VA Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program

Supportive services grants are awarded to selected private non-profit organizations and consumer cooperatives that will assist very low-income Veteran families residing in or transitioning to permanent housing. Grantees will provide a range of suppor

Quickly rehouse Veterans who are literally homeless and to prevent Veterans from becoming homeless. A combination of rapid re-housing and homelessness prevention services offers Veterans a wide range of opportunities to secure and retain permanent housing. With SSVF, Veteran families are cared for through a Veteran-centered and housing with supportive services approach. SSVF's proven model focuses on helping Veterans and the members of their households access and sustain permanent rental housing as quickly and efficiently as possible, without preconditions, while facilitating access to needed health care, employment, legal services, and other supports to maintain permanent housing and improve their quality of life. Veteran households are offered a wide range of services to address housing barriers as well as sustain Veterans and Veteran families in housing once the presenting housing crisis has been resolved.

Under 38 U.S.C. 2044(f) eligible entity means a private nonprofit organization or a consumer cooperative. The term "consumer cooperative" has the meaning given such term under 12 U.S.C. 1701q. Only eligible entities, as defined in 38 U.S.C. 2044(f), can apply in response to this NOFO.

Veteran families, meaning families in which the head of household or the spouse of the head of household served in the active military and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable. Eligible Veteran families must be low income, meaning their annual income, as determined in accordance with 24 CFR 5.609, does not exceed 80 percent of the median income for an area or community. Eligible Veteran families must also fall within one of the following categories: (i) residing in permanent housing; (ii) homeless and scheduled to become a resident of permanent housing within 90 days pending the location or development of housing suitable for permanent housing; or (iii) exited permanent housing within the previous 90 days to seek other housing that is responsive to the low-income Veteran family's needs and preferences.

Section 604 of the Veterans Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-387) established VA's Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program. The SSVF Program provides grants to private non-profit organizations and consumer cooperatives that will coordinate or provide supportive services to Veterans and their families who have less than 80% area median income and (i) are residing in permanent housing, (ii) are homeless and scheduled to become residents of permanent housing within a specified time period, or (iii) after exiting permanent housing within a specified time period, are seeking other housing that is responsive to such very low-income Veteran family's needs and preferences. Grantees are responsible for providing outreach, case management, linkages to VA benefits, and linkages to other public benefits with the supportive services grant funds. Grantees may choose to provide temporary financial assistance on behalf of the Veteran family for certain costs. Limitations on the use of supportive services grant funds, including time and amount limitations, are described in 38 CFR Part 62.

Restricted to regulatory guidance 38 CFR Part 62 and NOFO limitations.

Length of time limitations are established in the notice of fund availability. Grantees will receive payments electronically through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Payment Management System (HHS PMS). Method of awarding/releasing assistance: quarterly, at a minimum.

As funds are available for the program, VA will publish in the Federal Register a notice of fund opportunity (NOFO), soliciting applications for the grant program and information on applications for requesting eligibility to receive SSVF grant funds. The NOFO will contain; the content and form of the application with information on obtaining an application; the date, time, and place for submitting completed applications; the estimated amount and type of funding available; any priorities for or exclusions from funding, and provide information on additional documents necessary for the application. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

As required by 38 CFR 62.23, applications are reviewed, rated, and ranked in priority order. Selection criteria for initial projects include: (i) background, qualifications, experience, and past performance; (ii) program concept and supportive services plan; (iii) quality assurance and evaluation plan; (iv) financial capability and plan; and (v) area or community linkages and relations. Selection criteria for renewal projects include program outcomes; cost-effectiveness; and compliance with final rule and federal requirements. Ranked scores of applicants are the primary basis for selection. However, in accordance with 38 CFR 62.23(d), VA will utilize the following considerations to select applicants for funding: i. Preference applicants that provide or coordinate the provision of supportive services for very low-income Veteran families transitioning from homelessness to permanent housing; and ii. To the extent practicable, ensure that supportive services grants are equitably distributed across geographic regions, including rural communities and Tribal lands.

Formal approval of the award of assistance is made by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. The program is administered by Veterans Health Administration, Homeless Programs, Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program Office.

Deadlines for program applications are established in the notices of fund availability.

Subject to the availability of funds, grants may be renewed. Grantees would be required to submit a renewal application within the time frame established in a notice of fund availability.

If an application would have been selected but for a procedural error committed by VA, VA may reconsider that application in the next funding round. A new application will not be required for this purpose so long as there is no material change in the information.