[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 110 (Monday, June 9, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34489-34491]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-14598]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Fund Availability Under the VA Homeless Providers Grant and Per 
Diem Program

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is announcing the 
availability of funds for applications for assistance under the Capital 
Grant component of VA's Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program. 
This Notice contains information concerning the program, funding 
priorities, application process, and amount of funding available.

DATES: An original completed and collated grant application (plus three 
completed collated copies) for assistance under the VA's Homeless 
Providers Grant and Per Diem Program must be received in the Grant and 
Per Diem Field Office, by 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, July 18, 2003. 
Applications may not be sent by facsimile (FAX). In the interest of 
fairness to all competing applicants, this deadline is firm as to date 
and hour, and VA will treat as ineligible for consideration any 
application that is received after the deadline. Applicants should take 
this practice into account and make early submission of their material 
to avoid any risk of loss of eligibility brought about by unanticipated 
delays or other delivery-related problems.
    For a Copy of the Application Package: Download directly from VA's 
Grant and Per Diem Program web page at: http://www.va.gov/homeless/page.cfm?pg=3 or call the Grant and Per Diem Program at (toll-free) 1-
877-332-0334. For a document relating to the VA Homeless Providers 
Grant and Per Diem Program, see the Interim Final Rule published in the 
Federal Register on March 19, 2003 Sec. Sec.  61.0-61.82.
    Submission of Application: An original completed and collated grant 
application (plus three copies) must be submitted to the following 
address: VA Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Field Office, 10770 
N. 46th Street, Suite C-100, Tampa, Florida 33617. Applications must be 
received in the Grant and Per Diem Field office by the application 
deadline. Applications must arrive as a complete package. Materials 
arriving separately will not be included in the application package for 
consideration and may result in the application being rejected or not 
funded.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Guy Liedke, VA Homeless Providers 
Grant and Per Diem Program, Department of Veterans Affairs, 10770 N. 
46th Street, Suite C-100, Tampa, Florida 33617; (toll-free) 1-877-332-
0334.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Notice announces the availability of 
capital funds for assistance under VA's Homeless Providers Grant and 
Per Diem Program for eligible entities to: (1) Expand existing 
projects; or (2) develop new programs or new components of existing 
projects. Funding applied for under the capital grant component may be 
used for: (1) Remodeling or alteration of existing buildings; (2) 
acquisition of buildings, acquisition and rehabilitation of buildings; 
(3) new construction; and (4) acquisition of vans for outreach to and/
or transportation for homeless veterans (see Interim Final Rule, 
Published in the Federal Register, March 19, 2003, Sec. Sec.  61.0 
through 61.82). Public Law 107-95, Sec.  5(a)(1) the Homeless Veterans 
Comprehensive Assistance Act of 2001 codified at 38 U.S.C. Sec. Sec.  
2011, 2012, 2061, and 2064 authorizes this program. The program has 
been extended through fiscal year 2005. For eligibility criteria please 
refer to Interim Final Rule published in the Federal Register on March 
19, 2003, Sec. Sec.  61.10 and 61.12.
    Capital grant applicants may not receive assistance to replace 
funds provided by any State or local government to assist homeless 
persons. A proposal for an existing project that seeks to shift its 
focus by changing the population being served or the precise mix of 
services being offered is not eligible for consideration. No more than 
25 percent of services available in projects funded through this grant 
program may be provided to clients who are not receiving those services 
as veterans.
    VA is pleased to issue this Notice of Fund Availability (NOFA) for 
the Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program. The Department 
expects to award approximately $8 million under the capital grant 
component.
    Funding available under this NOFA is being offered to help offset 
the capital expenses of existing State and local governments, Indian 
Tribal governments, faith-based, and community-based organizations that 
are capable of creating and providing supported housing and/or 
supportive service center services for homeless veterans. The District 
of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, any territory or 
possession of the United States, may be considered eligible entities 
under the definition of ``State'' in the Interim Final Rule, Sec.  61.1 
Definitions.
    Per diem for these programs is requested in the grant application 
and paid at the time of grant project completion. It should be noted 
that VA per diem payment is limited to the applicant's cost of care per 
eligible veteran minus other sources of payments to the applicant for 
furnishing services to homeless veterans up to the per day rate VA pays 
for State Home Domiciliary care, which is currently $26.95. Awardees 
will be required to support their request for per diem payment with 
adequate fiscal documentation as to program income and expenses.
    Interested organizations should know that the vast majority of 
homeless veterans in this country suffer from mental illness or 
substance abuse disorders or are dually diagnosed with both mental 
illness and substance abuse disorders. In addition, many homeless 
veterans have serious medical problems. Collaboration with VA medical 
centers, VA community-based outpatient clinics or other health care 
providers is an important aspect of assuring that homeless veterans 
have access to appropriate health care services.

[[Page 34490]]

