Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program

The Emergency Solutions Grants Program is administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, a state agency responsible for housing and community development initiatives across Texas. This funding opportunity represents the state’s annual allocation of federal Emergency Solutions Grants funds provided through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The program is designed to support a coordinated statewide response to homelessness by funding organizations that deliver essential services to individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The Department manages distribution through a structured allocation formula based on Continuum of Care regions throughout Texas. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to support activities that prevent homelessness and rapidly rehouse individuals while improving the quality and capacity of emergency shelter systems. Eligible program components include street outreach, emergency shelter services, homelessness prevention, rapid re-housing, Homeless Management Information Systems, and administrative activities. These components collectively aim to address both immediate housing crises and longer-term stabilization through coordinated service delivery. The funding explicitly supports direct services such as case management, transportation, health services, rental assistance, and data system operations, while prohibiting expenditures such as property acquisition, new construction, vehicle purchases, and certain legal or inpatient services. Funding under this program is distributed based on a formula tied to geographic Continuum of Care regions, with a total anticipated allocation of approximately 9.8 million dollars statewide. Individual applicants must align their funding requests with the allocation available within their specific region. The program includes both continuing awards for existing subrecipients and a competitive application process for new or additional funding. Funding requests for program participant services must fall within defined minimum and maximum thresholds, and additional caps apply to administrative and HMIS-related costs. The contract term for awarded funds is expected to be 12 months, beginning in fall 2026, contingent upon federal funding availability. Eligible applicants include units of local government and private nonprofit organizations. Public housing authorities and local redevelopment agencies are not eligible under federal guidelines. Applicants must comply with both state administrative codes and federal regulations governing ESG funds, including requirements related to financial management, environmental review, fair housing, and procurement standards. Organizations must also meet audit and compliance standards and may be subject to prior performance reviews. Subgranting is not permitted, although subcontracting for service delivery is allowed under procurement rules. The application process includes two primary pathways: continuing awards and competitive applications. Continuing award recipients must submit abbreviated applications within 21 days of receiving an offer. Competitive applications are submitted during a defined window and must be completed using official forms without modification. Applications are evaluated based on criteria such as program design, organizational experience, collaboration, prior performance, and budget alignment. Applicants are required to self-score their proposals, and final scoring cannot exceed the submitted self-assessment. The competitive application period opens on May 26, 2026 and closes on June 25, 2026. Applications must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. local Austin time on the deadline date. Late submissions are not accepted. Following submission, applications undergo administrative review, scoring, and ranking within their respective service categories. Funding recommendations are made by the Executive Director and presented to the Department’s governing board for final approval. The Department retains discretion to modify funding levels, decline applications, or adjust allocations based on program priorities and available resources. For additional information or assistance, applicants may contact the Homeless Programs Manager at the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. The program operates on an annual cycle, and future funding opportunities are expected to follow similar timelines and structures. Applicants are encouraged to review all governing regulations and guidance materials to ensure compliance and competitiveness in the application process.

Ensure accurate self scoring as points cannot exceed self evaluation; align funding request with CoC allocation limits; strictly follow application formatting rules; demonstrate prior performance and collaboration strengths