Veterans Cemetery Grants Program

 

To assist States and federally recognized tribal governments in the establishment, expansion, and improvement of veterans' cemeteries.

Active 64.203 National Cemetery System, Department of Veterans Affairs B - Project Grants Fiscal Year 2015 To date the program has awarded more than $664 million dollars to establish, expand, or improve 104 state and tribal government cemeteries in 47 states and territories (including Guam and Saipan).
Fiscal Year 2016 To date the program has awarded more than $664 million dollars to establish, expand, or improve 104 state and tribal government cemeteries in 47 states and territories (including Guam and Saipan).
Fiscal Year 2017 To date the program has awarded more than $664 million dollars to establish, expand, or improve 104 state and tribal government cemeteries in 47 states and territories (including Guam and Saipan).
Fiscal Year 2023 Since 1980, VCGP has awarded grants totaling almost $989 million that 49 states, tribes and territories (including Guam, Saipan and Puerto Rico) used to establish, expand, improve, operate or maintain a total of 122 Veterans cemeteries in 2024. In early 2023, NCA will surpass the $1 billion grant milestone. In 2023, VCGP cemeteries are projected to bury over 47,000 Veterans and eligible family members, approximately 23% of the total annual interments in national, state, county, territory and tribal cemeteries. In 2022, the program opened one new state cemetery, Seaman First Class Billy Turner Ardmore Veterans Cemetery in Ardmore, OK and one new tribal cemetery, Annette Island Reserve Veterans Cemetery in Metlakatla, AK. In 2023, the program is expected to open State Veterans Cemetery Redwood Falls in rural Southewestern Minnesota. These three cemeteries provide a burial option to 29,563 unserved Veterans and their eligible family members. U.S.C. 38 U.S.C. § 2408
Public Law 105-368
Public Law 109-461 Any State may apply. Any U.S. territory may apply Any federal recognized tribal government The cemetery must be used solely for the interment of veterans, their wives, husbands, surviving spouses, minor children, and unmarried adult children who were physically or mentally disabled and incapable of self support: section 38 CFR Part 38.620. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program. Preapplication coordination is required. An environmental impact statement is required for this listing. An environmental impact assessment is required for this listing. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. Preapplication coordination is required. An environmental impact statement is required for this program. An environmental impact assessment is required for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. Submit Standard Form 424, "Application for Federal Assistance for Construction Programs," with attachments, to the Director, Veterans Cemetery Grants Service (40A3), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20420. ? 39.4 Decision makers, notifications, and additional information. Decisions required under this part will be made by the VA Director, Veterans Cemetery Grants Program (VCGP), National Cemetery Administration, unless otherwise specified in this part. The VA decisionmaker will provide to affected States and Tribal Organizations written notice of approvals, denials, or requests for additional information under this part. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501, 2408) July 2, 2023 to July 1, 2024 A deadline of July 1st is established for the filing of applications in the year prior to the fiscal year in which funding is requested. A deadline of July 1st is established for the filing of applications in the year prior to the fiscal year in which funding is requested. If submitted after July 1st, funding will be considered in 2025. From 30 to 60 days after application is submitted to Veterans Cemetery Grants Program. This does not include the pre-application phase which starts when received through grants.gov ? 39.9 Hearings. (a) No application for a grant under this part shall be disapproved until the applicant has been afforded an opportunity for a hearing. (b) Whenever a hearing is requested under this section, notice of the hearing, procedure for the conduct of such hearing, and procedures relating to decisions and notices shall accord with the provisions of ?? 18.9 and 18.10 of this chapter. Failure of an applicant to request a hearing under this section or to appear at a hearing for which a date has been set shall be deemed to be a waiver of the right to be heard and constitutes consent to the making of a decision on the basis of such information as is available. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501, 2408) Not applicable. ? 