Giving a second chance to groups temporarily rendered ineligible for federal Veterans Affairs funding because of new policies, VA Secretary David Shulkin recently revealed that organizations hoping for fiscal year 2018 grants will receive an extension.
Those entities now will have the opportunity to increase program efficacy before re-applying for the VA’s Homeless Providers’ Grant and Per Diem Program, a VA release said.
Initially, the VA announced in late December 2016 that it would end per diem payments for all grantees starting with fiscal year 1994 to 2016, stating that programs would be required to reapply with new requirements and criteria.
The newly revised guidelines focus more on permanent quarters for veterans, as opposed to transitional housing. The VA plans to communicate with those programs impacted by the modified regulations in the near future, alerting them to eligibility for the one-year extension of per diem funding.
“Our previous Grant and Per Diem Program offered veterans temporary shelter,” Shulkin said. “We want our veterans to have a permanent home. To do that, our homeless programs staff is dedicated to making sure the services and grants we provide to prevent Veteran homelessness are appropriate and based on current needs and approaches.”
The fiscal year 2018 grant and per diem awards will be dispensed to successful applicants in September.
Alerts Sign-up