4310 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 14 / Friday, January 23, 2009 / Notices 

Thursday, March 12, 2009, at 2 p.m. 

Eastern Time. For more information, 

please contact Ms. Sallie Chavez. Please 

call Ms. Chavez at 1–888–912–1227 or 

954–423–7979, or write Sallie Chavez, 

TAP Office, 1000 South Pine Island 

Road, Suite 340, Plantation, FL 33324, 

or post comments to the Web site: 

http://www.improveirs.org. 

The agenda will include: Various IRS 

issues. 

Dated: January 13, 2009. 

Shawn F. Collins, 

Acting Director, Taxpayer Advocacy Panel. 

[FR Doc. E9–1333 Filed 1–22–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4830–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

Fund Availability Under the VA 

Homeless Providers Grant and Per 

Diem Program 

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans 

Affairs (VA) is announcing the 

availability of funds for applications for 

assistance under the Capital Grant 

component of VA’s Homeless Providers 

Grant and Per Diem Program. This 

Notice contains information concerning 

the program, funding priorities, 

application process, and amount of 

funding available. 

Applicants who do not require 

funding for acquisition, renovation or 

new construction to create new housing 

for homeless veterans should not 

respond to this Notice of Fund 

Availability (NOFA). Per Diem Only 

funding will not be given under this 

notice. If your agency is in need of 

funding for operations only, your 

agency should apply under a future 

Grant and Per Diem; Per Diem Only 

Funding Notice. 

DATES: An original completed and 

collated grant application (plus three 

completed collated copies) for 

assistance under the VA’s Homeless 

Providers Grant and Per Diem Program 

must be received in the Grant and Per 

Diem Field Office by 4 p.m. Eastern 

Time on Wednesday, March 25, 2009. 

Applications may not be sent by 

facsimile (FAX). In the interest of 

fairness to all competing applicants, this 

deadline is firm as to date and hour, and 

VA will treat as ineligible for 

consideration any application that is 

received after the deadline. Applicants 

should take this practice into account 

and make early submission of their 

material to avoid any risk of loss of 

eligibility brought about by 

unanticipated delays, computer service 

outages (in the case of Grants.gov), or 

other delivery-related problems. 

For a Copy of the Application 

Package: Download directly from VA’s 

Grant and Per Diem Program Web page 

at: http://www.va.gov/homeless/page.

cfm?pg=3 or http://www.grants.gov/. 

Questions should be referred to the 

Grant and Per Diem Program at (tollfree) 1–877–332–0334. For a document 

relating to the VA Homeless Providers 

Grant and Per Diem Program, see the 

Final Rule published in the Federal 

Register on September 26, 2003. 

Submission of Application: An 

original completed and collated grant 

application (plus three copies) and a 

cover letter clearly stating under which 

funding priority applicants (see funding 

priorities) wish to be considered must 

be submitted to the following address: 

VA Homeless Providers Grant and Per 

Diem Field Office, 10770 N. 46th Street, 

Suite C–200, Tampa, FL 33617. 

Applications must be received in the 

Grant and Per Diem Field office by the 

application deadline. This includes 

applications submitted through 

Grants.gov. Applications must arrive as 

a complete package. Materials arriving 

separately will not be included in the 

application package for consideration 

and may result in the application being 

rejected or not funded. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Chelsea Watson, VA Homeless 

Providers Grant and Per Diem Program, 

Department of Veterans Affairs, 10770 

N. 46th Street, Suite C–200, Tampa, FL 

33617; (toll-free) 1–877–332–0334. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

Notice announces the availability of 

capital funds for assistance under VA’s 

Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem 

Program for eligible entities to: (1) 

Expand existing transitional housing 

projects; or (2) develop new transitional 

housing programs. Supportive service 

centers will not be considered in this 

NOFA. 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 Grant and Per Diem grant 

project) for outreach to and/or 

transportation for homeless veterans. 

Funding applied for under this Notice is 

authorized by the ‘‘Homeless Veterans 

Comprehensive Assistance Act of 

2001,’’ Public Law 107–95, § 5, codified 

as amended at 38 U.S.C. 2011, 2012, 

2013, 2061, 2064. For eligibility criteria 

please refer to 38 CFR part 61. 

Capital grant applicants may not 

receive assistance to replace funds 

provided by any State or local 

government to assist homeless persons. 

Note: Applicants considering the use of 

Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) in 

conjunction with the capital grants in this 

NOFA should take into account that these tax 

credits are often used for permanent housing 

projects. Permanent housing is not an eligible 

activity under VA’s Homeless Providers 

Grant and Per Diem Program. Other issues 

such as site control, leases for residents, and 

using the grant funds as a loan may be 

problematic to applicants even if transitional 

housing is provided and upon review and 

discovery may result in the application being 

denied. 

