The Virginia Emergency Shelter Upgrade Assistance Fund was established by Senate Bill 350, introduced by Senator Lucas, effective from July 1, 2020. This fund is dedicated to providing matching funds to local governments for installing, maintaining, or repairing emergency shelter infrastructure to enhance resilience against natural disasters. This includes infrastructure for backup energy generation, such as solar energy generators, and wind retrofitting to improve structural integrity. The fund prioritizes projects that protect vulnerable populations, offer long-term risk solutions, and support primary shelter enhancements as verified by Local Capabilities Assessment Reports (LCAR). Eligible applicants are local governments with a current and locally-adopted emergency operations plan compliant with Virginia’s Emergency Services and Disaster Laws. Local governments are restricted to one application per year and must have completed any prior funded projects before applying.