Veterans services director says state MVAA grant changes and delays could limit locally run programs
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Summary
Van Buren County's veterans services director told commissioners that recent Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) guidance changes and pending awards are constraining grant funding for programs such as dental and relief, though the county's local millage provides operating flexibility.
Van Buren County's veterans services director told the Board of Commissioners that recent changes to Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) grant guidance, and a delay in signing awards, have put some grant funding at risk and could restrict the kinds of programs the county can subsidize.
The director said he met with U.S. Senator John James to raise concerns about the MVAA's changes. He told commissioners the agency had revised its guidance mid‑fiscal year, reducing allowable categories from a broader set to a narrow list that currently focuses on office, IT, payroll and general business functions. The director said that change has excluded items the county previously funded with MVAA money — such as dental care, emotional‑support animal assistance and some outreach or promotional items — and that some counties have already had funding removed or reduced.
"This is MVAA's way of trying to control county veteran service organizations," the director told the board. He said the county's application is currently in a pending state at the MVAA and that grant awards are sitting on a senior official's desk awaiting signature. "I don't wanna spend any of that money on payroll... when they haven't proven over the last two years that they're gonna honor their initial agreement anyway," he said, describing his reluctance to rely on the state funds until guidance and execution are stable.
Numbers and local impact: the director cited county program results for the fiscal year, noting a large return in federal and state benefit payments produced by the office. He said the MVAA reporting tool (VetraSpec) shows about $13,400,000 in benefit dollars returned to veterans in the fiscal year covered by the report. The office reported serving 251 veterans through its dental program (at a reported program cost of $54,604) and issuing roughly $38,000 in direct relief during the year. He also said last year's MVAA award had been issued at $86,000 and later reduced by $32,000.
The director said he and other county and state stakeholders are pressing the MVAA to restore more flexible guidance or to clarify the rules before the next grant cycle; he said some state legislators and other county veteran service officers had raised similar concerns. He noted that Van Buren County has a local veteran services millage and can continue operating programs even if state grant flows are uncertain, but he warned that counties more dependent on MVAA funding may face staffing and service disruptions.
Board members thanked the veterans staff for outreach and for the department's work, and several commissioners noted the office's role in returning significant benefit dollars to veterans. The director said the next MVAA grant filing deadline is anticipated in November and that the county will watch for any amended guidance or corrective action at the state level.
