Texas Veterans Commission Financial Assistance: Fund for Veterans’ Assistance Grants, Claims Help, and State Benefits

How Texas Veterans Commission financial assistance works

The Texas Legislature created the Fund for Veterans’ Assistance in 2005 (the 79th Legislature) to meet the needs of Texas veterans and their families. TVC runs it as a grant program. Here is the path the money takes:

1. Money comes in. TVC says the fund is paid for mainly by the Texas Lottery’s Veterans Cash scratch tickets, plus donations people make when they get a driver’s license, hunting or fishing license, handgun license, or vehicle registration.
2. Organizations compete for grants. Nonprofits and local governments apply. An advisory committee reviews the applications and the Commission decides the awards.
3. Grantees serve veterans. The funded groups help veterans and their families directly, then ask TVC to reimburse them. That is why TVC calls these “reimbursement grants.”

TVC’s grant year runs from July 1 to June 30. In October 2026, Governor Abbott and TVC announced that applications were open for about $31 million in new FVA grants, with a portal that closed December 2, 2026. For that funding period, grants last 24 months and range from $50,000 to $600,000 per award. Earlier in 2026, TVC presented more than $40 million in grants to 160 organizations across the state.

For you as a veteran, the practical point is simple: you do not apply to TVC for cash. You find the local group that holds an FVA grant for the kind of help you need, and you apply there. Each grantee sets its own eligibility rules, paperwork, and limits within its grant.

The five FVA grant categories

TVC awards FVA grants in five categories. The table shows what each one generally pays for, based on TVC’s grant announcements and directory.

TVC’s Grant-Funded Services Directory breaks services down further. Its search menu lists assistive technology, clinical counseling, elder care, family and child support, financial assistance, food, homeless services, home modifications and repairs, non-clinical mental health, pet lodging and veterinary care, pro bono legal services, service dogs, small business support, trade skills training, ride programs, vehicle transportation help, and veteran treatment courts.

Not every service exists in every county. A large county may have several grantees for financial assistance, while a rural county may be served by one regional group or none for a given need.

Finding a funded organization in your county

Go to TVC’s Grant-Funded Services Directory (the short address tvc.texas.gov/fund leads there). You can filter by:

• Who needs help: veteran, dependent, or surviving spouse.
• Service type: for example “Financial Assistance” for bills, or “Home Modifications, repairs, and weatherization” for a ramp or roof.
• County: the county where you live.

Each listing names the organization and how to contact it. TVC says every group in that directory receives FVA support. If you have trouble online, TVC’s grants page also points veterans to outside networks such as TexVet and Combined Arms, which TVC notes are not affiliated with it. You can also dial 211 or use 211 Texas to ask for veteran programs near you.

Your county Veteran Service Officer is another good starting point. TVC works with county offices across the state, and they often know which local grantees still have funds this year.

What to expect when you ask for help

Because each grantee writes its own rules, the steps vary. Most follow a similar pattern:

1. Screening call or form. Expect questions about your service, household, income, and the bill or repair you need help with.
2. Proof of service. Most groups ask for a DD-214 or another record of service. Dependents and surviving spouses usually need to show their relationship to the veteran.
3. Proof of need. This often means the past-due bill, lease, shut-off notice, repair estimate, and recent income records.
4. Payment to the vendor. Many grantees pay the landlord, utility, or repair shop directly rather than giving you cash.

Our document checklist covers the general papers most programs ask for. Funds are limited, and some grantees run out before the grant year ends. If one group says no, ask whether another grantee in your county or region covers the same need.

For specific bills, you may also want to look at our guide to veteran utility assistance programs, and for transportation problems, car repair assistance in Texas.

Free VA claims help from TVC advisors

The biggest money many veterans get is not a grant at all, but monthly VA disability compensation or pension. TVC’s Claims Department helps with those claims at no charge. According to its claims page:

• TVC is designated by the state to represent Texas veterans before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, including during appeals.
• It has more than 80 accredited benefits advisors, and its advisors are veterans themselves.
• Its staff work from offices across Texas, many inside VA medical centers, clinics, regional offices, and military bases.
• You can book an in-office or phone appointment, with some phone appointments available until 7 p.m.
• Services are free. TVC’s answer to “what are your fees?” is simply “Nothing.”

