The 2014 Year End Report for the Emergency Solutions Grant program is now available. Vermont’s Emergency Solutions Grants program, administered by the Vermont State Office of Economic Opportunity, provides a blend of state and federal (HUD) funding to support operations, staffing and homelessness prevention and re-housing assistance at approximately 40 non-profit emergency shelter, transitional housing and prevention programs serving all regions of the state. The State Office of Economic Opportunity works in close partnership with both HUD-recognized Homeless Continua of Care – Chittenden and the Balance of State (i.e., Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition) – to consult on performance measurement, data management and developing coordinated entry and assessment systems within both systems of care. The chart below shows a breakdown of the percentage of this funding used for each program component:
Approximately $1.6 million in state and federal funding was awarded under the Emergency Solutions Grant program. Just over half of funds supported direct service staff, such as case managers or housing counselors. Approximately one-third of funds supported basic shelter operations, such as utilities, rent, building insurance, shelter supplies or basic maintenance. The remaining funds (approximately $300,000) provided client financial or rental assistance such as security deposit, rental or utility arrearages, or short-term rental assistance. To view the full report, including details on the population served and analysis of performance, click here (PDF file).