ESG CAPER Submission Guidance

Recipients with HUD funding received through the Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program are required to submit a Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) to HUD annually. Data collection for the ESG portion of the CAPER is aligned with the most recent version of the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Data Standards.

Beginning in October 2017, ESG recipients may submit their accomplishment data in the Sage HMIS Reporting Repository (Sage). This means that recipients will no longer need to use ESG-CAPER Annual Reporting Tool (eCart). Instead, project reports (Comma Separated Value (CSV) downloads) generated by HMIS or comparable databases that were previously uploaded into eCart can be uploaded directly into Sage.

The deadline for HMIS system administrators to update the ESG-CAPER 2017 Report programmed in HMIS and comparable databases was October 1, 2017 to coincide with the HMIS 2017 Data Standards. The updated ESG-CAPER 2017 Report no longer works with eCart. ESG recipients or subrecipients should contact their HMIS administrator to confirm that the required HMIS 2017 Data Standards updates have been made.

Submission Guidance for ESG CAPERs

ESG recipients may submit their HMIS data in the Sage HMIS Reporting Repository October 2017 or as soon as HMIS administrators have completed the required updates for the HMIS 2017 Data Standards. Recipients will no longer need to use eCart; subrecipients will be able to upload their CAPER-CSV directly into Sage.

ESG recipients should submit their ESG CAPER data as follows, whether submitting a FY 2016 or future year CAPER:

  • CR-60: Recipients complete in the eCon Planning Suite (no changes)
  • CR-65: Recipients leave blank (now reporting this data in Sage)
  • CR-70: Recipients complete in the eCon Planning Suite (no changes)
  • CR-75: Recipients complete in the eCon Planning Suite (no changes)
  • CR-00: Recipients upload the Sage report as an attachment (PDF)

For general ESG tools and guidance, please visit the ESG Program Resources page.

Find by Resource Type

Guides and Tools

Sage ESG CAPER Guidebook for ESG-funded Programs

The Sage ESG CAPER Guidebook is intended to assist with the data entry into Sage for all ESG recipients. The Guidebook also instructs ESG subrecipients on uploading their ESG CAPER CSV directly into Sage.

Date Published: March 2022

Sage HMIS Reporting Repository Validation Tables

Sage requires that the Comma Separated Value (CSV) Annual Performance Report (APR), CSV Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER), and CSV Coordinated Entry (CE) APR files meet specific formatting criteria. These requirements are detailed in the Validation Tables.

Date Published: August 2021

ESG CAPER: Sage HMIS Reporting Repository Template

To help users understand what they will be reporting in the Sage HMIS Reporting Repository, HUD has published several templates. These templates allow users to know what data they are reporting in Sage. It is not intended to replace electronic data collection in Sage.

Date Published: August 2021

eCon Planning Suite Desk Guide

This user manual supports grantees using IDIS to file the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan, and CAPER/PER.

Date Published: July 2021

ESG Program HMIS Manual

The Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program HMIS Manual is intended to support data collection and reporting efforts of Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Lead Agencies and ESG recipients and subrecipients. This manual provides information on HMIS program setup and data collection guidance specific to the ESG Program.

Date Published: June 2021

ESG CAPER CSV Export Submission Steps for ESG Program Subrecipients

This reference sheet is intended to clarify for ESG subrecipients the Comma Separated Value (CSV) export process in the Sage HMIS Reporting Repository for the ESG CAPER. The resource takes subrecipients through each step, following the flow of data from the local Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) through the submission of data in Sage or to their ESG recipients.

Date Published: February 2018

Webinars

2021 ESG CAPER Reporting Guidance Webinar

This webinar presented the annual ESG CAPER reporting guidance, including discussion of the changes made in Sage.

Date Published: November 2021

CoC APR and ESG CAPER Training

This training series covers an introduction to the HUD APR and CAPER, data quality, and how to use APR and CAPER data.

