To
assist public and nonprofit private entities in establishing new
programs and service centers to furnish supportive services and
supportive housing for homeless veterans through grants that may
be used to acquire, renovate or alter facilities, and to provide
per diem payments, or in-kind assistance in lieu of per diem payments,
to eligible entities which established programs after November 10,
1992 that provide supportive services and supportive housing for
homeless veterans. (Note: The number of vans was limited to 20 for
the life of this grant. This Van Restriction has not been lifted.)
TYPES
OF ASSISTANCE:
Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES
AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
The
Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Service Programs Act of 1992 (Public
Law 102-590) established the VA Homeless Providers Grant and Per
Diem Program. The Act authorizes VA to assist public or non-profit
private entities with partial funding for "bricks and mortar" to
create supportive housing or services centers or to purchase vans
for outreach and transportation. The Act also authorizes VA to partially
fund operating expenses for these facilities through per diem payments.
ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant
Eligibility: Applicants eligible for grants
include public and nonprofit private entities with the capacity
to effectively administer a grant; which demonstrate that adequate
financial support will be available to carry out the project; and
which agree to and demonstrate capacity to meet the applicable criteria
and requirements of the grant program. Applicants eligible for per
diem payments include public or nonprofit private entities who are
either grant recipients, or who are eligible to receive a grant.
Programs eligible for coverage under per diem payments must have
been established after November 10, 1992.
Beneficiary
Eligibility: Veterans, meaning a person who
served in the active military, naval or air service, and who was
discharged or released there from under conditions other than
dishonorable.
Credentials/Documentation:
Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87
for State and local governments, and with OMB Circular No. A-122
for nonprofit organizations.
Pre-application
Coordination: Application documents include
a Standard Form 424, 424C and 424D, as well as VA Form 10-0361.
Once per year if funds are available for the program, VA will publish
in the Federal Register a notice of fund availability, soliciting
applications for the grant program and information on applications
for requesting eligibility to receive per diem payments. This program
is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application
Procedure: The application forms required
by 38 CFR 17.700, "VA Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program,"
and furnished by the Federal agency must be used for the program.
Award
Procedure: Formal approval of the award of
assistance is made by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; the program
is administered by Mental Health Strategic Healthcare Group.
Deadlines:
Deadlines for program applications are established in the notice
of fund availability.
Range
of Approval/Disapproval Time: For grant applicants,
from 30 to 60 work days after receipt of items in the Second Submission
section of the grant application package, including documentation
on acquisition, rehabilitation and new construction; match and
feasibility; matching funds; supportive services; and operating
budget. For recognition by VA as eligible to receive per diem
payments, 30 to 60 days after formal recognition is approved,
pending availability of funds.
Appeals:
If an application would have been selected but for a procedural
error committed by VA, VA will select that application for potential
funding when sufficient funds become available, if there is no
material change in the information that resulted in its selection.
A new application will not be required for this purpose.
Renewals:
Not applicable.
ASSISTANCE
CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula
and Matching Requirements: Refer to 38 CFR 17.706.
Federal participation provides up to 65 percent of total project
cost, with the grant recipient providing the remainder. Once funds
are obligated for a grant project, VA will not increase the amount
obligated.
Length
and Time Phasing of Assistance: For the grant
program, appropriation expires at the end of each fiscal year.
Length of time limitations for the per diem programs are not established,
however, per diem is contingent on availability of VA program
funds. Reimbursement payments are made to the recipient based
on the Federal share of costs incurred.
POST
ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports:
Required in accordance with 38 CFR 17.700.
Audits:
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133 (Revised,
June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit
Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance
of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a
program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities
that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt
from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted
in Circular No. A-133.
Records:
Three categories of records should be maintained by VA and the
contractor: (a) contractor fiscal records; (b) contractor treatment
records; and (c) VA record summaries of treatment provided. Contractor
fiscal records should be maintained by the contractor until they
are certified by the General Accounting Office, as guided by Records
Control Schedule 10-1. Contractor treatment records should be
maintained by the contractor for a period of three years after
the date of last patient activity before being disposed of by
the contractor. Contractor summaries and related records will
be maintained by the appropriate VA health care facility until
three years after the last episode of care, then they will be
filed with VA's Consolidated Health Records for each veteran patient.
Consolidated Health Records are retained by the VA facility for
75 years from the last episode of care.
FINANCIAL
INFORMATION:
Account
Identification: 36-0160-0-1-703.
Obligations:
(Grants) FY 01 $20,000,000; FY 02 est $31,653,000; and FY 03 est
$31,653,000.
Range
and Average of Financial Assistance: $12,610 to $541,000.
During the first five rounds of funding, more than 400 applications
were received, requesting approximately $200 million to acquire,
renovate, or construct supportive housing or service center facilities
for homeless veterans or to purchase vans for outreach and transportation.
Total VA funding for these projects was over $26 million. When these
projects are completed, approximately 2,500 new community-based
beds will be available for homeless veterans. Additionally, under
this funding, 14 homeless veterans service centers will be established;
20 vans have been purchased by entities to conduct outreach or provide
transportation for homeless veterans; and five mobile service center
units will provide medical care and/or counseling services for homeless
veterans with limited access to treatment. Most programs have been
awarded grants for acquiring and renovating facilities. A small
number of programs have been awarded a grant for new construction
of buildings or acquiring already renovated facilities. Twenty programs
were awarded grants to purchase vans for outreach and transportation.
The majority of grant funding for housing will create transitional
housing for homeless veterans. Of this transitional housing or in
addition to it, supportive housing beds will be created for special
populations including homeless elderly veterans, female veterans,
veterans experiencing mental health or substance abuse problems,
and homeless terminally ill veterans. In addition to housing, the
funding will also create service centers that provide linkages with
other community resources, job training, and/or emergency services
in an effort to engage the homeless veteran in more longer term
support. The projects funded to purchase vans will be using the
vehicles for expanding outreach efforts and providing transportation
for homeless veterans to VA and community services.
REGULATIONS,
GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
Title 38 Code of Federal Regulations 17.700 - 17.731, VA Homeless
Providers Grant and Per Diem Program.
INFORMATION
CONTACTS:
Regional
or Local Office: Not applicable.
Headquarters
Office: Program Manager, VA Homeless Providers
Grant and Per Diem Program, Mental Health Strategic Healthcare
Group (116E), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue,
NW., Washington, DC 20420. Telephone: (202) 273-8966. (This is
not a toll-free number.) Toll-free 1-877-322-0334. Contacts: Victor
Harris - Telephone: (202) 273-8443. Roger Casey - Telephone: 1-877-322-0334.
Web
Site Address: http://www.va.gov
EXAMPLES
OF FUNDED PROJECTS:
None.
CRITERIA
FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
As required by 38 CFR 17.700, applications are reviewed, rated and
ranked in priority order. Selection criteria include: a. Quality
of the project. b. Targeting to persons on street and in shelters.
c. Ability of the applicant to develop and operate a project. d.
Need for the type of project proposed in the area to be served.
e. Innovative quality of the proposal. f. Leveraging. g. Cost effectiveness.
h. Coordination with other programs.
