VA awards more than $51 million in grants to state Veterans cemeteries

WASHINGTON — This month, VA’s National Cemetery Administration awarded $51.3 million in grants to Arizona, Arkansas, Nebraska, New York, Louisiana, Texas, and Virginia for the establishment, expansion, and improvement of state Veterans cemeteries. These grants will help these states deliver timely and accessible burial and memorial services to Veterans.

Since beginning in 1978, the Veterans Cemetery Grant Program has provided more than 480 grants to 122 state, territorial, and Tribal Veterans cemeteries — leading to over 800,000 total interments for Veterans. In fiscal year 2022, these cemeteries and VA national cemeteries conducted nearly 200,000 interments combined.

Veterans interred in state, territorial, or Tribal Veterans cemeteries receive the same burial and memorial benefits provided to Veterans in VA national cemeteries, at no cost. This includes a gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, perpetual care, a government headstone or marker, a burial flag, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate.

“NCA’s Veterans Cemetery Grants Program is critical in our effort to provide burial options to Veterans and their families closer to where they live,” said Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Matt Quinn. “These grants and the enduring partnerships they create with states, tribes, and territories recognize the sacrifices made by Veterans and our nation’s obligation to honor them for their service.”

The cemeteries receiving grants are:

• $8,391,524 for the establishment of Nebraska Veterans Cemetery at Grand Island. The cemetery will serve more than 13,000 Veterans and their eligible family members.
•  $15,902,647 for the establishment of West Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Lubbock. The cemetery will serve more than 21,000 Veterans and their eligible family members.
• $6,484,476 for the expansion and improvement of Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery in Corpus Christi. The cemetery serves more than 42,000 Veterans and their eligible family members.
• $1,869,062 for the expansion and improvement of Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery in Birdeye. The cemetery serves more than 108,000 Veterans and their eligible family members.
• $1,810,957 for the expansion and improvement of Northeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery in Rayville. The cemetery serves more than 33,000 Veterans and their eligible family members.
• $3,808,915 for the expansion and improvement of Southeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery in Slidell. The cemetery serves more than 162,000 Veterans and their eligible family members.
• $3,951,421 for the expansion and improvement of Finger Lakes State Veterans Cemetery in Romulus, NY. The cemetery serves more than 13,000 Veterans and their eligible family members.
• $1,910,246 for the expansion of Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery at Camp Navajo in Bellemont. The cemetery serves more than 31,000 Veterans and their eligible family members.
• $7,130,469 for the expansion of Albert G. Horton, Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Suffolk, VA. The cemetery serves more than 325,000 Veterans and their eligible family members.

Between grant-funded cemeteries and VA’s national cemeteries, the department is now providing 94% of Veterans who live in the U.S. with the option of burial in a VA or VA-funded cemetery within 75 miles of their homes.

Veterans interred in most VA-grant funded cemeteries are also memorialized on the Veterans Legacy Memorial site. This allows family, friends and others to preserve their Veteran’s legacy by posting tributes, uploading images, and sharing their Veteran’s achievements, biographical information and historical documents.

Learn more about VA’s burial benefits and memorial services or watch this video.