A proposal for an existing project that 

seeks to shift its focus by changing the 

population being served or the precise 

mix of services being offered is not 

eligible for consideration. No more than 

25 percent of housing and services 

available in projects funded through this 

grant program may be provided to 

clients who are not receiving those 

services as veterans. 

VA is pleased to issue this NOFA for 

the Homeless Providers Grant and Per 

Diem Program. The Department expects 

to award approximately $15 million 

under the capital grant component. 

Funding available under this NOFA is 

being offered to help offset the capital 

expenses of existing state and local 

governments, Indian Tribal 

Governments, faith-based, and 

community-based organizations that are 

capable of creating and providing 

supported transitional housing for 

homeless veterans. The District of 

Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto 

Rico, any territory or possession of the 

United States, are considered eligible 

entities under the definition of ‘‘State’’ 

in the Final Rule, Sec. 61.1 Definitions. 

Note, all organizations that are 

conditionally selected will be requested 

to submit the Second Submission 

portion of the application package. In 

order to be considered eligible for 

funding, organizations must 

demonstrate in the Second Submission 

firm commitments of match for 35% of 

the total project cost or the difference 

between the total project cost and what 

is requested from VA, whichever is 

greater. 

Per diem for these programs is 

requested in the grant application and 

may be paid at the time of grant project 

completion. It should be noted that VA 

per diem payment is limited to the 

applicant’s cost of care per eligible 

veteran minus other sources of 

payments to the applicant for furnishing 

services to homeless veterans up to the 

per day rate VA pays for State Home 

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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 14 / Friday, January 23, 2009 / Notices 4311 

Domiciliary care. Awardees will be 

required to support their request for per 

diem payment with adequate fiscal 

documentation as to program income 

and expenses. 

Interested organizations should know 

that the vast majority of homeless 

veterans in this country suffer from 

mental illness or substance abuse 

disorders or are dually diagnosed with 

both mental illness and substance abuse 

disorders. In addition, many homeless 

veterans have serious medical problems. 

The recent events associated with the 

Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) 

coupled with the Nation’s returning 

OEF/OIF veterans further emphasizes 

the need for collaboration with VA 

medical centers, VA community-based 

outpatient clinics or other health care 

providers as well as with VA and other 

benefit providers as an important aspect 

of assuring that homeless veterans have 

access to appropriate health care 

services. VA considers this program an 

important part of our effort to end 

chronic homelessness among all 

veterans. 

It is important to be aware that VA 

places great emphasis on responsibility 

and accountability. VA has procedures 

in place to verify the completion of the 

capital grant as well as monitor services 

provided to homeless veterans and 

outcomes associated with the services 

provided in grant and per diem-funded 

programs. Applicants should be aware 

of the following: 

All awardees that are conditionally 

selected in response to this NOFA must 

meet the requirements of the current 

edition of the Life Safety Code of the 

National Fire Protection Association as 

it relates to their specific facility. 

Applicants should note that all facilities 

are to be protected throughout by an 

approved automatic sprinkler system 

unless a facility is specifically exempted 

under the Life Safety Code. Applicants 

should make consideration of this when 

submitting their capital grant 

applications. VA will conduct an 

inspection prior to awardees being able 

to submit request for per diem payment 

to ensure this requirement is met. 

Upon capital grant completion each 

program seeking per diem will have a 

liaison appointed from a nearby VA 

medical facility to provide oversight and 

monitor services provided to homeless 

veterans in the per diem-funded 

program. 

Monitoring will include at a 

minimum an annual review of each per 

diem program’s progress toward 

meeting internal goals and objectives in 

helping veterans attain housing 

stability, adequate income support, and 

Self-Sufficiency as identified in each 

per diem program’s original application. 

Monitoring will also include a review of 

the agency’s income and expenses as 

they relate to this project to ensure per 

diem payment is accurate. 

Each per diem-funded program will 

participate in VA’s national program 

monitoring and evaluation system 

administered by VA’s Northeast 

Program Evaluation Center (NEPEC). 

NEPEC’s monitoring procedures will be 

used to determine successful 

accomplishment of these housing 

outcomes for each per diem-funded 

program. 

Authority:Funding applied for under 

this Notice is authorized by the 

‘‘Homeless Veterans Comprehensive 

Assistance Act of 2001,’’ Public Law 

107–95, § 5, codified as amended at 38 

U.S.C. 2011, 2012, 2013, 2061, 2064. 

The program is implemented by the 

final rule codified at 38 CFR Part 61.0. 

The regulations can be found in their 

entirety in 38 CFR, Sec. 61.0 through 

61.82. Funds made available under this 

Notice are subject to the requirements of 

those regulations. 

