Federal Grant Award Summary

The Arkansas Division of Workforce Services received a $1,013,988 formula grant award from the Department of Labor's Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS) under the Jobs for Veterans State Grants (JVSG) program (CFDA 17.801), effective October 1, 2025, through December 31, 2027. This award funds specialized employment services positions—Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program (DVOP) specialists, Local Veterans' Employment Representatives (LVER) staff, and consolidated DVOP/LVER positions—operating within American Job Centers across Arkansas. These funded positions deliver individualized career counseling, job placement assistance, and employment advocacy services to veterans with significant barriers to employment, with particular emphasis on economically disadvantaged, educationally disadvantaged, service-connected disabled, homeless, and other vulnerable veteran populations.

DVOP specialists provide direct career services and employment counseling tailored to individual veterans' needs, while LVER staff engage in employer outreach and advocacy to expand job opportunities for veterans and promote the hiring of disabled veterans. The award supports the preparation of transitioning service members and veterans for sustainable careers through employment resource provision and job development initiatives. As a state workforce agency recipient, the Arkansas Division of Workforce Services administers these services directly without subawards and maintains comprehensive cost accounting, timekeeping, and performance records in accordance with applicable federal regulations and VETS policy requirements.