Veterans Transportation Program
The Department of Veterans Affairs strives for excellence in patient care and veteran's benefits for its constituents through high quality, prompt and seamless service to United States veterans.
Program Accomplishments
Not Applicable.
Uses and Use Restrictions
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.
Eligibility Requirements
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. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.
Aplication and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
Preapplication coordination is not applicable.
Environmental impact information is not required for this program.
This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.
12372.
Application Procedures
This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. 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 Procedures
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 office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.
Authorization
Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010, Public Law 111-163.
Range of Approval/Disapproval 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.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program.
Matching requirements are not applicable to this program.
MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.
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 sum.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
Quarterly and annual financial and performance reports are required.
In addition, an annual report to the Secretary of the VA is required no later than 60 days after the end of the fiscal year detailing the use of the grant funds.
Monthly performance measure reports will also be required.
Cash reports are not applicable.
Progress reports are not applicable.
Expenditure reports are not applicable.
Performance monitoring is not applicable.
Audits
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.
Records
Records must be retained at least 3 years after the end of the grant period.
Financial Information
Account Identification
36-0160-0-1-700.
Obigations
(Project Grants) FY 11 Not Seperately Identifiable; FY 12 Not Seperately Identifiable; and FY 13 est $275,000
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.
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
None.
Headquarters Office
Michelle Staton 2957 Clairmont Road, Suite 200, Atlanta, Georgia 30329 Email: michelle.staton@va.gov Phone: 404-828-5380
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
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.
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