United Way of Southwest Michigan opens fund requests for emergency food, shelter program

St. JOSEPH, Mich. — Agencies in Berrien, Cass and Van Buren Counties can now submit funding proposals from the United Way of Southwest Michigan’s (UWSM) Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP).

Friday, the non-profit announced they began accepting proposals for Phase 42 of the EFSP program.

This comes after the National Board, which chairs the Emergency Food and Shelter/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), awarded Berrien County $58,883, Cass County $19,779 and Van Buren County $30,843 for this phase, according to officials.

Those looking to submit a funding proposal must do the following:

• Be a non-profit organization.
• Have a formal accounting system and conduct an annual audit.
• Practice nondiscrimination.
• Have demonstrated the capability to deliver emergency food, emergency financial assistance and/or shelter programs.
• Maintain a minimum number of weekly hours with a staff person or a volunteer.
• Have a voluntary Board if a private voluntary organization.
• Use funds on an ongoing basis to supplement and extend food and shelter services, not as substitute for other program funds or to start a new program.
• Must maintain detailed records and documentation of program expenses if awarded an allocation. Also, it is preferable that applying organizations have an automated tracking system to monitor client use.
• Be able to certify that they are not debarred or suspended from receiving Federal funds.

A local board of community members will then determine, based on current needs, how the funds are awarded and distributed to programs run by local service organizations in the area, officials said.

Representatives on this board include The Salvation Army, American Red Cross, Council of Jewish Federations, Catholic Charities, National Council of Churches of Christ, private individuals, and the United Way of Southwest Michigan, according to officials.

Funding is based upon 12-month unemployment rates, the total number of unemployed, number of people below the poverty level, and the total population within Berrien, Cass and Van Buren Counties.

Completed requests must be turned in to the United Way of Southwest Michigan’s office by no later than 5 p.m. on March 14.

More information about the program, as well as applications, can be found online.