U.S. Department of Labor VETS Offers Grants for Stand Down Events Assisting Homeless Veterans

*NOTE: The U.S. Department of Labor is reviewing all Funding Opportunity Announcements for consistency with the Executive Orders titled, “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing,” issued on January 20, 2025, and “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity,” issued on January 21, 2025. The Department will take necessary action with the Funding Opportunity Announcement and issue additional guidance including adjusting the close date if appropriate.  

The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) supports local Stand Down events that assist veterans experiencing homelessness by providing a wide range of employment, social, and health services.

Stand Down is a military term referring to an opportunity to achieve a brief respite from combat. Troops assemble in a base camp to receive new clothing, hot food, support services, and a relative degree of safety before returning to combat action. A DOL VETS-funded Stand Down event serves a similar purpose; however, it is intended for veterans experiencing or at-risk of homelessness. The critical services provided at these events are often the catalyst that enables those individuals to reenter the workforce.

VETS awards these noncompetitive grants on a first-come, first-served basis to support one-day or multi-day events at up to $7,000 or $10,000, respectively. They are collaborative events coordinated between VA, DOL, other federal, state, and local government agencies and community-based organizations providing services and supplies to veterans experiencing and at risk of homelessness. In the event of a federal disaster declaration, VETS will accept applications up to $50,000 to conduct Stand Down events in the impacted areas.

State, Territory, and Possession, county, city, local, special district, and Native American tribal governments and agencies, non-profit and for-profit entities, state and local workforce boards, institutions of higher education, public and tribal housing authorities and faith-based organizations are eligible to apply.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) supports local Stand Down events that assist veterans experiencing homelessness by providing a wide range of employment, social, and health services.

Stand Down is a military term referring to an opportunity to achieve a brief respite from combat. Troops assemble in a base camp to receive new clothing, hot food, support services, and a relative degree of safety before returning to combat action. A DOL VETS-funded Stand Down event serves a similar purpose; however, it is intended for veterans experiencing or at-risk of homelessness. The critical services provided at these events are often the catalyst that enables those individuals to reenter the workforce.

VETS awards these noncompetitive grants on a first-come, first-served basis to support one-day or multi-day events at up to $7,000 or $10,000, respectively. They are collaborative events coordinated between VA, DOL, other federal, state, and local government agencies and community-based organizations providing services and supplies to veterans experiencing and at risk of homelessness. In the event of a federal disaster declaration, VETS will accept applications up to $50,000 to conduct Stand Down events in the impacted areas.

State, Territory, and Possession, county, city, local, special district, and Native American tribal governments and agencies, non-profit and for-profit entities, state and local workforce boards, institutions of higher education, public and tribal housing authorities and faith-based organizations are eligible to apply.

DOL VETS supports local SD events that assist homeless veterans by providing a wide variety of employment, social, and health services. A homeless veteran is a veteran, as defined in 38 U.S.C. 101(2), who is “homeless” as defined at 42 U.S.C.11302(a)-(b), as amended by the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-22).

A Stand Down is a non-competitive grant that is awarded to organizations to provide basic services to homeless veterans such as showers, haircuts, attention to health concerns, and other collaborative services to give participants a greater sense of self and an opportunity to improve their chances of securing and maintaining employment. Veterans experiencing homelessness do not always have access to basic hygiene supplies that are necessary to maintain their health and appearance. Also, the lack of shelter limits their ability to prepare for and present themselves at job interviews or be contacted for follow-up. These grants funds must be used to enhance employment and training opportunities or to promote the self-sufficiency of homeless veterans through paid work.

The maximum amount awarded per applicant, in a fiscal year (October 1 – September 30) is $7,000 for a one-day event and $10,000 for a multi-day event. An organization may apply for multiple grant awards as long as the organization is conducting SD events in different geographic areas. Grants may be awarded to multiple organizations that conduct SD events in the same general area as long as there is no commingling of federal funds.