Date Published: January 2019

Sage Guidance for ESG Recipients Webinar

The webinar provides ESG recipients (jurisdictions that receive an ESG award directly from HUD) with an overview on:

  • How to register for Sage
  • How to navigate Sage
  • How to upload the ESG CAPER report
  • Data flow from HMIS to Sage
  • Data entry in the eCon Planning Suite
  • Coordination with subrecipients

Date Published: October 2017

Sage Guidance for ESG Subrecipients Webinar

The webinar provides ESG subrecipients (homeless providers that receive ESG funding from a jurisdiction (State, Territory, County or City) with an overview on:

  • How to upload the ESG CAPER report
  • Data flow from HMIS to Sage
  • Common data errors and how to resolve them
  • Coordination with recipients

Date Published: October 2017

CAPER Webinar for ESG Recipients and Subrecipients

This webinar held on January 16, 2014 focuses on how to prepare, complete, and submit the ESG-only portion of the CAPER using the eCon Planning Suite in IDIS while providing context to better understand the “transition” CAPER and HUD’s expectations for its completion. As the entities required to complete the CAPER, ESG recipients are the primary audience. However, this webinar is also relevant to ESG subrecipients, contractors, and CoCs that are involved in providing data to ESG recipients for the CAPER.

Date Published: January 2014

How to Generate HUD’s Revised ESG CAPER: Tips for HMIS System Administrators and ESG Recipients Webinar

This webinar, held on July 31, 2013, as part of the Ready, SET, Go! webinar series, will review the data collection and reporting requirements for the ESG CAPER. Trainers will provide an overview of the ESG CAPER questions, and identify the resources and assistance available to help generate this report.

Date Published: January 2014

HMIS Vendor Information

CoC APR and ESG CAPER HMIS Programming Specifications

These HUD HMIS Programming Specification documents detail the business rules required for the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) Annual Performance Report (APR) and Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER).

Date Published: August 2021

Archived ESG CAPER Resources

These documents are for historical reference only. eCART cannot be used to report on ESG after September 30, 2017.

ESG Webinar: Using eCart for the ESG CAPER

This webinar, held on October 29, 2015, introduced Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program recipients to the ESG-CAPER Annual Reporting Tool (eCart). Presenters demonstrate the previous use of the eCart for the ESG Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER), explain how to submit the eCart as part of the CAPER submission in the eCon Planning Suite, and answer questions related to eCart.

Date Published: October 2015

Notice CPD 13-06: Guidance for Submitting the Portions of the CAPER Related to Homelessness and the ESG Program

This notice provides guidance for completing the ESG portions of the CAPER using the Integrated Disbursement and Information System (IDIS). This notice also provides information on completing homelessness-related portions of the CAPER, which is relevant for all States, local governments, and territories that receive ESG, Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), and/or Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) formula funding (referred to collectively in this notice as Consolidated Plan (Con Plan) jurisdictions).

Date Published: August 2013

Archived ESG CAPER Resources

These documents are for historical reference only. eCART is not used to report on ESG after September 30, 2017.

ESG Webinar: Using eCart for the ESG CAPER

This webinar, held on October 29, 2015, introduced Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program recipients to the ESG-CAPER Annual Reporting Tool (eCart). Presenters demonstrate the previous use of the eCart for the ESG Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER), explain how to submit the eCart as part of the CAPER submission in the eCon Planning Suite, and answer questions related to eCart.

Date Published: October 2015

Notice CPD 13-06: Guidance for Submitting the Portions of the CAPER Related to Homelessness and the ESG Program

This notice provides guidance for completing the Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) portions of the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) using the Integrated Disbursement and Information System (IDIS). This notice also provides information on completing homelessness-related portions of the CAPER, which is relevant for all States, local governments, and territories that receive ESG, Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), and/or Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) formula funding (referred to collectively in this notice as Consolidated Plan (Con Plan) jurisdictions).

Date Published: August 2013