Grant and Per Diem (GPD) — Transitional Housing
Safe, supportive transitional housing while you get back on your feet — with case management, treatment, and a plan for what comes next.
Sometimes the step between crisis and a permanent home is a safe place to breathe, get treatment, and put a plan together. That is what the Grant and Per Diem program provides.
GPD funds community organizations to offer transitional housing — a supportive, temporary residence with services attached — while you stabilize. It is a bridge, not a dead end: the entire program is oriented toward getting you into permanent housing.
Understanding Grant & Per Diem
Transitional housing with support
GPD provides a safe place to live for a defined period (generally up to 24 months) through VA-funded community agencies. It is not a shelter you are turned out of each morning — it is stable, supportive housing while you work your plan.
Services attached to the roof
Case management, help with treatment and recovery, benefits assistance, and employment support are built in. Some GPD programs are specifically set up to serve women veterans and women with children.
A launchpad, not a landing
The purpose of GPD is momentum toward permanent housing. Staff help you line up the next step — often a HUD-VASH voucher or a private rental with SSVF assistance — so the bridge actually leads somewhere.
Do you qualify for Grant & Per Diem?
You are a veteran who is homeless and needs a stable, supportive place to live while you stabilize.
You can benefit from the case management and supportive services that come with the housing.
Specific eligibility is set by the community provider and the VA; the National Call Center can screen you quickly.
Some GPD sites are set aside specifically for women veterans and for women with children — ask.
Not sure whether you meet these? Eligibility for housing programs turns on details — income limits, discharge status, and how “at risk” is defined. An accredited representative can confirm exactly where you stand before you apply.
What Grant & Per Diem actually gives you
A safe place to live
Transitional housing for a defined period while you rebuild stability.
Case management
A dedicated staff member to coordinate your care and your plan for permanent housing.
Treatment & recovery support
Connection to mental health, MST, and substance-use care as needed.
A warm handoff to permanent housing
Help lining up HUD-VASH, SSVF, or a private rental as your next step.
What this means for you
For a woman leaving an unsafe situation or coming out of a shelter, GPD can be the calm, supportive middle step that makes permanent housing achievable. Because some sites are reserved for women and for mothers with children, it is worth asking the call center specifically for a women’s GPD program near you.
Getting Grant & Per Diem, step by step
Call 1-877-424-3838
The National Call Center for Homeless Veterans can screen you and identify GPD-funded transitional housing near you.
Ask specifically about women’s programs
Some GPD sites are designated for women veterans or women with children. Ask so you are matched to the safest fit.
Complete intake with the provider
The community organization confirms eligibility and welcomes you into transitional housing with services.
Work your plan toward permanent housing
Your case manager helps you line up the permanent housing step so the transition actually moves you forward.
What trips women veterans up
Thinking transitional housing is the same as a shelter — GPD is stable, longer-term, and service-rich.
Not asking for a women-specific or family site when one may be available.
Treating it as the finish line instead of using the case management to line up permanent housing.
Grant & Per Diem: your questions answered
How long can I stay in GPD housing?
GPD transitional housing is generally available for up to 24 months, though the exact length depends on the program and your plan. The goal throughout is to move you into permanent housing.
Are there GPD programs just for women?
Yes. Some Grant and Per Diem sites are specifically designated for women veterans and for women with children. Ask the National Call Center to help you find one near you.
Can my children stay with me?
Some GPD programs are set up to house women with children. Availability varies by site, so ask specifically when you call.
Official VA & HUD Links
Everything you need is on this page. These official links are provided in addition, so you can go straight to the source to apply or read more.
See every housing program for women veterans, or estimate the rating that could fund your housing stability.
Need help getting into safe, stable housing?
We focus on veterans the VA has already denied or under-rated. We do not take brand-new (initial) claims, and we do not take every case.
Guidance from a VA-accredited claims agent (#45147). Any figures are estimates that depend on your situation and the VA's decision — not legal or medical advice, and not the VA.