Grants for Homeless People: Financial Aid and Housing Programs

Securing grants for homeless people involves navigating two distinct pathways: direct financial assistance for individuals in crisis and funding programs for the organizations that serve them. For those facing homelessness, the immediate goal is finding emergency shelter, rental assistance, or a housing voucher. For the nonprofit and government agencies on the front lines, the focus is on securing federal, state, and private grants to sustain their vital services.

This resource provides a clear roadmap for both individuals in need and service providers. It outlines the financial aid, housing programs, and grant opportunities available to build a foundation of stability and support.

Immediate Emergency Assistance: Your First Steps to Safety and Shelter

When experiencing or on the brink of homelessness, the first priority is securing safety, shelter, and essential resources. The support system is accessed locally, with national hotlines serving as the primary entry point to connect you with nearby help.

National and Local Hotlines: The Fastest Way to Get Help

The most effective first step is to contact a service that can connect you with local experts. These confidential hotlines are staffed by trained specialists who assess your situation and provide referrals to agencies in your community.

• 211: Your Universal Point of Contact In most U.S. areas, dialing 211 is the most important action to take in a housing crisis. The 211 service is a central hub for social services, connecting you with specialists who can identify local organizations for emergency shelter, food, and utility assistance. In 2024, the 211 network made 8.5 million referrals for housing and utility aid, highlighting its critical role. If you can't reach them by phone, visit   https://www.211.org/ to find your local office.
• Specialized Hotlines for Specific Needs Dedicated national hotlines offer tailored support for specific populations:
• Veterans: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has a 24/7 National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 1-877-4AID-VET (1-877-424-3838) for immediate assistance and connection to VA programs.
• Youth: The National Runaway Safe line (1-800-RUNAWAY) offers free, confidential support and can arrange transportation to a safe location.
• Survivors of Domestic Violence: The National Domestic Violence Hotline provides safety planning and shelter referrals. Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text "START" to 88788 for help.

Finding Local Shelters and Transitional Housing

While hotlines are the best starting point, you can also directly identify local shelter options. Federal agencies like the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provide funding, but services are delivered by local government and nonprofit partners.

• HUD's Local Resources: HUD offers a directory of local homeless assistance organizations, including shelters and Public Housing Agencies (PHAs).
• Community-Based Organizations: National organizations like The Salvation Army are a primary source of emergency shelter, providing over 8 million nights of lodging annually. Their facilities offer a bed, a meal, and holistic support.
• Disaster and Emergency Response: In a natural disaster, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) coordinates shelter. You can find nearby options by texting SHELTER and your zip code to 4FEMA (43362).

Accessing Emergency Food and Other Essential Services

Housing crises often come with other urgent needs, especially food insecurity. Many of the same agencies that provide shelter also offer food assistance.

• FEMA's Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP): This program funds local social service organizations that provide emergency food and shelter.
• Connecting to Food Assistance: Your local 211 operator can direct you to food banks and soup kitchens. They can also help you apply for federal nutrition programs like SNAP and WIC.

Financial Aid and Housing Vouchers: Securing Your Path to Stability

Beyond emergency shelter, various programs offer direct financial aid and long-term housing subsidies. These are not competitive grants but forms of assistance for which individuals must meet specific eligibility criteria related to income, family status, and housing situation.

Federally-Funded Housing Assistance Programs

The largest housing assistance programs are funded by HUD and administered by local Public Housing Agencies (PHAs). To apply, you must contact your local PHA directly.

• Public Housing: This program provides affordable rental housing for low-income families, older adults, and people with disabilities. Rent is typically set as a percentage of household income.
• Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV/Section 8): The HCV program, or Section 8, provides a voucher to subsidize rent in the private market. This allows you to choose your own rental unit from a landlord who accepts the voucher, offering greater flexibility.
• Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV): This specialized voucher assists individuals who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or fleeing domestic violence. You cannot apply directly; instead, you must be referred by your local Continuum of Care's (CoC) coordinated entry system.

State and Local Emergency Cash Assistance

Many state and local governments offer emergency financial assistance programs. These often provide one-time cash payments to cover security deposits, rent, or utility arrears.

