Applications open for funding for voluntary agencies
Gordon County has been awarded federal funds made available through the Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency under the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program.
Gordon County was awarded funds through Phase 40 $16,095, which will run congruently with Phases 39 and ARAPA-R, which were previously awarded in early 2022.
The selection was made by a National Board that is chaired by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency and consists of representatives from the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities USA, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, The Jewish Federations of North American, The Salvation Army, and United Way Worldwide. The Local Board was charged with distributing funds appropriated by Congress to help expand the capacity of food and shelter programs in high-need areas around the country.
A Local Board will determine how the funds awarded to Gordon County will be distributed among the emergency food and shelter programs run by local service agencies in Gordon County. The Local Board is responsible for recommending agencies to receive these funds and any additional funds made available under this program phase.
Under the terms of the grant from the National Board, local agencies chose to receive funds must: 1) be private voluntary non-profits or units of government, 2) be eligible to receive Federal funds, 3) have an accounting system, 4) practice nondiscrimination, 5) have demonstrated the capacity to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs and 6) if they are a private voluntary organization, have a voluntary board.
The Local Board also requires that local agencies receiving funds must: 1) be in good standing with the National and Local board regarding documentation requirements if funds were received in prior phases, 2) utilize the local emergency assistance database as approved by the Local Board, 3) be utilized to serve residents in Gordon County, and 4) be currently operating programs which provide food, shelter, or emergency programs providing rent/mortgage or utility assistance (no new start-ups will be funded).
During the prior funding periods, Gordon County received $38,898 for Phase ARAPA-R and $12,909 for Phase 39. These funds were disbursed to First Fruits Ministries, Northwest Georgia Family Crisis Center, Salvation Army, and Voluntary Action Center.
Public or private voluntary agencies interested in applying for Emergency Food and Shelter Program funds must complete the Gordon County EFSP Application Form. Interested agencies should email Courtney Taylor, Local Board Chair, at ctaylor@gordoncounty.org by Wednesday, December 7, 2022. Mr. Taylor will provide the application to interested agencies, which must be received by the Local Board Chair no later than 5 p.m. on Thursday, December 8, 2022.