3) Who can apply to FEMA for this specific grant?
By law, the EFSP National Board is the only entity that can apply for and receive the federal award under this notice. Other organizations do not submit applications to FEMA for this specific opportunity number.
4) If local nonprofits and public agencies benefit, why can only the National Board apply?
This opportunity is structured so that the EFSP National Board receives the single federal award and then distributes funds nationwide using the EFSP system. Local decision-making and local distributions occur through EFSP Local Boards and State Set-Aside Committees, rather than through direct FEMA applications by local organizations.
5) What role does FEMA play in EFSP?
FEMA supports the grant opportunity and serves as the chair of the EFSP National Board.
6) Who makes up the EFSP National Board?
The National Board includes representatives nominated by six national nonprofit organizations specifically named in statute: the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities USA, The Jewish Federations of North America, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, The Salvation Army, and United Way Worldwide. FEMA serves as chair.
7) What does the EFSP National Board do?
The National Board sets EFSP policies and procedures, determines how funding is allocated among local communities nationwide, and defines the eligible uses of EFSP funds.
8) How are funds distributed to communities and local organizations?
EFSP is built around local administration and distribution. It operates in more than 2,500 local jurisdictions that convene Local Boards, and it supports roughly 10,000 to 12,000 local public and nonprofit Local Recipient Organizations (LROs). Local Boards and State Set-Aside Committees (SSAs) decide which LROs in their jurisdiction should receive EFSP funding. After local decisions are made, the National Board disburses funds directly to selected LROs.
9) What are Local Boards and what do they do?
Local Boards convene within EFSP jurisdictions and play a central role in determining which Local Recipient Organizations (LROs) in their area should receive EFSP funding. Their membership largely mirrors the National Board structure and includes a local government representative.
10) What are State Set-Aside Committees (SSAs) and what do they do?
State Set-Aside Committees (SSAs) also help decide which Local Recipient Organizations (LROs) should receive EFSP funding within their scope. Their membership largely mirrors the National Board structure, except SSAs include the Governor (rather than FEMA).
11) What is an LRO (Local Recipient Organization)?
In the EFSP structure described, Local Recipient Organizations are local public and nonprofit organizations that receive EFSP funding to provide immediate, short-term assistance (such as emergency food and temporary shelter) to people facing urgent needs. The program ultimately supports roughly 10,000 to 12,000 LROs nationwide.
12) If my organization wants EFSP funding, do we apply through FEMA GO?
No. For this specific federal opportunity, only the EFSP National Board applies through FEMA. Local organizations participate through their Local Boards and/or State Set-Aside Committee (SSA) processes when funds are allocated within their jurisdiction.
13) Where is the application submitted (for the eligible applicant)?
Applications for this funding opportunity are submitted through FEMA Grants Outcomes (GO) at https://go.fema.gov/.
14) What is the funding instrument type?
The funding instrument type listed for this opportunity is a Grant.
15) What activity areas does this opportunity cover?
The opportunity is listed under the broad activity areas of food and nutrition, housing, income security, and social services.
16) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is tied to CFDA 97.024.
17) What is the opportunity number?
The opportunity number is DHS 25 DAD 024 00 99.
18) How many federal awards does FEMA expect to make under this notice?
FEMA anticipates making a single award (Expected Awards: 1), reflecting that the EFSP National Board receives the federal award and then distributes funds nationwide.
19) What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?
The award ceiling is listed as $117,000,000.
20) What are the key dates shown for the posting?
The posting indicates a creation date of 2025-08-01 and an original closing date of 2025-08-15.
21) Does the National Board send funding to Local Recipient Organizations directly?
Yes. Once local award decisions are made by Local Boards and/or SSAs, the National Board disburses funds directly to the selected LROs. This approach is described as helping standardize oversight while keeping local decision-making close to community needs.
22) How widespread is EFSP?
EFSP operates in more than 2,500 local jurisdictions and ultimately supports roughly 10,000 to 12,000 local public and nonprofit organizations as Local Recipient Organizations (LROs).
23) Why does EFSP use Local Boards and SSAs instead of a single centralized funding decision?
The structure described is intended to push resources down to local organizations already serving people on the ground, while still using national policies, procedures, and disbursement mechanisms to support consistency and oversight.
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