Emergency Solutions Grant

Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds are federal funds that may be used for homeless assistance and homeless prevention activities. The ESG program is designed to be the first step in a continuum of assistance to prevent homelessness and to enable homeless individuals to move toward independent living. The objectives of the program are to help improve the quality of existing emergency shelters for the homeless, to help make available additional shelters, to help meet the costs of operating these facilities, to help provide essential social services to the homeless, and to help prevent homelessness.

Emergency Solutions Grant-CV Summary Notice

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES ACT) made available $5,696,945 in ESG-CV allocations (1&2) to Snohomish County. Snohomish County is utilizing ESG-CV funding to prepare for, respond to, and prevent the coronavirus for those at risk of or experiencing homelessness. This includes the following ESG activities as needed to prevent, prepare, and respond to COVID-19:

  • Rapid re-housing 
  • Emergency shelter, including motel vouchers
  • Homelessness prevention
  • Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)
  • Administrative expenses

To be responsive to the needs of Snohomish County in preparing, preventing, and responding to coronavirus and its impact on people at risk of and experiencing homelessness, we are routinely reevaluating our funding decisions throughout the period of performance. Consistent with the terms of all subrecipient grant agreements or contracts, Snohomish County intends to reprogram ESG-CV funding between selected activities or to include additional ESG-CV activities if/when necessary, or reallocate ESG-CV funding (adjustments to subcontractor funding) based on infection control needs and response efforts related to preventing, preparing, and responding to COVID-19.

ADA Notice

The county strives to provide access to all members of the public. Reasonable accommodations will be made to provide relevant information in an alternative format upon request. Please email Debbi Trosvig at debbi.trosvig@snoco.org  or call (425) 388-7116 or for TTY dial 711.


This notice is also available on-line at:   https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/877/Emergency-Solutions-Grant If you have any questions, comments or need further information regarding this notice, please contact Debbi Trosvig, Supervisor, Office of Community and Homeless Services via email at debbi.trosvig@snoco.org.


Application Cycle

Applications for ESG grants are accepted every other year for a two-year period. Additional application information is available on the ESG application webpage.

Local Program Standards

Local Snohomish County program standards that implement HUD regulations and guidelines for Continuum of Care (CoC) Program and ESG projects have been developed and must be used by all projects supported by these funds. The local CoC and ESG Program Standards document is available below:

Rapid Rehousing Guide

The Local Program Standards incorporate by reference the Rapid Rehousing Guide, which provides baseline requirements and strategies for all rapid rehousing projects funded through the Snohomish County Office of Community and Homeless Services

Eligibility Documentation

Eligibility for assistance under the ESG Program is determined by HUD regulations and is further defined by project component. Projects funded under the ESG Program may use the following forms to document participant eligibility.

McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act As Amended by The HEARTH Act of 2009 (S.896)

The Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act of 2009 (HEARTH) was signed into law on May 20, 2009. The HEARTH Act reauthorizes the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987. The HEARTH Act is available below:

Emergency Solutions Grant Program Interim Rule

The ESG Interim Rule was published on December 5, 2011. The ESG Interim Rule is available below:

Homeless Definition Final Rule

The Homeless Definition Final Rule was published on December 5, 2011. The Homeless Definition Final Rule is available below: