The Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) program is a component of the State’s Continuum of Care system designed to alleviate homelessness in Oklahoma. ESG programs enable homeless individuals and families to move toward independent living by providing emergency housing, supportive services, and housing assistance. ESG funds are provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on an annual basis and administered by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. The general goals of this funding are consistent with those established by HUD and are intended to benefit people with low to moderate income:
- Provide decent housing
- Provide a suitable living environment
- Expand economic opportunities
Are you an Individual Needing Emergency Shelter, Rental or Utility Assistance?
The Oklahoma Department of Commerce provides ESG grants to nonprofits who provide direct services in their communities in rural Oklahoma and does not provide direct homeless services from our office. ESG provides assistance through community service providers for those who are about to lose their housing and those who are literally homeless. The funded organizations work to help the family or individual as quickly as possible. To locate the community service provider closest to you, click on this map and contact those organizations directly to request assistance.
Are you a Nonprofit Wishing to Apply For/Manage ESG Funds?
Eligibility
Organizations applying for ESG funds independently or through eligible sponsors are required to be members of their local Continuum of Care and must either already participate in collecting client data or be ready to start collecting client data using the Continuum’s HMIS (Homelessness Management Information System).
Service providers interested in applying must meet one of the following options:
- Sponsored – Private nonprofits seeking ESG funds for the first time must be sponsored.
- Unsponsored – Private nonprofits with yearly independent audits and no major findings may independently apply for an ESG grant.
Sponsorships may be obtained from either a unit of general local government or the Community Action Agency (CAA) operating in that jurisdiction. After the first funded program year, a nonprofit that meets the requirements for an unsponsored application may request permission from ODOC to apply for ESG funding independently.
More detailed ESG applicant and threshold requirements can be found here:
Application
The ESG23 Application will be available in OKGrants from April 3, 2023 through May 31, 2023 for the nonprofits that attended the March 28, 2023 Mandatory ESG23 Application Workshop.
All grant applications must be submitted through OKGrants.
Assistance
Technical assistance regarding eligibility, application guidelines, and other information pertaining to the ESG program is available upon request. Contact Jessica Izquierdo at Jessica.Izquierdo@okcommerce.gov or 405-534-6814, or Edith McKinley at Edith.McKinley@okcommerce.gov 405-213-7960.
Join the Housing Assistance Program Alerts mailing list for ESG program updates and Governor’s Interagency Council on Homelessness meeting notices.
