Veterans Transportation Program

 

This program furthers the Department?s mission by establishing a program to provide grants to eligible recipients to assist veterans in highly rural areas through innovative transportation services to travel to Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, and to otherwise assist in providing transportation services in connection with the provision of VA medical care to these veterans

General information about this opportunity
Last Known Status
Active
Program Number
64.035
Federal Agency/Office
Veterans Health Administration Center, Department of Veterans Affairs
Type(s) of Assistance Offered
B - Project Grants
Program Accomplishments
Not applicable.
Authorization
Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010, Public Law 111-163
Who is eligible to apply/benefit from this assistance?
Applicant Eligibility
The Secretary may award the grants to an "eligible entity" which is defined as either a Veterans Service Organization or State Veterans Service Agency, in accordance with paragraphs (a)(2)(A)-(B) of section 307 of the 2010 Act.
Beneficiary Eligibility
A "participant" would be defined as a veteran in a highly rural area who receives transportation services from a grantee.
Credentials/Documentation
Applicants are required to submit a complete grant application package to be considered for an initial grant. The NOFA would specify the initial grant application procedures to be followed.
What is the process for applying and being award this assistance?
Pre-Application Procedure
Preapplication coordination is not applicable.
Application Procedure
2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. The 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 grant funds. VA will establish scoring and selection categories for the award of grants in accordance with the mandate in paragraph (b)(1) of section 307 of the 2010 Act, which requires that VA prescribe regulations to evaluate grant applications. VA will specify the scoring criteria for initial grant applications. These criteria are weighted according to their probability of influencing an applicant's development of a successful program, as well as meeting the requirement for innovation in paragraph (a)(1) of section 307 of the 2010 Act. Forms furnished by VA must be used for the program. Applications will only be accepted when received within the timeframe and meeting the requirements described in a notice of fund availability published in the Federal Register.
Award Procedure
VA will specify in the NOFA, the process VA will use to award initial grants, where VA would score applications using a criteria and rank applications that receive at least the minimum amount of total points and points per category set forth in the NOFA. VA would then award grants for the highest ranked applications for which funding is available.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines
Approval/Disapproval Decision Time
From 90 to 120 days. 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 grant funds.
Appeals
Not applicable.
Renewals
VA would publish in the NOFA renewal grant information. Similarly weighted as those for initial grant applications, but are specific to renewal grant applications to assist VA in evaluating those programs which would already be operating. Accordingly, points would be awarded based on a grantee's program's success, cost effectiveness, and compliance with the grant agreement and other applicable laws and regulations, subject to the availability of funds. Grantees would be required to submit a renewal application within the time frame established in a notice of fund availability
How are proposals selected?
Scoring and selection categories for the award of grants in accordance with the mandate in paragraph (b)(1) of section 307 of the 2010 Act, which requires that VA prescribe regulations to evaluate grant applications. VA would specify the scoring criteria for initial grant applications. The criteria are weighted according to their probability of influencing an applicant's development of a successful program, as well as meeting the requirement for innovation in paragraph (a)(1) of section 307 of the 2010 Act.
How may assistance be used?
VA will award grants to “eligible entities” to assist veterans in highly rural areas to travel to VA medical centers, and otherwise assist in providing transportation in connection with the provision of VA medical care of these veterans. A “highly rural area” would be defined as an area consisting of a county or counties having a population of less than seven persons per square mile, consistent with paragraph (c)(1) of section 307 of the 2010 Act. VA currently monitors and maintains a specific listing of such highly rural areas, and grants will only be awarded to applicants whose programs will service one or more of these areas, as identified in the application and notice of funding availability.
What are the requirements after being awarded this opportunity?
Reporting
Not applicable.
Auditing
Not applicable.
Records
Records must be retained at least 3 years after the end of the grant period.
Other Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Length-of-time limitations are established in the notice of fund availability. Grantees will receive payments electronically through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Financial Management System. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Lump.
Who do I contact about this opportunity?
Regional or Local Office
None/Not specified.
Headquarters Office
Michelle Staton
2957 Clairmont Road, Suite 200
Atlanta, GA 30329 US
michelle.staton@va.gov
Phone: 404-828-5380
Financial Information
Account Identification
36-0160-0-1-700
Obligations
(Project Grants) FY 11 FY 12 FY 13 est $275,000.00;
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
The grant amounts will be specified in the Notice of Fund Availability, but that no single grant will exceed $50,000, to comply with paragraph (a)(4) of section 307 of the 2010 Act.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
Not applicable.
Examples of Funded Projects
Not applicable.

 



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