Campus Veteran Resource Center Grant

The Campus Veteran Resource Center Grant is administered by the Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs, a state agency dedicated to serving and honoring veterans and their families in Oregon since 1945. The agency’s mission centers on providing benefits, advocacy, and support services that improve the lives of veterans, and this grant program is a targeted initiative aligned with that mission. The funding was authorized through state legislation and is designed to strengthen institutional support systems that assist veterans transitioning into and through higher education environments. The primary purpose of the Campus Veteran Resource Center Grant is to expand and enhance existing Campus Veteran Resource Centers at Oregon community colleges and public universities. These centers play a critical role in supporting veterans as they transition from military service to academic life, succeed in completing educational programs, and ultimately reintegrate into the workforce and broader community. The grant emphasizes outcomes that improve academic success, retention, and post-graduation transitions for student veterans, including those from underrepresented populations. Funding for this grant cycle totals eight hundred thousand dollars, with individual awards capped at one hundred thousand dollars per institution. Awards are competitive and distributed based on the strength of submitted proposals. The funding is structured as a reimbursement grant, meaning recipients must incur allowable expenses and submit documentation for reimbursement. Allowable uses include personnel support, student services, outreach, training, supplies, and capital improvements, though capital expenditures are limited to twenty five percent of the total award. Additional restrictions prohibit the use of funds for indirect administrative costs, duplication of existing services, or certain salary categories, and impose matching requirements for specific personnel expenses such as coordinator salaries. Eligibility is restricted to Oregon community colleges and public universities, with each institution permitted to submit only one application regardless of the number of campuses or resource centers. Applicants must demonstrate that they already have, or plan to establish prior to funding distribution, a Campus Veteran Resource Center, a designated coordinator, or both. The program also encourages proposals that address the needs of diverse veteran populations, including those from historically underserved groups. The application process requires submission of several mandatory components, including an applicant certification form, a detailed project narrative, a budget proposal with supporting narrative, and a signed institutional tax form. Proposals must clearly define project goals, measurable objectives, implementation plans, timelines, and expected outcomes. Applications are submitted electronically through the department’s grant portal. Evaluation is conducted by an independent committee using a scoring rubric that assesses work plans, timelines, outcomes, institutional capacity, and alignment with veteran needs. Final funding decisions are made by the agency director. The timeline for the current grant cycle began with a release date in late July, followed by a submission deadline in late September. Applications undergo review during the fall, with award decisions communicated in December. The performance period for funded projects begins at the start of the following calendar year and runs through mid to late summer of the subsequent year, with final reporting due approximately sixty days after the close of the performance period. Quarterly reporting is required throughout the grant term to document expenditures and program outcomes. The grant is offered on a recurring basis, as evidenced by multiple prior award cycles. Contact for the program is provided through a designated grants coordinator within the Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs, who supports applicants through the process and manages program administration. Overall, the Campus Veteran Resource Center Grant represents a structured, outcome driven funding opportunity focused on strengthening institutional support for veterans pursuing higher education in Oregon.

Focus on measurable outcomes alignment with veteran transition success; clearly define work plan and objectives; demonstrate institutional capacity and veteran impact; ensure budget compliance with caps and match requirements