Big news for veteran families in the Dallas-Fort Worth area: Ruth's Retreat House is applying for the VA's Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) grant for Fiscal Year 2027. If approved, this funding would dramatically expand our ability to serve veterans experiencing housing instability across Tarrant County. ## What is SSVF? The SSVF program is the VA's primary initiative for rapidly re-housing veterans and their families, and preventing homelessness before it occurs. The program provides: ### Core SSVF Services - **Rapid Re-Housing** — Security deposits, first month's rent, moving costs - **Homelessness Prevention** — Rental assistance to avoid eviction - **Case Management** — Benefits navigation, employment support, life skills - **Temporary Financial Assistance** — Emergency aid for utilities, childcare, transportation - **Health Care Navigation** — Connection to VA and community health services SSVF is a proven program. Nationally, 87% of veterans who exit SSVF are placed in permanent housing. It works. ## Why Ruth's Retreat House is Applying Our organization has been serving the DFW veteran community for years, primarily through HIV/AIDS services and transitional housing. In 2025, we expanded our focus to include veteran housing with our **Foundations for Home™** curriculum. SSVF funding would allow us to: ### 1. Hire Dedicated Staff - Case Managers (2 FTEs) - Lead Case Manager (1 FTE) - Housing Navigator (1 FTE) - Health Care Navigator (1 FTE — new FY27 requirement) ### 2. Provide Direct Financial Assistance - Security deposits and first/last month rent - Utility deposits and payments - Emergency transportation - Childcare during job interviews ### 3. Expand Our Reach Currently, we serve approximately 50 veteran families per year. With SSVF funding, we could serve **150+ families annually**. ## What Makes Our Application Strong Ruth's Retreat House brings unique strengths to this application that position us well for funding. ### Proven Track Record - 10+ years serving vulnerable populations in Tarrant County - Established relationships with VA, housing authorities, and community partners - 501(c)(3) nonprofit with strong governance ### Innovative Curriculum Our **Foundations for Home™** program goes beyond basic housing placement: | Phase | Focus | Outcomes | |-------|-------|----------| | **STABILIZE** | Crisis intervention | Immediate housing stability | | **SUSTAIN** | Income & benefits | Long-term financial security | | **STRENGTHEN** | Skills & credit | Homeownership readiness | | **OWN** | VA loan navigation | Generational wealth building | ### Community Integration We're embedded in the TX-601 Continuum of Care and work closely with: - Partnership Home (CoC Lead) - Dallas VA Medical Center - Tarrant County Housing Authority - Local employers with veteran hiring preferences ## Timeline Here's where we are in the application process: | Milestone | Date | Status | |-----------|------|--------| | NOFO Released | January 6, 2026 | ✅ Complete | | Application Development | January - February 2026 | 🔄 In Progress | | Budget Finalization | February 1-10, 2026 | ⏳ Upcoming | | **Application Deadline** | **February 19, 2026** | 📅 28 Days | | Award Announcements | May 2026 (estimated) | ⏳ Pending | | Grant Period Begins | October 1, 2026 | ⏳ Pending | ## How You Can Help Whether or not we receive SSVF funding, our work continues. Here's how you can support our mission: ### For Veterans If you're a veteran facing housing instability, don't wait for grant announcements. We're here now. ### For Community Members **Donate:** Every dollar helps us serve more veterans while we await federal funding decisions. **Spread the Word:** Share this article with veterans who might need our services or businesses who might want to partner. ### For Businesses Your corporate partnership provides crucial private funding that doesn't depend on government grant cycles. ## Stay Updated We'll share updates throughout the application process. To stay informed: 1. **Subscribe to our newsletter** (form below) 2. **Follow us on social media** (@ruthsretreathouse) 3. **Check this blog** for announcements --- *Questions about our SSVF application? Contact us at info@ruthsretreathouse.org or 682-999-6751.*

SSVF FY2027 Applications Now Open: What This Means for DFW Veterans

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