Education of Homeless Children & Youth (EHCY) Grant Information and Resources

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act was passed in 1987 and was most recently amended by Title IX, Part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in December 2015. Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act authorizes the federal Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) Grant Program and serves as the primary federal legislation to remove educational barriers due to experiencing homelessness.

The U.S. Department of Education allocates EHCY funding to states according to each state's proportion of Title I, Part A funds. States may retain up to 25 percent of the EHCY funding for state-level program administration and must subgrant at least 75 percent to Local Education Agencies (LEAs). 

Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) Grant Information, Application Materials, and Resources

The State Education Agency (SEA) must run a competitive subgrant process at least every three years to allocate the Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) funds to Local Education Agencies (LEAs). The EHCY funds are designed to supplement, not supplant, the existing resources and services to eliminate barriers to the identification, immediate enrollment, regular attendance, and academic success of students experiencing homelessness (42 U.S.C. § 11433(a)(3)). 

EHCY grant funds are awarded on a highly competitive basis and selection is based on the proposed project’s quality, assessment of the educational and related needs of eligible students, and the ability of the applicant to meet the identified needs. 

FY27 is the first year of the current three-year EHCY grant cycle. Other EHCY grant funding opportunities may become available throughout the three-year EHCY funding cycle.

  • Application Timelines
    • Application Open Date: April 1, 2026 
    • Application Close Date: June 1, 2026 
    • Project Start Date: July 1, 2026 
    • Project End Date: September 30, 2027 
  • Grant Application Requirements

To support LEAs in preparing to apply for the FY27 EHCY Grant, the required grant elements are provided below: 

 

  • Informational Webinar

To support LEAs in applying for the FY27 EHCY Grant, an informational webinar will be provided and materials shared below: The webinar will cover eligiblity requirements, allowable uses of funds, the application process, and what to expect when applying for the grant. All LEA staff responsible for making programmatic and funding decisions related to children and youth experiencing homelessness, including McKinney-Vento Homeless Liaisons, Federal Grants Coordinators, and Title I Directors, are strongly encouraged to attend.  

Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) Subgrant Allocations

Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) Subgrant Budget Resources