VA is providing funding to assist with the costs to provide legal services to eligible veterans and participants

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration awarded East River Legal Services Corporation a Project Grant of $352,209.02, effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027, under the Legal Services for Homeless Veterans and Veterans At-Risk for Homelessness Grant Program (CFDA 64.056). The award supports the delivery of comprehensive legal services to eligible veterans experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness in South Dakota. East River Legal Services will provide direct legal representation, advice, education, and advocacy across multiple practice domains, including housing law, family law, income support, criminal defense, healthcare access, military discharge upgrades, consumer law, and employment law.

This funding addresses critical legal barriers that impede housing stability and prevent eligible veterans from achieving or maintaining permanent housing. As a condition of the award, East River Legal Services must provide at least four types of legal services and commit a minimum of 10 percent of grant funds to serve women veterans. The organization is required to maintain comprehensive grant records for seven years and may be subject to federal audit through the VA's Office of Business Oversight if federal expenditures reach the $750,000 threshold during the grant period.