The Shadow
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs today announced the availability of $7 million in grants for organizations that provide transportation services to rural Veterans.
Grant funding is available to Veteran Service Organizations and State Veterans Service Agencies that provide Veterans transportation services to and from VA or VA-authorized health care appointments. These funds are made available through the Highly Rural Transportation Grants Program, which provides transportation programs in counties with fewer than seven people per square mile. There is no cost to participate in the program for Veterans who live in an area where this program is available.
Since HRTG’s launch in 2014, VA has awarded $35 million to organizations across 15 states, U.S. territories, and tribal lands.
“Improving health care access for rural Veterans is vital,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins. “These grants will help break down the geographic barriers to health care some rural Veterans face.”
For more details about eligibility, priorities, and application requirements visit VA.gov/HEALTHBENEFITS/vtp/grant_applicants. Interested parties can apply on grants.gov. The closing date for application is May 5, 2026.
The grant is just one of many ways the second Trump Administration is making VA work better for Veterans. For example, VA has:
- Enrolled more than 100,000 new Veterans in VA health care in 2026.
- Opened 34 new VA health care facilities since Jan. 20, 2025, Opening 34 new VA health care facilities expanding health care access for Veterans around the country.
- Reduced the backlog of Veterans waiting for VA benefits by 67%, after it increased 24% during the Biden Administration.
- Completed 82,083,918 direct care appointments in FY2025, up 4.1% from FY2024.
- Offered Veterans more than 2.3 million appointments outside of normal operating hours, giving Veterans more timely and convenient options for care.
- Permanently housed 51,936 homeless Veterans across the country in FY2025, the highest total in seven years.
