IN THE NEWS

NCHV Executive Director Linda Boone Announces Resignation

Washington, D.C. – Linda Boone, Executive Director of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) since 1996, has announced that she will resign from the organization’s top administrative post on August 1 to pursue other professional interests. A special committee consisting of NCHV Founders and current members of the Board of Directors has begun a national search for candidates to consider for appointment as her successor.

Boone was serving on the NCHV Board of Directors when she was appointed executive director in April 1996. Since then the organization has grown from a handful of members to nearly 250 community-based organizations, government agencies and businesses providing supportive services to more than 150,000 homeless veterans and their families every year. The organization’s membership currently represents 46 states and the District of Columbia.

Boone is recognized as one of the nation’s foremost authorities on homeless veteran issues, and has had a significant impact on the development of and increased funding for many of the federal homeless veteran programs in existence today. The hallmark of her tenure at NCHV was helping to draft and ensure passage of the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Assistance Act of 2001, which, if fully implemented, will provide nearly $1 billion for the nation’s homeless veteran service providers and their assistance programs. Under her guidance, NCHV has been at the forefront of campaigns to restore mental health services to veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs, to provide comprehensive and mandatory Transition Assistance Program services to all men and women separating from the military, and to strengthen interagency cooperation in providing services to all homeless people, with a fair share of resources dedicated to veteran-specific programs.

In 2003, due to her expertise and diligence in the campaign to end homelessness among veterans, NCHV was awarded $850,000 in grants from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Labor to provide technical assistance to homeless veteran service providers throughout the nation. NCHV received a two-year grant by the Department of Veterans Affairs to continue that work in September 2005. For the full story, click here.

Boone plans to marry this summer and will move to Delaware, where she will remain active in support of initiatives to help homeless veterans while advancing her career in organizational management.

Deadlines Approaching for NCHV 2005 Conference Registration, Discount Hotel Rates

Registration deadlines are approaching for the NCHV 2005 Annual Conference and Membership Meeting at the Capital Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., May 31-June 3. Workshops will be presented on financial management and program development; diversifying revenue streams; and becoming involved in partnerships through the HUD Continuum of Care and VA CHALENG processes. The program includes the NCHV 15th Anniversary Banquet, June 2, which will feature a “Walk Through History” with the founders and champions of the homeless veteran assistance movement.

Discount hotel rates of $139 plus tax are available until April 29, after which attendees will have to pay the full rate. A conference registration late fee of $40 will be charged for persons sending in their registration after April 29. For a conference brochure and registration form, click here.


Demand High for Eli Lilly Personal Care Kits for Stand Down Programs

NCHV has been notified that of the 25,000 personal care kits that will be distributed to homeless veterans at Stand Down programs nationwide in 2005, more than 10,000 have already been shipped to scheduled programs. Each kit contains a comb, toothbrush, bar of soap, a small tube of Freshmint fluoride toothpaste, and a small bottle of conditioning shampoo. Eli Lilly distributed 15,000 kits in 2002; 20,000 kits in 2003; and 25,000 kits in 2004.

Stand Down coordinators need to place their events on the National Stand Down Registry through NCHV soon to receive these kits. Because of the high demand and increasing number of Stand Down programs, these kits are for distribution to homeless veterans only. For instructions on how to order kits for your Stand Down, click here.

RESOURCES

VA Issues NOFA for Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Capital Grants

The Department of Veterans Affairs has issued a notice of funding availability (NOFA) for capital grants 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 (in connection with a new or existing Grant and Per Diem Grant project) for outreach to and/or transportation for homeless veterans.

The Department expects to award approximately $15 million under the capital grant component. Capital grant awards will be limited to no more than $400,000.00, and not more than one award per tax identification number. The deadline for this application is June 8. For a Copy of the Application Package: click here or call the Grant and Per Diem Program (toll-free) 1-877-332-0334.

Department of Labor HVRP Urban Grants of $2 million Available

The U.S. Department of Labor-Veterans' Employment and Training Service (DOL-VETS) has announced a grant competition under the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Assistance Act of 2001. This urban competition for Homeless Veteran Reintegration Program (HVRP) grants is for metropolitan areas of the 75 U.S. cities largest in population and the metropolitan area of San Juan, Puerto Rico. HVRP grants are intended to address two objectives: (1) To provide services to assist in reintegrating homeless veterans into meaningful employment within the labor force, and (2) to stimulate the development of effective service delivery systems that will address the complex problems facing homeless veterans.

Under this solicitation covering Fiscal Year (FY) 2005, VETS anticipates that up to $2 million will be available for grant awards up to a maximum of $300,000 for each grant award. VETS expects to award approximately seven (7) grants. The NOFA contains all of the necessary information and forms to apply for grant funding. The period of performance for these grants will be July 1, 2005, through June 30, 2006. Two (2) optional years of funding may be available, depending upon Congressional appropriations, the agency's decision to exercise the optional year(s) of funding, and satisfactory grantee performance. To view the entire HVRP Urban Grants NOFA, click here.

Department of Labor Accepting Applications for Stand Down Grants

The Department of Labor-Veterans' Employment and Training Service (DOL-VETS) has approximately $200,000 available to support Stand Down events. The maximum award amount is currently $5,000 per year per event. Effective July 1, 2005, the maximum award amount will increase to $8,000 per year per event. Applications for Stand Down funds will be accepted from State and local Workforce Investment Boards, local public agencies, for-profit/commercial entities, and nonprofit organizations. To apply for Stand Down funds, contact the Director for Veterans' Employment and Training (DVET) in your state. For the VETS Directory, click here.

NCHV and VA Offer Staff Training Grants to Help Organizations Build Capacity

The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are offering Capacity Building Technical Assistance grants up to $3,000 each to nonprofit community-based groups with experience in providing assistance to homeless veterans. The purpose of these grants is to reimburse community- and faith-based organizations for staff training costs to better serve homeless veterans. Individual nonprofit organizations are eligible for up to $1,000, but organizations working in partnership with statewide programs are eligible for up to $3,000. For more information, click here. The next quarter’s application deadline is July 29.