Allocation: Approximately $15 

million is available for the capital grant 

component. Capital grant awards will be 

limited to transitional housing projects 

(service center programs will not be 

considered in this round). Vans must be 

directly connected to a new Grant and 

Per Diem Grant project and will be 

limited to one per project number. Per 

diem payments to capital grant 

recipients are subject to the availability 

of funds and recipients maintaining the 

program for which the grant was 

awarded. 

Funding Priorities: VA establishes the 

following funding priorities in order to: 

(1) Implement the provisions of Public 

Law 107–95 regarding geographical 

dispersion and non-duplication of 

service; and (2) bolster capacity in areas 

that are underserved by the Grant and 

Per Diem Program. These areas may 

have high populations of homeless 

veterans and limited services to address 

homeless veterans’ needs. These areas 

can include both urban and rural areas 

but may be particularly prevalent 

outside the high population areas. 

VA is offering to eligible applicants 

funding priorities for transitional 

housing and services to: (1) serve 

women and women with care of 

dependent children; (2) Indian Tribal 

Governments or non-profit agencies that 

will provide transitional housing and 

services on Indian Tribal Property and 

finally, VA is encouraging interested 

state and local governments and faithbased and community-based 

organizations to apply for funding under 

this NOFA. In this round of capital grant 

funding, VA expects to award funding 

to create approximately 1000 

community-based supported housing 

beds. 

Funding priority 1. VA is offering the 

opportunity for providers who are 

willing to create new projects 

specifically for women and women with 

care of dependent children only, which 

are 30 beds or less. Of those eligible 

entities in the first funding priority, that 

are legally fundable, the highest scoring 

applicants will be funded first until 

approximately $2 million is awarded. 

Applicants not funded in this priority 

will be considered in the third funding 

priority. Should not enough eligible 

projects be funded under the first 

funding priority, funds not expended in 

this priority will fall to the third 

funding priority. 

Funding priority 2. VA is offering the 

opportunity to Indian Tribal 

Governments or non-profit agencies that 

will provide transitional housing and 

services on Indian Tribal Property to 

apply for funding under this NOFA to 

create transitional housing and services 

for homeless veterans. Eligible entities 

that are Indian Tribal Governments or 

non-profit agencies willing to provide 

transitional housing and services on 

Indian Tribal Property will be 

considered in the second funding 

priority as applicable. Of those eligible 

entities in the second funding priority, 

that are legally fundable, the highest 

scoring applicants will be funded first 

until approximately $1 million is 

awarded. Applicants not funded in this 

priority will be placed in the third 

funding priority. Should not enough 

eligible projects be funded under the 

second funding priority, funds not 

expended in this priority will fall to the 

third funding priority. 

Note: Non-profit agencies who apply under 

this priority will be required to provide a 

letter of assurance from the Indian Tribal 

Government that if funded the provision of 

service will occur on Indian Tribal Property. 

Funding priority 3. VA is encouraging 

interested state and local governments, 

faith-based and community-based 

organizations, as well as eligible entities 

located in the District of Columbia, the 

Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any 

territory or possession of the United 

States, to apply for funding under this 

NOFA to create transitional housing and 

services for all homeless veterans. 

Eligible entities that are state and local 

governments, Indian Tribal 

Governments, faith-based, and 

community-based organizations, or any 

territory or possession of the United 

States, will be considered in the third 

funding priority as applicable. Of those 

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4312 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 14 / Friday, January 23, 2009 / Notices 

eligible entities that are legally 

fundable, the highest-ranked 

applications for which funding is 

available, will be conditionally selected 

for eligibility to receive a capital grant 

in accordance with their ranked order 

until funding is expended 

(approximately $12 million). 

Methodology: VA will review all 

capital grant applications in response to 

this notice of funding availability as 

follows: VA will group the applicants 

into the funding priorities categories as 

applicable. Applicants will then be 

ranked within their respective funding 

category based on score and any ranking 

criteria set forth in that funding category 

only if the applicant scores at least 600 

cumulative points and receives points 

under the criteria in paragraphs (b), (c), 

(d), (e) and (i) of section 61.13. 

The highest-ranked application for 

which funding is available, within the 

highest funding category, will be 

conditionally selected in accordance 

with their ranked order until VA 

reaches the projected amount of funding 

for each category. If funds are still 

available after selection of those 

applications in the highest priority 

group VA will continue to conditionally 

select applicants in lower priority 

categories in accordance with the 

selection method set forth in the final 

rule Sec. 61.14. 

Application Requirements: 

Applicants must include a cover letter 

clearly stating under which funding 

priority they wish to be considered. 

Non-profit agencies who apply under 

funding priority two are required to 

provide a letter of assurance from the 

Indian Tribal Government that if funded 

the provision of service will occur on 

Indian Tribal Property. The grant 

application requirements will be 

specified in the application package. 

