RFP - Veteran Project Grant for 2027 - 2028

Request for Proposals
Veteran Project Grant
2027 - 2028
Our mission is to support indigent veterans and their
families with access to essential services and
resources. Whether its financial assistance for living
and food expenses, housing support, or navigating the
vast resources, we're here to help.
Thurston County Public Health and Social Services
412 Lilly Road NE
Olympia, WA 98506
www.thurstoncountywa.gov/veterans-assistance

Release Date: August 1, 2026
Due Date: August 31, 2026 - 5:00pm PST
Max Funding Available: $500,000.00 combined total per contract year
Funding Announcement: www.thurstoncountywa.gov/funding-announcements
Application Submission: TCVeterans@co.thurston.wa.us
Eligibility: 1.Be a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, tribal government, unit of
local government, or qualified community-based organization
2.Be licensed and insured to operate in the State of Washington
3.Have a proven track record of serving veterans and/or their families
4.Have the administrative capacity to manage grant funds and fulfill
reporting requirements
Approximate Timeline Proposal Review and Evaluation September 1 - 30
for Selection: Recommendation for Funding Early October
Award Notification/Draft Contract Late October
Final Contracts Early to Mid December
Contract Start Date January 1, 2027
Contact for Questions: Candace McCutchen
TCVeterans@co.thurston.wa.us
(360)867-8236
The Thurston County Veterans Assistance Program (VAP) is pleased to announce the 2027 - 2028
Veteran Project Grant funding opportunity. This grant supports community-based projects that
enhance the quality of life for indigent veterans and their families in Thurston County. Through this
funding, Thurston County seeks to address unmet needs, promote long-term stability, and foster
equitable outcomes for all veterans.
The purpose of the Veteran Project Grant is to fund veteran-centered projects and services that
provide direct support to indigent veterans and/or their families. Projects must align with the
mission of the VAP and demonstrate measurable impact within the contract term.
This Request for Proposals specifically requests proposals from programs or projects that address
one or more of the following areas:
* Housing Stability and Basic Needs
* Mental and Behavioral Health Support
* Suicide Prevention and Crisis Support
* Civil Legal Aid
* Transportation for Medical Appointments
* Employment, Training, and Financial Counseling
* Other programs or projects that align with the VAP mission

All proposals will be assessed and scored by the Thurston County Veterans Advisory Board (VAB).
Upon completion of the review process, the VAB will submit recommendations to the Thurston
County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) for consideration. VAP staff provide technical and
administrative support to the VAB but do not participate in the process of selecting proposals for
recommendation to the BoCC.
The VAB will review and discuss all proposals to:
* Assess the level of need for the proposed service(s)
* Determine how each proposal will fulfill the need of Thurston County indigent veterans
and/or their families
* Evaluate whether the proposed services align with the VAP mission
* Consider whether the proposal is well-articulated and identifies realistic, attainable goals
* Evaluate if the anticipated benefit to Thurston County indigent veterans and/or their
families is in line with the cost of the service(s)
To fully understand any proposal, the VAB may request additional information to be presented in
writing or may request to interview the applicant.
Contracts are for a maximum of two years and are scheduled to begin on January 1, 2027 and end
no later than December 31, 2028. Up to a total of $500,000 per contract year will be available for
reimbursement-based contracts. This amount only applies to the 2027 - 2028 funding period.
Future and continued funding is not guaranteed. This is a competitive grant opportunity. Not all
applicants will receive funding and award amounts may differ from the request. VAP prefers to
award several smaller contracts rather than a limited number of larger contracts. Programs and/or
projects that clearly serve underserved, indigent, rural veteran communities will be given priority
consideration.
Completed proposal packets, including any supporting documents, should be emailed in a single
pdf attachment to TCVeterans@co.thurston.wa.us. All submissions should be sent by no later
than 5:00pm PST on Monday, August 31, 2026. Proposal packets not emailed to this email address
or that are received after the submission time and date will not be considered for funding. Please
include "Veteran Project Grant 2027/2028 - [Your Organization Name]" in the subject line of your
email.
All proposals must contain the following:
* County Coversheet (provided in packet)
* Narrative Questions
* Proposed Budget Spreadsheet (provided in packet)
* Proposed Salary Spending Plan Spreadsheet (provided in packet)
The VAP reserves the right to modify, reject or negotiate any proposal submitted with the
proposing organization prior to recommending funding of the proposal.