Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) Grant Applications and Guidance

Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) Grant Overview

Note: the 2026-29 EHCY Grant Competition has concluded. The next EHCY grant competition will take place in 2029. 

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s (DPI) Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program provides Wisconsin local educational agencies (LEAs) an opportunity to apply for an EHCY Innovation grant OR EHCY Compliance grant. The EHCY grant program receives an annual grant award from the United States Department of Education (USDE). DPI awards these funds to eligible LEAs through a competitive and discretionary process. 

Legislation
The intent of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act legislation is to ensure that all children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence receive access to the same free, appropriate public education, including a preschool education, as provided to other children and youth. To meet this goal, DPI and LEAs are required to develop, review, and revise policies to remove barriers to the enrollment, attendance, and the academic success of children and youth experiencing homelessness and provide homeless children and youth with the opportunity to meet the same challenging State academic standards to which all students are held. Federal EHCY funds are granted to DPI under the McKinney-Vento Act, which are then subgranted to Wisconsin LEAs.

Who is Eligible to Apply

All Wisconsin LEAs, which includes public school districts and independent charter schools, are eligible to apply for an EHCY grant.

Innovation Grant

• 3 year grant period with recipients receiving a grant award each year for 3 years (contingent upon DPI's receipt of EHCY funds from USDE).
• Funding amount is between $25,000 - $100,000/year based on numbers of students experiencing homelessness in the district. 
• Focus on INNOVATIVE practices, at least some of which have an academic component. Applicants write their own goals after conducting a needs assessment and/or data analysis. Goals are not intended to focus on compliance related topics (such as: basic training for all staff, transportation, creating district posters/ materials, etc.) If applicable, activities (action steps) related to the larger goal can include and build upon compliance related topics mentioned above.
• DPI meets with grant recipients 1-2 times a year; conducts a McKinney-Vento compliance review; and completes 1 site visit per grant cycle.
• Recipients are required to complete 2 grant reports per year.

Compliance Grant

• 2 year grant period with recipients receiving a grant award each year for 2 years (contingent upon DPI's receipt of EHCY funds from USDE).
• Funding amount will be $10,000/year based on the number of applicants and total amount of funding available at DPI.
• Focus is on COMPLIANCE. Applicants will choose from pre-written grant goals and complete action steps toward completion of chosen goals.
• DPI meets with grant recipients 3-4 times in the first year and 1-2 times in the second year; and conducts a McKinney-Vento compliance review during the grant cycle. 
• Recipients are required to complete 1 grant report per year.

Amount of Funds Available

Varies annually based on federal funding. Generally around $1,000,000 of grant funds are awarded to Wisconsin LEAs annually (contingent upon DPI's receipt of EHCY funds from USDE).