VA announces $5M in grant funding for transitional supportive housing for homeless Veterans

WASHINGTON —Today, as a part of ongoing efforts to end Veteran homelessness, the Department of Veterans Affairs published a Notice of Funding Opportunity for approximately $5 million in grants per year (for up to two years) to help Veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

The funds are available through VA’s Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program, which offers financial assistance to eligible community organizations that provide Veterans with transitional housing and case management — including connecting eligible Veterans to VA benefits, community-based services, and permanent housing. These special needs grants support homeless Veterans who are women, elderly, terminally ill, chronically mentally ill, or who have care of minor dependents.

Ending Veteran homelessness is a top priority of VA and President Biden, who has made supporting Veterans a key pillar of his Unity Agenda for the nation. Earlier this week, VA announced that it permanently housed 46,552homeless Veterans in 2023 — surpassing the calendar year goal to house 38,000 Veterans by 22.5%. Thanks in part to these efforts, the number of Veterans experiencing homelessness has fallen by 4% since early 2020 and by more than 52% since 2010.

“We won’t rest until every Veteran has the safe, stable home that they deserve,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “These grants will allow VA — alongside community organizations —to help provide housing and wraparound services to more homeless and at-risk Veterans.”

VA’s efforts to combat Veteran homelessness are grounded in reaching out to homeless Veterans, understanding their unique needs, and addressing them. These efforts are built on the evidence-based “Housing First” approach, which prioritizes getting a Veteran into housing, then providing them with the wraparound support they need to stay housed, including health care, job training, legal and education assistance, and more. This initiative is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s broader efforts to reduce homelessness.

Only the 16 existing special need grantees are eligible to apply. Awards will fund two years of operations starting fiscal year 2025 on Oct. 1, 2024, and ending Sept. 30, 2026. Grant applications must be received by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on April 15, 2024.

View the special need NOFO, and learn more about GPD or email GPDGrants@va.gov.  For more information about VA’s comprehensive efforts to end Veteran homelessness visit VA.gov/homeless.