NOTE: This weekly update is targeted towards the SSVF Grantees and shared with valuable partners for awareness.       

  

REGISTER: SSVF National Webinar: SSVF Program Office Repository Updates & 2021 Year in Review- January 20, 2022, at 2:00pm EST 

RESOURCE: National Personnel Records Center Document Request Guidance (PDF attached) 

NEW: Additional Opportunity - Homeless Program Disposable Smartphone Initiative - Request for Phones 

REMINDER: SSVF Monthly Repository Upload Notice   

REMINDER: SSVF Notice of Funding Opportunity for FY2023 Published    

REMINDER: SmartSimple Grants Management System: Adding Contacts to Grant Awards Pre-recorded Webinar   

RESOURCE: Refer to SSVF Website for Weekly Program Updates      

RESOURCE: SSVF Webinar You Tube Page        

  

  

  

REGISTER:  SSVF National Webinar: SSVF Program Office Repository Updates & 2021 Year in Review- January 20, 2022, at 2:00pm EST 

The SSVF Program Office in collaboration with Technical Assistance Providers will outline upcoming repository changes and data quality feedback.  Details about what Grantees can expect regarding uploads and quality reviews of temporary financial assistance will also be provided. Additionally, Program Office staff will reflect on the work of SSVF Grantees in the last year.  This will include information about SSVF housing outcomes as well as work being done across VA Homeless Programs.   

 

Please register using the following link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2030769809443831311 After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.  

 

 

RESOURCE: National Personnel Records Center Document Request Guidance (PDF attached) 

The VA Homeless Programs Office in consultation and collaboration with the NPRC has developed updated guidance to ensure prioritization and expedited processing of DD214 requests for Veterans experiencing homelessness.  Specifically, there has been an added functionality to the NPRC’s online platform which allows for submission of an “Emergency Request” for Veterans in need of homeless services.  It is strongly encouraged to utilize the online platform to avoid processing delays. (Guidance document attached) 

 

*NOTE: SSVF Grantees should continue to use SQUARES for immediate eligibility determinations for enrollment.  This updated guidance is only intended to assist Veterans with obtaining DD214 documents at their request and/or accessing other Veteran benefits.    

 

 

NEW: Additional Opportunity - Homeless Program Disposable Smartphone Initiative - Request for Phones 

The SSVF Program Office, in partnership with the Homeless Programs Disposable Smartphone Initiative, would like to offer another chance to request these smartphones for Veterans being served by SSVF Grantees.  There are still a small number of disposable smartphones available, and we would like to provide Grantees the opportunity to request phones for the first time or additional phones to supplement their first orders.  Please be sure to assess your local Veteran needs and determine if phones are needed. Please keep in mind these phones are approved only for use with Veterans and cannot be disseminated to family or other household members. All phones must be activated and distributed to Veterans by the end of April 2022. 

 

Please take the time to respond to the survey link below with anticipated need.  The plan is to ship phones to Grantees who indicate interest through the survey shortly after the survey closes.  The number of phones shipped to SSVF Grantees will be determined based on interest, available inventory and budget.  Please keep in mind, shipping times are slightly delayed due to staffing shortages and shipping carrier delays.   

 

More details will be provided on how to distribute, activate and manage the phones once there is confirmation of interest.  

   

All SSVF Grantees that wish to participate in this initiative will need to respond via the following Survey Monkey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZC328FP  Responses must be received NLT Tuesday January 25, 2022  

 

 

REMINDER: SSVF Monthly Repository Upload Notice   

Beginning in March 2022, the SSVF Monthly Upload process will include data quality checks regarding accurate and timely reporting of Temporary Financial Assistance (TFA) provided to Veteran households. These checks will include additional email notifications to grantees whose uploads contain TFA amounts per household that are either too high or too low. To assist with this effort, upload periods will be adjusted as follows:   

  

Month	First Upload Due Date	Final Upload Due Date
March	Wednesday, March 2	Monday, March 7
April	Monday, April 4	Thursday, April 7
May	Tuesday, May 3	Saturday, May 7
June	Thursday, June 2	Tuesday, June 7
July	Tuesday, July 5	Thursday, July 7
August	Tuesday, August 2	Sunday, August 7
September	Friday, September 2	Wednesday, September 7
October	Monday, October 3	Friday, October 7

  

Please make sure these dates are marked on your calendars, and that data entry staff are aware of the extra scrutiny TFA data will receive in the coming calendar year. Data upload technical assistance staff will be on hand on the National webinar on January 20, 2022 to answer any questions about this effort and to provide more information regarding the data quality checks.   

   

  

REMINDER: SSVF Notice of Funding Opportunity for FY2023 Published    

The SSVF Program Office and VA are pleased to announce the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) published in the Federal Register.  This NOFO for supportive services grants provides funding opportunities to new and existing grants.  This NOFO is competitive, and applicants are urged to closely review the NOFO and associated training available on the SSVF website: Homeless Veterans | Core Concepts (va.gov)     

    

Applicants are required to apply online via SSVF's grants management system, SmartSimple.  VA will use the application scoring criteria as described in 38 CFR 62.21, 62.22, and 62.24 and 62.25 for renewal applicants.  Awards are for services to begin October 1, 2023.     

    

Those SSVF programs with multi-year awards (Priority 1) that are not required to submit a renewal application this year, must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) indicating the agency’s desire to continue program operations in FY 2023.      

    

NOTE: An email was sent on November 23, 2021, to SmartSimple account owners for those multi-year Grantees who will need to complete the LOI process.   All grants are eligible to be renewed subject to the availability of funding.      

    

Applications are due no later than February 7, 2022, at 4 pm EST.  Please contact ssvf@va.gov if you have questions or concerns.    

   

   

REMINDER: SmartSimple Grants Management System: Adding Contacts to Grant Awards Pre-recorded Webinar    

A pre-recorded webinar titled: “SmartSimple Grants Management System: Adding Contacts to Grant Awards” explains how to add contacts to your current grant awards. This will enable the relevant staff to view the award in the system and also receive notifications from the Program Office. The link to access the webinar is found here: https://youtu.be/oeCt3TuABgY    

   

   

RESOURCE: Refer to SSVF Website for Weekly Program Updates      

The Program Update is a weekly update that is targeted towards the SSVF Grantees and shared with valuable partners for awareness. It is our expectation that SSVF Program Managers and Organizational Leaders will share/forward this important update to all relevant Staff. In the event you may have missed receiving the Program Update, please be advised that all SSVF Program Updates are located on the SSVF website and may be found using the following link: https://www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf/?page=/ssvf_university/ssvf_programupdates_library       

   

  

RESOURCE: SSVF Webinar You Tube Page        

The SSVF Webinar You Tube Page is updated and contains past webinar play lists.  This link https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-8_WCqFkCnDV89sjPQ6Gnw/playlists will allow Grantees, staff, and Veterans to see all videos after the webinars.