June 26, 2014, WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced that it is making renewed funding available to 25 organizations in 11 states that provide transitional housing and supportive services to homeless Veterans with special needs. The Grant and Per Diem Program (GPD) Special Need Grants – totaling $5 million to grantees – will allow the organizations to continue providing housing and necessary services to homeless Veterans from any or all of the following groups with special needs: women, frail elderly, terminally ill, chronically mentally ill and individuals who care for minor dependents.
“We will continue our work until no Veteran has to sleep on the streets,” said Acting VA Secretary Sloan Gibson. “We have made significant toward our goal to end Veterans’ homelessness. That progress would not have occurred without the important work of GPD Special Need grantees and other local partners.”
VA’s Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program provides funds to community agencies that provide services to homeless Veterans. The program promotes the development and provision of supportive housing and services with the goal of helping homeless Veterans achieve residential stability, increase their skill levels and income and gain greater self-determination.
A national count in 2013 of homeless persons in the United States revealed there were 57,849 homeless Veterans. While still large, this number represents a 24-percent decline since January 2010. In support of President Obama and VA’s goal of ending Veteran homelessness in 2015, VA committed more than $1 billion in fiscal year 2014 to strengthen programs that prevent and treat the issues that can lead to Veteran homelessness.
To review the Notice of Funding Availability for the GPD Special Need grant, visit the website of the National Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program at www.va.gov/homeless/GPD.ASP. The deadline for submitting proposals will be July 16, 2014.