Applications are now being accepted for the 2026 Emergency Solutions Grants.
Donor Name: Cook County Department of Planning and Development
State: Illinois
County: Cook County (IL)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/20/2026
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
While the prior ESG (the Emergency Shelter Grants program under the McKinney-Vento Act) had a greater emphasis on homeless assistance, the HEARTH regulations limit the funding for homeless assistance and remove the limitations on funding for homeless prevention and rapid re-housing. Additionally, HMIS is now an eligible component for ESG funding.
Funding Information
- Minimum application funded:$25,000, can be spread across multiple activities and components. –
- At minimum, the applicant must certify at least a dollar-for-dollar match for ESG. These matching funds must be available during the grant year itself.
- Maximum application funded: $125,000, can be spread across multiple activities and components.
- No more than 20% oft he applicant’s total budget (taken from the latest audit submitted) may be funded as an ESG grant. (For example, if an organization’s operating budget was $100,000,the highest ESG allocation they could get would be $20,000.)
- No more than 50% of total award will be for staff salaries.
- Combined, the components of Street Outreach and Emergency Shelter will be capped at the greater of 60% of the total grant for the Program Year or the total amount obligated to Homeless Assistance from Program Year 2010 ($337,464).
Eligible Activities
- Homeless Prevention
- HMIS
- Emergency Shelter
- Street Outreach
Eligible Areas
All jurisdictions in Cook County may be served by Cook County’s ESG program in this funding year except for:
- Chicago
- Cicero
Eligibility Criteria
Non-profit agencies with a 501(c) 3 are eligible to apply for ESG funding; units of local government are not eligible for ESG funding.
For more information, visit Cook County Department.
