ARP – Homeless Children and Youth (ARP-HCY) Fund

Overview

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) included a total of $800 million to support the specific needs of children and youth experiencing homelessness through the ARP Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief – Homeless Children and Youth (ARP-HCY) Fund.

State allocations of ARP-HCY funding are based on the proportion of funds that each state received under Title I in fiscal year 2020. The total ARP-HCY allocation for Vermont is $1,867,977. States may reserve up to 25 percent of the allocation for State-level activities; at least 75 percent of funds received by the SEA must be allocated to LEAs.  

The USED  awarded 25 percent (ARP Homeless I) of each State’s ARP-HCY allocation in order to provide immediate funding as a supplement to McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) funds. The USED awarded the remaining 75 percent (ARP Homeless II) after  completing necessary regulations to change the EHCY program’s required competitive subgrant process for the ARP Homeless II funds.​

ARP Homeless I

On April 23, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education (USED) announced the first disbursement of these funds under section 2001(b)(1) of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) for the purposes of meeting the immediate needs of students experiencing homelessness, including the identification, enrollment, participation, and success of children and youth experiencing homelessness, and the provision of wrap-around services in light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

• Total ARP Homeless I allocation: $466,994.
• Total ARP Homeless I allocation to LEAs: $350,246. 

USED requires ARP Homeless I funds to be administered by the Office of the State Coordinator for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth and in a manner consistent with all the requirements of the EHCY program. Under the McKinney-Vento Act, EHCY funds must be distributed via a competitive grant process; therefore, ARP Homeless I funds will also be awarded to LEAs through a competitive grant process in the Grants Management System (GMS). All LEAs will be eligible to apply for ARP Homeless I funds and applications will be based on existing EHCY subgrant requirements.

ARP Homeless I Key Dates

• ARP Homeless I Application Released to LEAs: June 17, 2021
• Deadline to Apply for ARP Homeless I: August 15, 2021
• ARP Homeless I Awards Made to LEAs: September 2, 2021
• Deadline to Obligate Funds Under ARP Homeless I: September 30, 2024
• End of Period of Liquidation Under ARP Homeless I: November 30, 2024

ARP Homeless II

Upon receipt and approval of the Vermont AOE’s application for ARP Homeless II funds, USED disbursed the remaining 75% of the ARP-HCY funds on July 27, 2021 for the purposes of identifying homeless children and youth, providing wrap-around services that address the multiple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and ensuring that homeless children and youth are able to attend school and participate fully in school activities.

• Total ARP Homeless I allocation: $1,401,248
• Total ARP Homeless I allocation to LEAs: $1,050,936

ARP Homeless II funds will be distributed to LEAs via the following formula:

• 50% in proportion to the amount that each LEA received under Title I, Part A for the most recent fiscal year; and
• 50% in proportion to the number of homeless children and youth identified by each LEA relative to all LEAs in the State, using the greater of the number of homeless children and youth in either the 2018-19 or 2019-20 school year in each LEA.

USED developed this formula to ensure funds are distributed based on the needs of LEAs, as it considers both the LEA’s number of low-income students and the number of homeless children and youth. Allowing the use of the greater number of homeless children and youth in either SY18-19 or SY19-20 takes into consideration the potential for undercounting in SY19-20 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For those LEAs that completed an Intent to Apply form and received an allocation, an application will be available in the Grants Management System. Information on individual LEA allocations is available in the ARP Homeless II Allocations document.

ARP Homeless II Key Dates

• LEAs notified of Initial ARP Homeless II allocations: September 14, 2021
• LEAs complete Intent to Apply and Intent to Form Consortium: September 29, 2021
•  ARP Homeless II Application opens in GMS: October 12, 2021
• Deadline to Apply for ARP Homeless II: December 1, 2021
• Deadline to Amend ARP Homeless II Application: TBD
• Deadline to Obligate Funds Under ARP Homeless II: September 30, 2024

Education for Homeless Children & Youth (EHCY) Program Minigrant

Overview

The EHCY Program Minigrant is supported by state-level American Rescue Plan-Homeless Children and Youth (ARP-HCY) funding. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) included a total of $800 million to support the specific needs of children and youth experiencing homelessness through ARP-HCY funds, for the purposes of increasing the identification, enrollment, participation and success of children and youth experiencing homelessness, and for the provision of wrap-around services in light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• EHCY Minigrant Overview

Application

All LEAs will be eligible to apply for the EHCY Program Minigrant. The application will be available within the Grants Management System (GMS) under Competitive Applications.

Total amount available to subgrant to LEAs: $325,000

Key Dates

• Application released to LEAs: November 6, 2023
• Deadline to apply: December 4, 2023
• Expected date of grant awards: December 8, 2023
• Deadline to obligate funds: September 30, 2024

For questions please contact Vermont State Homeless coordinator Katy Preston via email at katy.preston@vermont.gov 

AOE Guidance​

• McKinney-Vento Allowable Uses
• ARP Homeless I Guidance Overview
• ARP Homeless II Guidance Overview
• Memo: Alternatives to Prepaid Store Cards (Updated 5/25/2021)

USED Guidance

• Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program Website
• Letter to Chief State School Officers Announcing Grant Award 
• ARP Homeless I-II Total Grant Award Allocations 
• ARP Homeless I SEA Reservations 
• ARP Homeless I Grant Award Notification Assurances 

Reporting

The SEA and LEAs will have to comply with reporting requirements established by USED, including those outlined in the EHCY program, as well as the numbers of students experiencing homelessness identified and supported with ARP Homeless funds and the specific details of supports and services received by students. The AOE will provide additional information regarding reporting requirements as it becomes available from USED.