• Examples of State Programs:
• California: The CalWORKs Homeless Assistance (HA) Program helps eligible families with temporary shelter costs and security deposits.
• Pennsylvania: The Emergency Shelter Allowance (ESA) is a one-time payment to resolve a housing crisis for those who meet income guidelines.
• Wisconsin and Minnesota: Both states offer Emergency Assistance (EA) programs that provide cash payments to families with children facing a housing emergency.
• Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERA): Authorized during the pandemic, the U.S. Treasury's ERA program distributed over $46 billion to help renters. Some localities may still have funds available.

Preparing to Apply: Documents You Will Need

Applying for assistance requires documentation to verify your eligibility. Gathering these documents in advance can speed up the process.

• Identification: A valid, government-issued ID for the head of household.
• Proof of Housing Crisis: An official document like an eviction notice, utility shutoff notice, or a letter from a shelter.
• Proof of Current Housing: A copy of your current lease or mortgage statement.
• Income Verification: Recent pay stubs, a tax return, or benefit letters. A Certification of Zero Income form may be needed if you have no income.
• Immigration Status: Proof of U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status may be required for certain federal programs.

Specialized Support for Vulnerable Populations

Homelessness affects different populations in unique ways. Federal and state governments have developed specialized programs that combine housing with supportive services to address the specific needs of veterans, youth, individuals with disabilities, and families with children.

For Veterans and Their Families

Veterans are particularly vulnerable to homelessness due to service-related challenges. Several key programs provide comprehensive support.

• HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH): This program combines a HUD Housing Choice Voucher with intensive case management and clinical services from the VA.
• Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF): The VA awards grants to nonprofits to provide services like case management and temporary financial assistance to prevent homelessness or rapidly re-house veteran families.
• Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Program: This program funds organizations to operate transitional housing and provide supportive services like job training to help veterans achieve stability.
• Legal and Case Management Services: The VA also funds organizations that offer legal services to veterans facing issues like eviction or child support disputes.

For Youth and Young Adults

Youth experiencing homelessness often lack family support and are at high risk. Programs for this population focus on safe, age-appropriate shelter and services that build a bridge to independence.

• Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) Programs: Administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), this program funds a range of services:
• Basic Center Program (BCP): Provides short-term emergency shelter for youth under 18.
• Transitional Living Program (TLP): Offers longer-term residential services for youth aged 16 to 22 to develop independent living skills.
• Street Outreach Program (SOP): Funds organizations to connect with youth living on the streets and offer a path to safety.
• Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP): This HUD program helps communities develop and implement coordinated systems to prevent and end youth homelessness.

For Individuals with Disabilities or Chronic Health Conditions

For individuals whose homelessness is complicated by a disability or chronic health condition, these programs integrate healthcare and supportive services into the housing model.

• Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities: This HUD program funds nonprofits to develop affordable rental housing for very low-income adults with significant disabilities, ensuring they have access to supportive services.
• Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA): HOPWA is the only federal program dedicated to the housing needs of low-income people living with HIV/AIDS. It provides grants for housing assistance and services to ensure housing stability.
• Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP): This California state program assists individuals experiencing homelessness who are likely eligible for federal disability benefits. It provides both housing support and advocacy to help them navigate the application process.

For Families with Children

These programs provide resources to keep families together and prevent separation due to housing instability.

• Family Unification Program (FUP): FUP provides Housing Choice Vouchers to families where a lack of adequate housing could lead to a child's placement in foster care, and to youth aging out of the foster care system.
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): TANF provides federal block grants to states for programs that offer cash assistance and other services to low-income families with children, which can be used for housing assistance.

Major Federal Grants for Homeless Service Providers

The organizations providing direct support rely on a complex ecosystem of federal grants. These grants fund everything from street outreach and shelter operations to permanent supportive housing. This section is for nonprofit organizations, state agencies, and local governments seeking to fund their homeless assistance programs.

The federal strategy is designed to shape local policy, compelling communities to move toward a coordinated, data-driven system. This ensures that federal dollars build effective, community-wide responses to homelessness.

Overview of Major Federal Homelessness Assistance Grants for Organizations

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Grants

HUD is the primary federal agency addressing homelessness, and its grant programs are the largest source of funding for these services.

