VA Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program

The Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program, administered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), offers critical grant funding to private nonprofit organizations and consumer cooperatives to assist very low-income Veteran families in securing or maintaining permanent housing. The SSVF program was authorized under Section 604 of the Veterans' Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act of 2008 and is implemented through 38 U.S.C. § 2044. The overarching goal of this grant program is to end and prevent homelessness among Veterans by delivering a suite of housing-related support services. VA has committed approximately $855 million through this FY 2027 funding cycle and expects to issue more than 200 grant awards ranging from $262,981 to $23,153,846. The SSVF program emphasizes rapid re-housing for homeless Veteran families and homelessness prevention for those at risk of losing their housing. Grantees are expected to deliver a range of services including case management, temporary financial assistance, legal services, and coordination with health and mental health resources. In a significant policy update, the VA will allow eligible Veteran households with income up to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) to qualify, aligning with HUD-VASH eligibility and broadening the support available in high-cost areas. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is open to both renewal applicants (under Priority 1, 2, or 3) and new applicants (Priority 4). Priority 1 is designated for current grantees expanding to rural communities, while Priority 2 requires accreditation through CARF, COA, or The Joint Commission. Priority 3 encompasses renewal applicants not included in the higher tiers, and Priority 4 is for new organizations seeking entry into the program. All applicants must submit an electronic application by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on February 19, 2026. Letters of Intent (LOIs) are required for most renewal applications. Applicants must be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM.gov), possess a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), and maintain an active SAM registration. Applications are submitted through VA’s electronic grants management system, following the guidelines provided in the NOFO and associated training materials. No paper, faxed, emailed, or hand-delivered applications are accepted. Additional application resources and system registration guides are available on the VA's SSVF website. Eligible uses of funding include up to two months’ rent paid to landlords, up to $1,000 for move-in expenses for leases of one year or longer, and other temporary financial assistance categories such as emergency housing, childcare, transportation, and utility assistance. Administrative costs are capped at 10% of total grant funds. Applicants are expected to actively participate in local Continuum of Care (CoC) planning and coordination efforts and are encouraged to submit letters of support from CoCs and Tribal Governments when applicable. Award announcements are expected in Q4 FY 2027, with project start dates beginning October 1, 2026. Awards may span one or three years depending on performance, with multi-year awards contingent on meeting performance targets and holding relevant accreditations. Grantees will be required to submit data to the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), undergo annual monitoring, and achieve performance benchmarks such as permanent housing placement rates and reduced returns to homelessness. This funding opportunity reflects VA’s deep commitment to reducing Veteran homelessness through public-private partnerships and a robust national network of support services.

Submit early; SAM/UEI registration can take weeks; incomplete or late apps are ineligible. CoC and Tribal letters strongly encouraged.