Applicants should be careful to 

complete the proper application 

package. Submission of the incorrect or 

incomplete application package will 

result in the application being rejected 

at threshold. The packages include all 

required forms and certifications. 

Selections will be made based on 

criteria described in the application, 

Final Rule, and NOFA. Applicants who 

are conditionally selected will be 

notified of any additional information 

needed to confirm or clarify information 

provided in the application. Applicants 

will then be notified of the deadline to 

submit such information. If an applicant 

is unable to meet any conditions for 

grant award within the specified time 

frame, VA reserves the right to not 

award funds and to use the funds 

available for other grant and per diem 

applicants. 

Dated: January 8, 2009. 

Gordon H. Mansfield, 

Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 

[FR Doc. E9–1509 Filed 1–22–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8320–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

Fund Availability Under VA Homeless 

Providers Grant and Per Diem Program 

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans 

Affairs (VA) is announcing the 

availability of funds for applications for 

assistance under the Technical 

Assistance Grant component of VA’s 

Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem 

Program. This notice contains 

information concerning the program, 

application process, and amount of 

funding available. 

DATES: An original completed and 

collated grant application (plus three 

completed collated copies) for 

assistance under the VA’s Homeless 

Providers Grant and Per Diem Program 

must be received in the Grant and Per 

Diem Field Office, by 4 p.m. Eastern 

Time on Wednesday, March 25, 2009. 

Applications may not be sent by 

facsimile (FAX). In the interest of 

fairness to all competing applicants, this 

deadline is firm as to date and hour, and 

VA will treat as ineligible for 

consideration any application that is 

received after the deadline. Applicants 

should take this practice into account 

and make early submission of their 

material to avoid any risk of loss of 

eligibility brought about by 

unanticipated delays, computer service 

outages (in the case of Grants.gov), or 

other delivery-related problems. 

For a Copy of the Application 

Package: Download directly from VA’s 

Grant and Per Diem Program Web page 

at: http://www.va.gov/homeless/ 

page.cfm?pg=3 or call the Grant and Per 

Diem Program at (toll-free) 1–877–332– 

0334. In this package is information on 

Grants.gov submission should 

applicants so desire. For a document 

relating to the VA’s Homeless Providers 

Grant and Per Diem Program, see the 

final rule codified at 38 CFR Part 61.0. 

Submission of Application: An 

original completed and collated grant 

application (plus three copies) and a 

cover letter clearly stating under which 

funding priority applicants (see funding 

priorities) wish to be considered must 

be submitted to the following address: 

VA Homeless Providers Grant and Per 

Diem Field Office, 10770 N. 46th Street, 

Suite C–200, Tampa, FL 33617. 

Applications must be received in the 

Grant and Per Diem Field office by the 

application deadline. This includes 

applications submitted through 

Grants.gov. Applications must arrive as 

a complete package. Materials arriving 

separately will not be included in the 

application package for consideration 

and may result in the application being 

rejected or not funded. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Chelsea Watson, VA Homeless 

Providers Grant and Per Diem Program, 

Department of Veterans Affairs, 10770 

North 46th Street, Suite C–200, Tampa, 

FL 33617; or call (toll-free) 1–877–332– 

0334. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

notice announces the availability of 

funds for assistance under VA’s 

Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem 

Program for eligible non-profit entities 

with expertise in preparing grant 

applications relating to the provision of 

assistance for homeless veterans to: 

Provide technical assistance to those 

non-profit community-based groups 

with experience in providing assistance 

to homeless veterans in order to help 

such groups apply for grants under the 

final rule, published in the Federal 

Register, September 26, 2003, or to 

apply for other grants from any source 

for addressing the problems of homeless 

veterans. 

Funding applied for under this Notice 

is authorized by the ‘‘Homeless Veterans 

Comprehensive Assistance Act of 

2001,’’ Public Law 107–95, § 5, codified 

as amended at 38 U.S.C. 2011, 2012, 

2013, 2061, 2064. The program is 

implemented by the final rule codified 

at 38 CFR Part 61.0. The regulations can 

be found in their entirety in 38 CFR, 

Sec. 61.0 through 61.82. Funds made 

available under this Notice are subject 

to the requirements of those regulations. 

Funding applied for under this notice 

may be used for: (a) Group or individual 

seminars providing general instructions 

concerning grant applications; (b) Group 

or individual seminars providing 

instructions for applying for a specific 

grant; or (c) Group or individual 

instruction for preparing analyses to be 

included in a grant application. 

Seminars (course of instruction) may be 

delivered in electronic, face-to-face 

(individual or group), and 

correspondence methodologies (e.g., 

Internet based training, video 

teleconferencing, computer media such 

as CD or disk). 

VA’s statutory authority is limited to 

providing grants so that the recipients 

‘‘shall provide technical assistance to 

non-profit community-based groups 

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