CVLC’s Response to OMB M-25-13
Greetings Friend:
As you may have heard, the President issued an Executive Order (OMB M-25-13) last night that pauses or eliminates all federal grant funding, including funding agreements that have already been appropriated by the US Congress.
The impact to Connecticut Veterans Legal Center is potentially devastating.
Approximately 20% of CVLCs funding is derived from federal grant programs, including SSVF, Title III funds for older adult veterans, and the VA’s competitive grant program “Legal Services for Veterans – Homelessness” (LSV-H). CVLC has consistently followed all guidelines and stewarded this funding to successfully serve hundreds of struggling veterans.
These funds are how we keep our services going. 80% of our annual expenses are used to directly serve veterans. 90% or more of our expense is staff salary and staff benefits like health care—money we use to pay the staff who have chosen to dedicate their careers to serving our veterans.
If this order holds, we will lose almost $500,000 from our annual budget. And the loss will start almost immediately–we now anticipate that we will not receive our quarterly reimbursement of $75,000 for services to veterans at-risk of homelessness. Our monthly reimbursement for the services we provide under SSVF and Title III are also imperiled. We can’t afford to mince words: this money is a big part of how we meet payroll.
Even if the Executive Order is reversed, every day that we are in limbo or lose funding causes significant damage to our work and the people we serve.
Despite the apparent risk, CVLC will not back down from our commitment to serve all veterans. To ignore or exclude the contributions of any group of people because they do not fit someone’s arbitrary image of a “veteran” or “service member” would not only be morally wrong, it would be a waste of resources.
We need your help TODAY. For the last 15 years, CVLC has been run on a tight budget and has recently been able to build a reserve of surplus funds. That modest reserve will run out within the next six months without federal funding.
We know you know the importance of our work. Please give what you can today or consider becoming a monthly donor to ensure cash flow year-round. You can set up your gift online here (link).
Checks are also welcome. You can send checks to us at our administrative offices: Connecticut Veterans Legal Center, 265 Church Street, Suite 201, New Haven, CT 06510.
Please reach out to your Congressional representative to ask them to fight against this unlawful action. These calls matter, even if your representative already supports your position. Visit this website to find your representative and their contact information.
Once again, thank you for all you do to support Connecticut Veterans Legal Center. Together, we can and will get through this.
Alison M. Weir
Executive Director
US Air Force Veteran (Retired)
Updates
UPDATE (5:30 pm on 1/28/2025): A federal judge has temporarily paused this unlawful action through next Monday. We continue to be in a period of great uncertainty about what will ultimately come to pass. Read the update here.
UPDATE (7:42 pm on 1/28/2025): VA issued a statement confirming that current grantees of VA grants will continue to receive their funding. Read the full statement here.
UPDATE (1:16 p.m. on 1/29/2025): CT Mirror reported that the White House budget office rescinds federal funding freeze memo. Read the full article here.