Veterans Cemetery Grants | VA NCA VCGP 2025

Opportunity Information: Apply for VA NCA VCGP 2025

The Veterans Cemetery Grants Program (VCGP), run by the VA National Cemetery Administration, provides federal grant funding to help states, US territories, and federally recognized tribal governments develop Veterans cemeteries that expand burial access for Veterans and eligible family members. The program has been active since 1980 and has awarded more than $1.1 billion in grants to support a nationwide network of state, territorial, and tribal Veterans cemeteries. These VCGP-supported cemeteries play a significant role in meeting burial needs: in 2024 alone, they handled more than 42,720 interments, representing roughly 24 percent of all annual interments across national, state, territory, and tribal cemeteries.

This specific funding notice is seeking FY25 pre-applications for projects that could be placed on the FY26 priority list, meaning it is part of the pipeline for future-year project selection and funding decisions. The grant funds are limited to cemetery development activities, specifically to establish, expand, or improve Veterans cemeteries that are owned and operated by an eligible state, territory, or tribal government (including tribal trust land). The opportunity is not open to private organizations, cities, or other types of government entities outside the listed eligible applicants. The VA can fund up to 100 percent of the approved development costs for a project, which can make this a very substantial source of capital support for construction and improvement work. At the same time, there are key restrictions: the VA cannot pay for land acquisition, and operating equipment support is limited to situations where a brand-new cemetery is being established.

Projects must meet VA standards for site selection, planning, and construction, and grantees remain responsible for the long-term administration, operation, and maintenance of the cemetery once built or improved. Funded cemeteries must be operated solely for the interment of Veterans (as defined in 38 CFR 39.2) and eligible family members (see 38 CFR 39.10). The notice also highlights a recent legal change allowing grantee cemeteries to inter certain individuals described in 38 USC 2408(i)(2), even though those individuals are not eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery; additional guidance on that authority is provided through the VA NCA Notices webpage.

A major compliance requirement emphasized in this opportunity is the Build America, Buy America Act (BABAA). Grantees must certify that project spending will follow domestic content procurement rules, meaning iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in VA-funded projects must be produced in the United States. For manufactured products, the rule also includes a component cost test: more than 55 percent of the total component cost must come from US-made components. This will affect procurement planning, contracting, and documentation, and applicants should expect to build compliance tracking into their project management approach.

For context on program impact and near-term growth, the VA notes that two new state cemeteries are expected to open in 2025 (in New York’s Finger Lakes region and in Grand Island, Nebraska), bringing the total to 124 VCGP-funded cemeteries and expanding burial access for an estimated 24,907 previously unserved Veterans and eligible family members. A separate planned cemetery in Lubbock, Texas is projected to open in December 2025 as the program’s 125th grant-funded state Veterans cemetery, with estimated access gains for 19,923 previously unserved Veterans. The notice also reminds applicants that, separate from construction grants, the VA may provide a burial plot allowance of up to $978 for certain eligible Veterans as part of Veterans burial benefits.

Key administrative details from the listing include: the opportunity title is Veterans Cemetery Grants (Funding Opportunity Number: VA NCA VCGP 2025), it is a discretionary grant under CFDA 64.203, and it is open to state governments and federally recognized tribal governments (with US territories explicitly eligible as well). The application deadline shown is July 1, 2025. The expected award volume is up to about 30 awards, with an award ceiling listed at $60,000,000.

• The VA National Cemetery Administration in the community development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Veterans Cemetery Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 64.203.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2025-02-13.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-07-01. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $60,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 30 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).

Apply for VA NCA VCGP 2025

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