The Virginia Department of Emergency Management has opened its application period for the FY21 Emergency Shelters Upgrade Assistance Grant Fund (Shelter Upgrade Fund).

This is a new funding source that was approved as a result of Senate Bill 350, introduced by State Sen. L. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth), which went into effect July 1.

The General Assembly approved $2.5 million for this grant fund across Virginia in FY 21. The Shelter Upgrade Fund shall be used solely for the purposes of providing matching funds to localities to install, maintain or repair infrastructure related to backup energy generation for emergency shelters, including solar energy generators and to improve the hazard-specific structural integrity (wind retrofit) of shelter facilities owned by the locality.

“It is vitally important to maintain support for our local emergency shelters and backup energy infrastructure,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian J. Moran. “I would like to than...