• Continuum of Care (CoC) Program The CoC Program is HUD's flagship initiative, requiring a community-wide planning process for funding. Each year, communities form a CoC planning body to assess local needs and submit a single, collaborative application. This ensures a strategic and coordinated approach. CoC funds support a variety of interventions with an emphasis on permanent housing solutions.
• Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program The ESG program provides formula grants to states and large cities to support emergency and short-term assistance. These funds are then sub granted to local nonprofits. ESG funding is flexible and intended to address immediate needs through five components: street outreach, emergency shelter, homelessness prevention, rapid re-housing, and data management.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Grants

SAMHSA's programs are critical for serving individuals with serious mental illness or substance use disorders.

• Grants for the Benefit of Homeless Individuals (GBHI) This competitive grant program helps communities expand treatment and services for individuals experiencing homelessness. GBHI funds support outreach, mental health and substance use treatment, case management, and benefits enrollment.
• Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) PATH is a formula grant distributed to states to support services for people with serious mental illness who are experiencing homelessness. Funded services include outreach, case management, and treatment.
• Treatment for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness (TIEH) This competitive grant program is designed to increase access to evidence-based treatment, peer support, and recovery services, with a strong focus on connecting individuals to permanent housing.

Other Key Federal Funding Streams

Several other federal agencies provide grants to organizations serving specific homeless populations.

• Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): The VA provides significant grant funding to community-based organizations through the SSVF and GPD programs to serve homeless veterans.
• Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): HHS funds youth-serving organizations through the Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) grant programs. HHS also administers the Title V Surplus Property Program, which allows organizations to acquire unused federal properties at no cost to assist people experiencing homelessness.

Navigating the System: How to Find and Secure Funding

The homeless assistance network is organized around a central local entity: the Continuum of Care (CoC). For both individuals seeking help and organizations seeking funding, engaging with the local CoC is the most important step.

For Individuals: The Role of Coordinated Entry

For a person in a housing crisis, the CoC is the gateway to the most intensive housing resources available in the community.

• What is a Continuum of Care (CoC)? A CoC is a regional planning body that coordinates housing and services funding for homeless individuals and families. There are over 400 CoCs across the U.S., each responsible for a specific geographic area.
• Finding Your Local CoC HUD provides an online tool to find the contact information for your local CoC. This is crucial for accessing programs like Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHVs) and permanent supportive housing.
• How Coordinated Entry Works Every CoC operates a Coordinated Entry system, which is a single access point for all homeless services in a community. An individual can contact this access point, undergo a standardized assessment, and be placed on a community-wide priority list for the most appropriate housing resource available.

For Organizations: The Grant Application Process

For nonprofit organizations and local governments, understanding the different funding pathways is key to securing resources.

• Federal Grant Cycles (NOFAs) For competitive grants, federal agencies release an annual Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) that announces the competition and provides application details. Organizations should monitor websites like the HUD Exchange and SAMHSA.gov for these announcements.
• State-Administered Funds For formula grants like ESG and PATH, the federal government allocates funds to state agencies. These agencies then run their own application processes to distribute the funds to local governments and nonprofits.
• Private and Corporate Funding Beyond government sources, private philanthropy is a vital source of support.
• Private Foundations: Many family and community foundations, such as The George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation and the RNP Foundation, prioritize homelessness in their giving.
• Corporate Grants: Corporations like Wells Fargo and State Farm often provide grants to nonprofits in the communities where they operate.
• Finding Opportunities: Organizations can use grant search databases like Grant Watch or Instrumental to identify private and corporate funders.

Conclusion

The landscape of grants and financial assistance for people experiencing homelessness is vast, covering immediate aid, long-term subsidies, and large-scale funding for service organizations. For individuals in crisis, the most critical action is to connect with local help by dialing 211, the primary gateway to community-based providers. For longer-term solutions, the local Public Housing Agency and Continuum of Care are essential contacts.

For the nonprofit and government entities that form the backbone of this support system, success depends on pursuing a diverse portfolio of funding. This includes federal sources like HUD and SAMHSA, state-administered programs, and private philanthropy. While the system's complexity can be daunting, it is built on dedicated resources designed to move people from crisis to stability. The first step is always to connect with the local experts who can provide a path forward.

Frequently Asked Questions