The 2025 VA Community Engagement Award, hosted by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) through the Veterans Experience Office (VEO), seeks to support innovative solutions for engaging underserved Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors. The challenge aims to address the gaps in service access faced by many Veterans, particularly in accessing both VA and non-VA services. To do so, the VA is looking for non-profit organizations that can effectively engage with underserved groups within the Veteran community. The grant targets specific groups, including transitioning Veterans, rural Veterans, minority Veterans, and the Veteran gaming community.

The award is structured to recognize ten non-profit organizations or teams for their creative and effective community-based outreach programs. These organizations must demonstrate innovative strategies for outreach, coalition-building, and community engagement that can be scaled and replicated to reach over 5,000 Veterans. The top 10 submissions will each receive a $10,000 prize to implement their idea(s) for events or activities aimed at improving access to VA and non-VA services, particularly for underserved Veterans.

The grant operates in two phases. Phase 1 involves the submission of a 3-page application detailing an organization’s current initiatives, how they align with the challenge's goals, and their plans for scaling their efforts. The submission period opens on January 20, 2025, and closes on March 31, 2025. During Phase 1, applicants will be assessed on criteria such as the sustainability of their program, their innovative community engagement methods, and how they plan to improve access to services. The top 20 applications will progress to Phase 2, where they will present their ideas to a panel of judges. While Phase 1 winners do not receive cash prizes, they are given the opportunity to advance to Phase 2 for a chance at the monetary award.

In Phase 2, the top 20 finalists will be invited to present their ideas to a panel of judges during a live presentation in May 2025. This phase also includes a webinar to help finalists improve their presentations. The 10 highest-scoring teams will be awarded a total of $100,000, with each team receiving $10,000 to implement their engagement strategies. This funding is intended for programs that demonstrate proven or promising practices in community outreach, coalition-building, and improving the access and customer experience for Veterans in the targeted communities.

The VA Community Engagement Award aims to foster scalable solutions that leverage technology, peer support, and community-based collaboration to improve the overall well-being of Veterans. This award supports organizations with a commitment to innovation and sustainability in serving the Veteran community. The submission and award timeline is structured to provide multiple opportunities for applicants to refine their ideas and present them effectively.