TVC advises filing an “Intent to File” (VA Form 21-0966) early, because it sets your effective date with the VA while you gather evidence. For a disability claim you will usually need a diagnosis and medical records. For a pension claim, the VA looks at wartime service, income, and assets, and some medical expenses can be deducted. You can read the VA’s own rules on its disability compensation page. Call TVC at 1-800-252-8387 to start. If you are a veteran with a service-connected disability, our guide to government grants for disabled veterans explains federal housing and vehicle grants too.

Mental health and peer support

TVC’s Veterans Mental Health Department connects service members, veterans, and families with mental health services. TVC says its programs use a broad definition of veteran, regardless of discharge status, branch, or length of service, and that its services are free. Programs include:

• Military Veteran Peer Network: trained veteran peers who offer support and referrals.
• Justice Involved Veterans: help for veterans in the court or jail system.
• Homeless veterans support and suicide prevention work with local partners.
• Rural, community, and faith outreach.

In September 2026, TVC launched Texas Veterans Access, an online platform where you create a profile and send a service request to programs including the Mental Health Department. You can also email vmhd@tvc.texas.gov or call (512) 815-7906. TVC also runs the Texas Veterans and Family Alliance grant program, which funds local clinical and non-clinical mental health services.

Hazlewood Act tuition exemption

The Hazlewood Act is a Texas education benefit managed with TVC. According to TVC’s Hazlewood page, it covers up to 150 credit hours of tuition, including most fees, at Texas public colleges and universities. It does not cover books, supplies, or living costs.

A veteran generally must:

• have entered service in Texas or listed Texas as home of record at entry,
• have served at least 181 days of active duty (not counting initial training),
• have an honorable or general (under honorable conditions) discharge,
• live in Texas now, and
• not have federal VA education benefits that already pay all tuition and fees for that term.

Unused hours can be passed to one eligible child at a time (the “Legacy” program). The child must be a Texas resident and 25 or younger at the start of the term. Spouses and children of veterans who died in service, are missing in action, or are rated 100% service-connected disabled or unemployable may get their own 150 hours. Your college makes the final decision, so start with its veterans or financial aid office and register in TVC’s Hazlewood database.

Property tax exemptions for disabled veterans

Property tax breaks are handled by your county appraisal district, not by TVC, but they can save disabled veterans a lot each year. The Texas Comptroller’s disabled veteran FAQ sets these amounts under Tax Code Section 11.22:

A veteran age 65 or older with at least a 10% rating, or who is totally blind in one or both eyes, or who has lost use of one or more limbs, may qualify for the $12,000 amount. This exemption can apply to any one property you own.

Veterans with a 100% service-connected rating, or a finding of individual unemployability, may qualify for a full exemption on their home under Tax Code Section 11.131, according to the Comptroller’s 100 percent disabled veteran FAQ. A surviving spouse who has not remarried may keep certain exemptions. The usual filing deadline is April 30, but disabled veterans can file up to five years after the tax delinquency date for these exemptions.

Texas Veterans Land Board programs

The Texas Veterans Land Board (VLB) is part of the Texas General Land Office, a separate agency from TVC. People often mix them up. The VLB offers:

• Texas State Veterans Homes: long-term nursing care for qualified veterans, spouses, and Gold Star parents. The VLB says veterans with a 70% or higher service-connected disability can generally live there for free.
• State veterans cemeteries: five state cemeteries for eligible Texans.
• Land and home loans: low-interest loans for veterans and military members. These must be repaid like any loan, and we are not recommending one.

The Texas Veterans Call Center at 1-800-252-8387 answers questions for both TVC and VLB programs.

Related guides

• Foreclosure assistance for veterans
• Gas bill assistance for veterans
• Christmas help for veterans
• Texas financial assistance

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information. Grant funding, local grantees, and eligibility rules change every grant year. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with the Texas Veterans Commission, the Veterans Land Board, the VA, or any government agency.