A grant of up to $1,781,558 for the massachusetts veterans memorial cemetery at winchendon

The National Cemetery Administration (NCA) awarded the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, through its Executive Office of Veterans' Services, a Project Grant of $1.78M on September 5, 2025, under the Veterans Cemetery Grants Program (CFDA 64.203). The award funds infrastructure expansion at the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery at Winchendon to increase burial capacity and memorial services for veterans and eligible family members. Specifically, the grant will support the construction of 780 columbarium niches, along with landscaping and irrigation improvements. The project is expected to serve more than 397,000 veterans and their eligible family members across the region, with a completion target date of September 30, 2028.

The Veterans Cemetery Grants Program, administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, assists states, territories, counties, and federally recognized tribal governments in establishing, expanding, and improving veterans' cemeteries in geographic areas where the VA's national cemetery system cannot fully meet burial demand. All funded projects must conform to VA standards and comply with applicable domestic content requirements. This award represents part of the Commonwealth's broader federal investment in veterans' cemetery infrastructure; Massachusetts received a second Project Grant of $2.31M on the same date for similar expansion efforts at the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery at Agawam.

The cemetery at winchendon serves more than 397,000 veterans and their eligible family members. The grant will fund 780 columbarium niches, landscaping, and irrigation.