INDIANA — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) awarded $38 million in grants to 19 Indiana organizations to support homeless veterans and those facing housing instability.
The state distribution is part of a record $1.17 billion in federal grants issued nationwide across 680 organizations for fiscal year 2027. Of the national funding pool, $855 million is allocated toward the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program, while $318 million funds the Grant and Per Diem (GPD) program.
The grant dollars arrive as Indiana records an 18.7% drop in veteran homelessness—the second-steepest state-level decline in the country. Nationwide, the overall population of homeless veterans dropped to 32,495 in January 2025, marking a 56.1% drop since 2010 and the lowest level since HUD began tracking the data in 2009.
Targeted Support Programs
The federal funds flow through two core VA initiatives:
- Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF): Focuses on rapid rehousing for unhoused veterans and provides financial assistance, housing counseling, and legal aid to low-income families facing imminent eviction.
- Grant and Per Diem (GPD): Funds community-based transitional housing, case management, and specialized service centers. GPD grants also support targeted programs for elderly, frail, or chronically mentally ill veterans, as well as female veterans and those caring for minor dependents.
The funding builds on recent agency milestones. Nationwide, the VA assisted 51,936 homeless veterans in securing permanent housing during fiscal year 2025—the highest single-year total in seven years.
“VA medical centers across Indiana remain committed to ensuring Veterans have access to safe, stable housing and the supportive services they need to thrive,” said Michael Hershman, director of the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis. “These grants strengthen our partnerships with community organizations and help us reach Veterans where they are, providing resources that make a meaningful difference in their lives.”
Key Grant Recipients in Indiana
While the VA provides the complete directory of funded entities across the state, key community-based non-profits operating major SSVF and GPD initiatives in Indiana include:
- Helping Veterans And Families (HVAF) of Indiana: Operating out of Indianapolis, HVAF assists roughly 500 veterans annually and leads local “Summer Surge” initiatives to transition unhoused veterans into permanent housing.
- Volunteers of America Ohio & Indiana (VOAOHIN): Provides SSVF case management, emergency shelter support, and employment services throughout central and northern Indiana.
- Brightpoint delivers supportive services, housing placement assistance, and rapid rehousing throughout northeast Indiana.
- Hoosier Veterans Assistance Foundation: Provides transitional housing facilities and supportive services for homeless veterans.
- Estep Foundation / Community Action Agencies: Manages regional housing stabilization and eviction prevention efforts across southern and rural Indiana communities.
