The Emergency Solutions Grant is a federal program designed to provide financial assistance to facilities and programs within North Dakota to identify sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons, as well as those at risk of homelessness, and provide the services necessary to help those persons quickly regain stability in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis and/or homelessness. 

The Division of Community Services currently awards grant funds directly to emergency/homeless shelters and agencies throughout the state to provide for activities such as operational expenses (utilities, insurances, furnishings/appliances, etc.) and essential services (case management, medical, laundry, transportation, etc.), homeless prevention, rapid re-housing and HMIS (Homeless Management Information System).

The Division of Community Services is responsible for reviewing and ranking applications, reporting to HUD, awarding grant funds and monitoring the recipients for compliance with program rules. The program administrator visits agencies to provide technical assistance and verify expenditures.