Strategic Partnerships Division

Sheronne Blasi, Division Director

Oregon Veteran Emergency Financial Assistance Program -

The newly created Strategic Partnerships division administers several grants including: Veteran Services Grant, Campus Veteran Resource Center Grants, Veterans Educational Bridge Grant, USDVA Highly Rural Transportation Grant, and the Oregon Veterans Emergency Financial Assistance Program Grant.

The Oregon Veteran Emergency Financial Assistance Program (OVEFAP) grant is a one-time grant available to veterans and their eligible dependents who have emergent needs. This program provides aid on a monthly basis to help relieve health and welfare emergencies such as: rent, mortgage, utilities, auto and home repairs, medical and dental care, and housing stability and houselessness.

Since 2006, ODVA has awarded over $1.8 million to almost 1,500 individual veterans and their dependents. ODVA currently receives applications on a monthly basis from veterans, or their eligible immediate family members, for emergency financial assistance. Applications are received directly by ODVA, submitted through ODVA’s network of tribal and county Veteran Service Officers, and/or received from other community partners including National Service Organizations, HUD-VASH Social Workers, Veteran Coordinators at Community Action Agencies, non-profits, etc.

This program helps address veteran financial instability by providing a one-time grant to help pay for expenses, and by providing referrals to applicants for other supportive services. These referrals identify additional benefits and resources that the veteran may be eligible for, and helps veterans partner with multiple resources to meet their financial needs. Veterans are referred to local community assistance programs, such as Community Action Agencies, Work Source, and non-profits to diversify their assistance sources to help achieve greater financial stability. Lower-income veterans are also referred to state assistance programs such as the Oregon Health Plan, SNAP, and TANF

Unfortunately, this financial assistance program has had an ongoing demand for services that far exceeds available funding. During fiscal years 2020 and 2021, ODVA received 222 requests with a total request of $640,402. ODVA awarded $103,857 to 68 applicants. In fiscal year 2022, ODVA received $880,556 in requests, and awarded $106,134 to 56 veterans.