VA's Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program is offered annually (as funding permits) by the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Programs to fund community agencies providing services to homeless Veterans. The purpose is to promote the development and provision of supportive housing and/or supportive services with the goal of helping homeless Veterans achieve residential stability, increase their skill levels and/or income, and obtain greater self-determination.
Only programs with supportive housing (up to 24 months) or service centers (offering services such as case management, education, crisis intervention, counseling, services targeted towards specialized populations including homeless women Veterans, etc.) are eligible for these funds. The program has two levels of funding: the Grant Component and the Per Diem Component.
Grants: Limit is 65% of the costs of construction, renovation, or acquisition of a building for use as service centers or transitional housing for homeless Veterans. Renovation of VA properties is allowed, acquiring VA properties is not. Recipients must obtain the matching 35% share from other sources. Grants may not be used for operational costs, including salaries.
Per Diem: Priority in awarding the Per Diem funds goes to the recipients of Grants. Non-Grant programs may apply for Per Diem under a separate announcement, when published in the Federal Register, announcing the funding for "Per Diem Only."
Operational costs, including salaries, may be funded by the Per Diem Component. For supportive housing, the maximum amount payable under the per diem is $38.90 per day per Veteran housed. Veterans in supportive housing may be asked to pay rent if it does not exceed 30% of the Veteran's monthly-adjusted income. In addition, "reasonable" fees may be charged for services not paid with Per Diem funds. The maximum hourly per diem rate for a service center not connected with supportive housing is 1/8 of the daily cost of care, not to exceed the current VA State Home rate for domiciliary care. Payment for a Veteran in a service center will not exceed 8 hours in any day.
Applications are not accepted for Capital Grants or "Per Diem Only" funding until the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) is published in the Federal Register. Funds will be awarded to programs determined to be the most qualified. The contact person for the Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program is Dr. Roger Casey. Dr. Casey's address is VA Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program, Office of Mental Health Services (116E), VAHQ, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone (toll-free): 1-877-332-0334; E-mail: VA Grant and Per Diem Program. The HCHV programs are administered nationally by Lisa Pape, Acting Associate Chief Consultant, Homeless and Residential Rehabilitation and Treatment Programs, VA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
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