The VA’s Veteran Experience Office (VEO) is searching for 10 non-profit Veteran community-serving organizations who can innovatively and uniquely engage 5000 Veterans in underserved groups.
Donor Name: Department of Veteran Affairs (VA)
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Awards and Prizes
Deadline: 03/31/2025
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) – Veterans Experience Office (VEO) is hosting an award recognizing non-profit Veteran community-serving organizations for innovative solutions to reach and support underserved Veterans, their families, caregivers, and/or survivors. Despite efforts by both community-based organizations and the VA, gaps remain in Veterans’ access to and utilization of both VA and non-VA services. VA relies on community engagement and outreach with Veteran community-serving organizations to bridge gaps in services and reach those with unmet needs. By having innovative community engagement strategies, Veterans, their families, caregivers, and/or survivors can more readily access the benefits and services available to them.
As such, VEO is seeking submissions for the VA Community Engagement Award. The top 10 non-profit organizations/teams will each receive a monetary award to plan and implement community-based outreach event(s) or activation(s) to reach over 5,000 underserved Veterans across four priority categories: Transitioning Veterans, Rural Veterans, Minority Veterans, and the Veteran Gaming community.
Those who receive an award will be recognized for their outstanding achievement in the development of innovative, scalable, community-based solutions to improve customer experience, Veteran community outreach, and ultimately increase access to VA and non-VA services. Awardees must demonstrate innovative methods for Veteran community engagement, coalition building, creating a community-connected support system, and implementing modernized solutions to fuel a model which can be customized to meet the needs of any community.
Award Categories
Organizations and teams may be considered for more than one of the four award categories. However, only one award will be issued per organization.
- Transitioning Veterans – Outreach efforts to the approximately 200,000 service members transitioning from military service to civilian life each year to increase access to VA and mental health support. Efforts should include transitioning Veterans, their families, caregivers, and/or survivors. Outreach efforts to those who are or at-risk of being homeless upon transition to civilian life will fall into this category.
- Rural Veterans – Outreach efforts to the approximately 4.4 million Veterans living in rural and highly rural areas and their families, caregivers, and/or survivors to increase access to VA and mental health support. Specific outreach efforts to tribal communities will fall into this category. Specific outreach efforts to tribal communities, as well as those who are or at-risk of being homeless in rural areas will fall into this category.
- Minority Veterans – Outreach efforts to the Black, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, Women, and other minority Veterans and their families, caregivers, and and/or survivors to increase access to VA and mental health support. Outreach efforts to specific minority groups who are or at-risk of being homeless will fall into this category.
- Veteran Gaming Community – Outreach efforts to the Veteran gaming community, their families, caregivers, and/or survivors to help reduce isolation, provide recreational therapy support, and increase access to VA and mental health support. Efforts must include an outreach and marketing component to transitioning service members and Veteran youth.
Prize
Total cash prizes: $100,000.
Eligibility Requirements
- Any US-based non-profit Veteran-community serving organization or team delivering positive outcomes for Veterans, their families, caregivers, and/or survivors.
- Private, for-profit entities, and governmental organizations are NOT eligible.
- Community Veteran Engagement Boards (CVEB) and equivalent organizations or teams are eligible to apply.
- Grassroots and informal teams without formal non-profit designations are eligible to apply if they can demonstrate that they are not a for-profit entity, and the prize money will not result in any direct and/or indirect profit for any team members.
For more information, visit Department of Veteran Affairs.
