Subsistence Aid Grants
Veterans and their dependents may qualify for a grant that provides temporary, emergency financial aid for a period of 90 days immediately following a loss of income because of illness, disability or death.
Applicants must be unable to work, and a medical authority must verify incapacitation. Loss of employment is not sufficient to qualify for a grant.
Veterans receiving treatment for posttraumatic Stress Disorder from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) do not have to suffer a loss of income to qualify for the grant.
The grant must be used for essential items such as housing, food, utilities, basic transportation, health insurance premiums, prescribed medications, etc. The grant is limited to a maximum of three-months of subsistence aid within a 12-month period. Applicants may receive an amount equal to the cost of basic subsistence or the amount of lost income, whichever is less. The grant amount covers basic subsistence for 30-day periods.
Health Care Aid Grants
Veterans and their families may qualify for a grant to help pay for medical, vision and some dental treatment if they are not eligible for other programs (such as Federal VA Health Care) and they are unable to afford the treatment.
To see who is eligible and the types of services available through the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs.
Vet Ed Reimbursement Grant
Veterans who were discharged from active duty within the last 10 years may be reimbursed for their tuition and fees for undergraduate courses completed at most schools in Wisconsin. The maximum reimbursement limit is 100 percent of the cost for the same number of undergraduate credits at the UW-Madison. The semester for which reimbursement is requested must begin within 10 years after the veteran's release from active duty, and the veteran must be enrolled for at least 12 credits during the semester. Veterans may receive grants for a total of eight full-time semesters (no more than half of the total may have been taken at technical system schools). The grant application must be received by WDVA no later than 60 days after the completion of the semester or academic term. Veterans who receive a Tuition and Fee Reimbursement Grant are not allowed a National Guard Tuition Grant, Part Time Study Grant, or Retraining Grant for the same semester.
Income limit---the veteran and spouse’s combined annual income may not exceed $50,000 plus $1,000 for each dependent in excess of two dependents.
Retraining Grants
Recently unemployed or underemployed veterans may receive up to $3,000 per year, for a maximum of two years, if they have a financial need while being retrained for employment. The amount of the grant is determined by the applicant's financial need as calculated by the WDVA.
To qualify, the applicant must have been involuntarily laid off or discharged (not due to willful misconduct) within a period beginning one year before the date that the WDVA receives the application. The applicant must have been employed for at least six consecutive months with the same employer or in the same or similar occupations. At least one day of that employment must have been within the period beginning one year before the date that the WDVA receives the application.
An underemployed applicant must have current annual income from employment that does not exceed federal poverty guidelines. To qualify, an underemployed applicant must have experienced an involuntary reduction of income during the year prior to the date that WDVA receives the application.
The applicant must be currently enrolled in a technical education program or engaged in a structured on-the-job training program that will be completed within two years of the date that the application is received by the WDVA. The program must reasonably be expected to lead to employment. Course work for a college degree does not qualify.
Veterans must apply for the grant through their County Veterans Service Office.
NOTE: Effective for courses/semesters starting after December 1, 2004, a veteran seeking reimbursement for a Tuition and Fee Reimbursement Grant must receive a "C" or a 2.0 grade point average for the semester for which a Tuition and Fee Reimbursement Grant is given.
Veterans Service Commission
Veterans’ who find themselves in an emergency situation may apply for this grant. The amount of this grant is $400.00 but can be adjusted under extenuating circumstances. Veterans may use this grant for a variety of emergency needs ranging from lodging and food to clothing and family needs. All applicants will be screened and need to be found acceptable by the Veterans Service Commission Executive Secretary. Repayment may be requested. Veterans also must meet the minimum standards for eligibility.