39.3 Priority list. (a) The priority groups, with Priority Group 1 having the highest priority and Priority Group 4 the lowest priority, are: (1) Priority Group 1 - Projects needed to avoid disruption in burial service that would otherwise occur at existing veterans cemeteries within 4 years of the date of the preapplication. Such projects would include expansion projects as well as improvement projects (such as construction of additional or replacement facilities) when such improvements are required to continue interment operations. (2) Priority Group 2 - Projects for the establishment of new veterans cemeteries. (3) Priority Group 3 - Expansion projects at existing veterans cemeteries when a disruption in burial service due to the exhaustion of existing gravesites is not expected to occur within 4 years of the date of the preapplication. (4) Priority Group 4 - Improvement projects for cemetery landscaping or infrastructure, such as building expansion and upgrades to roads and irrigation systems, that are not directly related to the development of new gravesites. Operation and Maintenance Projects that address NCA's national shrine standards of appearance are included in this group. (b) Within Priority Groups 1, 2, and 3, highest priority will be given to projects in geographical locations with the greatest number of veterans who will benefit from the project as determined by VA. This prioritization system, based on veteran population data, will assist VA in maintaining and improving access to burial in a veterans cemetery to more veterans and their eligible family members. Within Priority Group 1, at the discretion of VA, higher priority may be given to a project that must be funded that fiscal year to avoid disruption in burial service. (c) Grants for projects within Priority Group 4 will be awarded in any fiscal year only after grants for all project applications under Priority Groups 1, 2, and 3 that are ready for funding have been awarded. Within Priority Group 4, projects will be ranked in priority order based upon VA's determination of the relative importance of proposed improvements and the degree to which proposed Operation and Maintenance Projects achieve NCA national shrine standards of appearance. No more than $5 million in any fiscal year will be awarded for Operation and Maintenance Projects under Priority Group 4. (d) By August 15 of each year, VA will make a list prioritizing all preapplications that were received on or before July 1 of that year and that were approved under ? 39.31 or ? 39.81, ranking them in their order of priority within the applicable Priority Group for funding during the fiscal year that begins the following October 1. Preapplications from previous years will be re-prioritized each year and do not need to be resubmitted. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501, 2408) Monetary assistance is provided under this program to establish, expand, and improve State or Tribal government veterans’ cemeteries. Cemeteries must be State or Tribal Government owned and operated solely for the interment of eligible veterans and their dependents and/or spouses. Construction cost means the amount found necessary to convert a tract of land to an operational cemetery. *Tribal Government refers to the federally recognized tribal governments. Not applicable. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. Financial records, supporting documents, statistical records and all other records pertinent to a grant shall be retained for a period of three years. If any claim or audit is started before the expiration of the three year period, the records shall be retained until all litigation, claims or audit findings involving the records have been resolved. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching is mandatory. 10%. The matching requirement is reimbursable after the grant is awarded. It assures that Architect & Engineering Fees for design are available for required submissions prior to grant award. There is no maintenance of effort (MOE) for this program.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Funds are provided by electronic transfer of funds and must be used within 3 years. Funds are released as work is completed and approved by the Veterans Cemetery Grants Program for the project. This is a reimbursement grant. None/Not specified. Veterans Cemetery Grants Program (41C)
810 Vermont Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20420 US
VCGP@va.gov
Phone: 202-632-7208 https://www.cem.va.gov/grants/ 36-0183-0-1-703 (Project Grants) FY 22$28,968,269.00; FY 23 est $63,430,000.00; FY 24 est $73,000,000.00; FY 21$51,997,520.00; FY 19$45,008,042.00; FY 20 est $45,000,000.00; FY 17 Estimate Not Available FY 15$46,678,221.00; FY 16 Estimate Not Available - Range of Financial Assistance from 1980 $2,897 to 14,000,000 VA Regulations 38 CFR Parts 39 and 43, State Cemetery Grant Program and "Federal Assistance for Establishment, Expansion, and Improvement of State Veterans' Cemeteries (State Cemetery Grants Program)" (VA Pamphlet 40-96). Not applicable.