    It is important to be aware that VA places great emphasis on 
responsibility and accountability. VA has procedures in place to verify 
the completion of the capital grant as well as monitor services 
provided to homeless veterans and outcomes associated with the services 
provided in grant and per diem-funded programs. VA is also implementing 
new procedures to further this effort. Applicants should be aware of 
the following:
    All awardees that are conditionally selected in response to this 
NOFA must meet the Life Safety Code of the National Fire and Protection 
Association as it relates to their specific facility. VA will conduct 
an inspection prior to awardees being able to submit request for 
payment to ensure this requirement is met.
    Upon capital grant completion each program seeking per diem will 
have a liaison appointed from a nearby VA medical facility to provide 
oversight and monitor services provided to homeless veterans in the per 
diem-funded program.
    Monitoring will include at least an annual review of each per diem 
program's progress toward meeting internal goals and objectives in 
helping veterans attain housing stability, adequate income support, and 
self sufficiency as identified in each per diem program's original 
application. Monitoring will also include a review of the agency's 
income and expenses as they relate to this project to ensure per diem 
payment is accurate.
    Each per diem-funded program will participate in VA's national 
program monitoring and evaluation system administered by VA's Northeast 
Program Evaluation Center (NEPEC). It is the intention of VA to develop 
specific performance targets with respect to housing for homeless 
veterans. NEPEC's monitoring procedures will be used to determine 
successful accomplishment of these housing outcomes for each per diem-
funded program.
    VA encourages all eligible and interested entities to review this 
NOFA and consider applying for funds to provide service for homeless 
veterans.
    Authority: VA's Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program is 
authorized by Public Law 107-95, Sec.  5(a)(1) the Homeless Veterans 
Comprehensive Assistance Act of 2001 codified at 38 U.S.C. Sec. Sec.  
2011, 2012, 2061, 2064 and has been extended through Fiscal Year 2005. 
The program is implemented by the interim final rule codified at 38 CFR 
part 61.0. The interim final rule was published in the Federal Register 
on March 19, 2003, the regulations can be found in their entirety in 38 
CFR, Sec. Sec.  61.0 through 61.82. Funds made available under this 
Notice are subject to the requirements of those regulations.
    Allocation: Approximately $8 million is available for the capital 
grant component. Per diem payments to capital grant recipients are 
subject to the recipients maintaining the program for which the grant 
was awarded, the availability of funds and reauthorization of the 
program past September 30, 2005.
    Funding Priorities: VA establishes the following three funding 
priorities in order to: (1) Implement the provisions of Public Law 107-
95 regarding geographical dispersion and non-duplication of service. In 
this round of capital grant funding, VA expects to award funding to 
create 800 community-based supported housing beds.
    The Urban Institute's analysis of data collected through the 1996 
Survey of Homeless Providers and Clients indicates that 21 percent of 
the homeless population is found in rural and suburban locations. Over 
the last eight rounds of grants, VA awarded approximately $ 63 million 
to help establish 271 projects for homeless veterans. Additionally, VA 
has provided operational funds in the form of per diem for 1,378 beds. 
Funding priority 1. Seven states have no grant or per diem funded 
programs for homeless veterans. These states are Alaska, Idaho, Kansas, 
Montana, North Dakota, New Hampshire, and Wyoming. Eligible entities 
whose projects are located in these states will be considered in the 
first funding priority. Based on the amount of funding available 
approximately $1.4 million is available for funding priority 1. Of 
those eligible entities in the first funding priority, that are legally 
fundable, the highest scoring applicants from each state will be funded 
first, followed by the second highest scoring applicants from each 
state, until enough projects totaling approximately $1.4 million are 
identified for funding. Applicants not funded in this priority will be 
placed in the third funding priority.
    Funding priority 2. Also, only three grant and per diem-funded 
programs are affiliated with Indian Tribal Governments. Eligible Indian 
Tribal Governments will be considered in the second funding priority. 
Based on the amount of funding available approximately $1.4 million is 
available for funding priority 2. Of those Indian Tribal Governments in 
the second funding priority, that are legally fundable, the highest 
scoring applicants will be funded first, until enough projects totaling 
approximately $1.4 million are identified for funding. Applicants not 
funded in this priority will be placed in the third funding priority.
    Funding priority 3. Finally, VA is encouraging interested, state 
and local governments, faith-based, and community-based organizations 
to apply for funding under this NOFA. Based on the amount of funding 
available approximately $6.2 million is available for funding priority 
3. Eligible entities that are state and local governments, faith-based, 
and community-based organizations, along with those applicants not 
selected in the first or second priority will be considered in the 
third funding priority. Of those eligible entities that are legally 
fundable, the highest-ranked applications for which funding is 
available, will be conditionally selected for eligibility to receive a 
capital grant in accordance with their ranked order until enough 
projects totaling approximately $6.2 million are identified for funding 
or until funding is expended.
    Methodology: VA will review all capital grants applicants in 
response to this notice of funding availability as follows: VA will 
group the applicants into the funding priorities categories. Applicants 
will then be ranked within their respective funding category based on 
score and any ranking criteria set forth in that funding category only 
if the applicant scores at least 600 cumulative points from paragraphs 
(b) (c) (d) (e) and (i) of the interim final rule published in the 
Federal Register, March 19, 2003, Sec. Sec.  61.13.
    The highest-ranked application for which funding is available, 
within the highest funding category, will be conditionally selected in 
accordance with their ranked order until VA reaches the projected bed 
totals for each category. If funds are still available after selection 
of those applications in the highest priority group, VA will continue 
to conditionally select applicants in lower priority categories in 
accordance with the selection method set forth in the interim final 
rule Sec.  61.14.
    Application Requirements: The specific grant application 
requirements will be specified in the application package. Applicants 
should be careful to complete the proper application package. 
Submission of the incorrect application package will result in the 
application being rejected at threshold. The packages include all 
required forms and certifications. Selections will be made based on 
criteria described in the application, Interim Final Rule, and NOFA. 
Applicants who are

[[Page 34491]]

conditionally selected will be notified of any additional information 
needed to confirm or clarify information provided in the application. 
Applicants will then be notified of the deadline to submit such 
information. If an applicant is unable to meet any conditions for grant 
award within the specified time frame, VA reserves the right to not 
award funds and to use the funds available for other grant and per diem 
applicants.

    Dated: June 4, 2003.
Anthony J. Principi,
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 03-14598 Filed 6-6-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P