While most emergency financial assistance programs are designed to help both male and female veterans, some organizations have created funding opportunities exclusive to women veterans, their families and caretakers.
Combat Female Veterans Families United (CFVF United)
Combat Female Veterans Families United is a nonprofit organization that offers financial assistance to female combat veterans who are transitioning to civilian life. Funds can be used to cover basic living expenses, including mortgage and rent payments or hotel lodging expenses through CFVF United’s emergency financial assistance.
Dixon Center
Female veterans and their families who are dealing with financial hardship can receive a one-time financial grant through the Dixon Center’s Women Veterans Emergency Financial Assistance program. The grant funds can be applied to housing costs, food, utilities, infant supplies, vehicle repair, gas or insurance for a vehicle, and other expenses.
Ementor
Female veterans who are looking for help in navigating the civilian workforce can find help through the Military Women eMentor Program, an online mentorship program. Mentors help link female veterans to job resources and career transition opportunities.
Grants for Veterans
There are a number of grant programs specifically aimed at providing emergency financial help for veterans. The grants are free and designed to help struggling veterans with bills, mortgage and rent payments and other housing costs, medical fees, and other financial difficulties. To see what’s available, a searchable list of veteran-specific grants can be found at FreeGrantsForVeterans.org.
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
The Unmet Needs program, administered by Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), is a program designed to help families experiencing financial difficulties as a result of deployment or other military-related activity or injury. Qualified families can receive grants of up to $1,500 to pay for basic living expenses.
Rural Veterans Coordination Pilot
Nearly 25 percent of all veterans opt to reside in rural communities, which can limit access to long-term health care and support services. To address these issues, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs created the Rural Veterans Coordination Pilot grant program to support veterans and their families who reside in rural or underserved areas of the country. Through its Office of Rural Health, the VA is working to offer these veterans access to health care and other services.
Grant and Per Diem Program
The VA’s Grant and Per Diem program is a VA Homeless Program initiative that funds community agencies offering services to homeless veterans in order to help them obtain and retain permanent housing. According to the VA, the program’s purpose is to “promote the development and provision of supportive housing and/or services with the goal of helping homeless veterans find residential stability, increase their skill levels, and/or income, and obtain greater self-determination.” The Grant and Per Diem Program funds are sent to organizations with supportive housing or service centers for veterans in need.