The Virginia Emergency Shelter Upgrade Assistance Fund was established as a result of Senate Bill 350, introduced by Senator Lucas, and went into effect on July 1, 2020. The fund aims to provide matching funds to localities for the installation, maintenance, or repair of permanent infrastructure related to standby backup energy generation for emergency shelters, including solar energy generators. Additionally, it seeks to improve the hazard-specific structural integrity of shelter facilities owned by localities. The program prioritizes projects that support vulnerable populations and are long-term risk-based solutions. Localities that submit applications for their primary shelter solutions will have priority, verified by Local Capabilities Assessment Report submissions.