Harris County PY2027 Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG): Harris County Housing and Community Development is accepting competitive applicant proposals for federally funded subgrants supporting people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness in eligible Harris County service areas. Applications opened October 16, 2026. These are genuine financial-assistance subawards, not ordinary government vendor purchases, even though Harris County calls the competition a Request for Proposals.
Applicant-level grant amount: An individual applicant ceiling or guaranteed award range is not published in the official 25-page ESG Guidebook. Approximately $1,200,000 is the combined ESG funding allocation for this competition, not an individual applicant award. Funding is competitive and subject to county and HUD eligibility requirements.
Deadline: Friday, December 4, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. Central Standard Time (CST), through the designated Harris County PY2027 ESG Application Portal. The official program summary incorrectly labels that date’s time zone CDT; its detailed application timeline explicitly uses CST. No late applications are accepted. The final date for application questions and technical-assistance arrangements is November 13, 2026.
Eligible applicants: Qualifying 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) nonprofits, faith-based organizations providing eligible services, governmental entities, and community providers with appropriate grant-management capacity, in active SAM.gov registration with a UEI and without disqualifying federal or county issues. Activities must benefit eligible populations in Harris County’s program jurisdiction. Applicant eligibility and geographic limits must be confirmed against the controlling Guidebook and service map.
Allowable activities: Emergency shelter services, street outreach, homelessness prevention, and rapid re-housing, subject to HUD ESG eligibility and service documentation. Applicants must satisfy applicable Coordinated Entry and HMIS requirements; domestic violence victim-service providers use permitted comparable data systems and protections. Proposed activities must demonstrate documented need and eligible program participants.
Financial rules: Harris County passes through the HUD ESG 100% matching requirement to subrecipients. Cash and certain documented in-kind or other eligible matching sources may qualify; verify particular federal/nonfederal sources with the county. The funding is ordinarily reimbursement based, with no entitlement to advance payment. Applicants must demonstrate liquid working capital or a line of credit sufficient for approximately 120 days (four months) of organizational operating needs. No expenses incurred before authorized approval should be assumed reimbursable.
Submission requirements: Register for the current official county application portal, complete required ESG project budget, general requirements, conflict-of-interest and ESG standards acknowledgment documents, provide governing and financial documentation, and attach an appropriate detailed scope of work. Up to two ESG proposals may be submitted, subject to the combined limit across the county’s related CDBG/ESG competitions.
Official application materials: Harris County PY2027 ESG notice, current 25-page Guidebook, supporting forms and application link. Verified against official applicant instructions October 29, 2026. The county’s separate required attachments and any later amendments control before final publication approval.