Ledyard — The United Way of Southeastern Connecticut is accepting applications from local nonprofits and government organizations for its Emergency Food and Shelter Program.

The funding, $139,638 for this year, is made available through the Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Under the terms of this program, agencies chosen to receive funds must: Be private voluntary nonprofits with 501c3 status or units of government eligible to receive federal funds; have an accounting system and conduct an annual independent audit; practice nondiscrimination; have demonstrated the capacity to provide emergency food and/or shelter programs; have a voluntary board of directors if they are a private organization; and have a federal employer identification number (FEIN) and a federal D-U-N-S identification number.

Completed applications are due to United Way of Southeastern Connecticut by 12 p.m. Monday, March 6. An application and other instructions can be found at www.uwsect.org/efsp. For the first time, the United Way will host a bidder's conference at 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 13, at 283 Stoddards Wharf Road, Gales Ferry.

In 2016, EFSP funding in New London County provided 26,827 meals, 2,740 shelter bed nights, 134 households with rental assistance and 48 households with utility assistance.

Anyone with questions may contact Anne Stockton, community impact director, at (860) 464-3321 or anne.stockton@uwsect.org.