Federal Grant Award Summary

The Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS) awarded the Illinois Department of Employment Security a formula grant of $3,238,442 under the Jobs for Veterans State Grants (JVSG) program (CFDA 17.801), effective October 1, 2025, through December 31, 2027. The award funds specialized employment service positions within American Job Centers across Illinois, including Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program (DVOP) specialists, Local Veterans' Employment Representatives (LVER), and consolidated DVOP/LVER staff. These funded positions deliver individualized career counseling, job placement services, and employment advocacy to veterans with significant barriers to employment, with particular emphasis on service-connected disabled veterans, economically or educationally disadvantaged veterans, homeless veterans, and other vulnerable veteran populations.

DVOP specialists provide direct career services tailored to address individual employment barriers, while LVERs conduct employer outreach and advocacy with hiring executives to expand employment opportunities for veterans and promote the hiring of disabled veterans. The consolidated position staff perform both functions in a dual role. As a formula grant, funding is distributed proportionally to state workforce agencies without subawarding to other entities, and recipients must maintain comprehensive cost accounting, timekeeping, and performance records in accordance with applicable federal regulations and Veterans' Program Letters.