Federal Grant Award Summary

The Mississippi Department of Employment Security received a $704,894 formula grant from the U.S. 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 funding supports staffing for three specialized employment service positions within American Job Centers: Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program (DVOP) specialists, Local Veterans' Employment Representatives (LVER), and consolidated DVOP/LVER staff. DVOP specialists deliver individualized career services and employment counseling to veterans with significant employment barriers, prioritizing economically and educationally disadvantaged veterans. LVER staff conduct employer outreach and advocacy initiatives to increase hiring opportunities for veterans, particularly those with service-connected disabilities.

The grant enables MDES to prepare veterans and transitioning service members for meaningful employment by providing comprehensive career resources, job placement assistance, and employment expertise. The program specifically targets service-connected disabled veterans, other disabled veterans, economically or educationally disadvantaged veterans, homeless veterans, and those with other substantial employment barriers. As a formula grant to a state workforce agency, the award does not include subawards to other entities, with all services delivered directly through MDES's integrated workforce development infrastructure.