Illinois Veterans Cash Grant Program (Veterans Cash)
Competitive grants of $25,000 to $100,000 a year, funded by Illinois Lottery scratch-off proceeds, for organizations that help veterans with needs like behavioral health, homelessness, health insurance costs, disability benefits, job training, and emergency financial assistance.
Who it is for
Government agencies, veterans' organizations, and nonprofit tax-exempt groups in Illinois that serve veterans in need or want to expand into veteran services. Individual veterans do not apply directly; they benefit through funded organizations.
Focus: Homeless or at risk
Before you start
How you apply: Apply directly to the program.
How to apply
- Register your organization in the state GATA system and the AmpliFund Illinois grantee portal, and make sure you have a federal tax ID and SAM.gov registration.
- Submit the online application through AmpliFund during one of the quarterly application windows.
- The Grant Authorization Committee reviews applications each quarter and the IDVA Director gives final approval.
Deadline: Applications are accepted in quarterly windows each state fiscal year, with committee reviews about six weeks after each window closes. All four fiscal year 2026 windows have closed (September 30 and December 31, 2025, and March 31 and June 30, 2026); check the IDVA page for the next cycle's dates. (Annual cycle)
Amount: $25,000 to $100,000 per year
Verified as of 2026-07-05. Resources are checked periodically against their official source. Details, amounts, and deadlines change. Confirm the current information on the official page before you rely on it.