Office For Veterans' Affairs

Charity Number: CUSTOM_F19178D0

Annual Expenditure: £70.0M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Budget: £13.5 million (2024-25 operational budget)
  • Total Programme Funding: £70+ million across government programmes
  • Decision Time: Varies by programme (typically 2-3 months for major grants)
  • Grant Range: £25,000 - £1,500,000 (depending on programme)
  • Geographic Focus: United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)

Contact Details

Office for Veterans' Affairs

Ministry of Defence

Main Building

Whitehall

London SW1A 2HB

United Kingdom

Media Enquiries: Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm

Veterans UK (for general veteran support)

Email: veterans-uk@mod.uk

Phone: 0808 1914 2 18 (Freephone UK)

Phone: +44 1253 866 043 (Overseas)

For Grant Applications: Most OVA grants are administered through the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust - enquiries@covenantfund.org.uk

Overview

The Office for Veterans' Affairs (OVA) was established in 2019 by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to lead the UK government's efforts to ensure veterans receive the respect, support, and recognition they deserve. As part of the Ministry of Defence, the OVA coordinates functions across the whole of government to ensure the best support for veterans and their families. The Minister for Veterans' Affairs attends Cabinet, ensuring that veterans' interests are championed at the highest levels. The OVA primarily delivers its grant-making through partnership with the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, with total programme funding exceeding £70 million across various initiatives. The OVA's operational budget for 2024-25 is £13.525 million. Current priorities include transforming services for veterans and their families, maximizing employment and education opportunities, ending veteran homelessness, and improving physical and mental health outcomes.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The majority of OVA grants are administered by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust. Key programmes include:

Veterans' Capital Housing Fund

  • Major Capital Grants Programme: £75,000 - £500,000 (with exceptional grants up to £1 million for projects with 30%+ match funding) towards new builds and significant refurbishment of rental accommodation for veterans with housing needs
  • Refurbishment Grants Programme: Up to £75,000 towards refurbishment or extension of rental accommodation offering high-quality support for veterans
  • Development Grants Programme: Up to £25,000 towards development of new build projects for veteran housing

Reducing Veteran Homelessness Programme

  • Up to £1.5 million over 2 years for wraparound support services
  • Total programme funding: £8 million available
  • Focus on mental health, addiction support, and preventing rough sleeping
  • Rolling applications with multiple rounds

Veterans' Career Development Fund

  • Grants for projects enabling veterans and families to enter stable long-term employment
  • Delivers qualifications and training programmes
  • Application method: Online portal via Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust

Health Innovation Fund

  • £5 million scheme to improve treatments, techniques, and pathways for veterans' physical and mental health needs
  • Awards up to £300,000 per proposal
  • Administered through Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA)

Veterans' Mobility Fund

  • Grants for mobility equipment for veterans with service-related physical disabilities
  • Administered by Help for Heroes and Blesma
  • Available for veterans in receipt of War Pension or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme awards

Other OVA-Funded Initiatives

  • Military Sexual Trauma Fund (£195,643 awarded to Combat Stress 2023-2025)
  • Nuclear Test Veterans Support (£249,154 awarded to University of South Wales 2023-2025)
  • Veterans' Gateway support (£250,000 annually)

Priority Areas

  • Housing and Homelessness: Supporting veterans with housing needs, particularly those at risk of or experiencing homelessness
  • Employment and Career Development: Enabling transition to stable long-term civilian employment
  • Health Innovation: Improving physical and mental health treatments, particularly for blast injuries, hearing loss, visual impairment, and pain management
  • Underserved Communities: Female veterans, nuclear test veterans, victims of military sexual trauma
  • Digital and Data Solutions: Technology-based approaches to veteran care
  • Collaborative Projects: Initiatives working with Op FORTITUDE and local Covenant partnerships

What They Don't Fund

  • Grants to individuals (only organisations and groups are eligible)
  • Projects benefiting only one person
  • Topping up existing government grants
  • Projects duplicating other local provision
  • Excessive management fees or contingency costs
  • Infrastructure projects that don't directly support veterans (varies by programme)
  • Projects without clear connection to the Armed Forces community
  • Activities not aligned with reducing inequalities faced by veterans
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Governance and Leadership

Director: Anisha Worbs (appointed February 2024) leads the Office for Veterans' Affairs

Ministerial Oversight: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Veterans and People (currently Alistair Carns, appointed July 2024)

Organizational Structure: The OVA operates within the Ministry of Defence and sits at the heart of government through the Cabinet Office, enabling coordination across departments

Grant Administration Partner: Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (registered charity 1177627) administers the majority of OVA grant programmes

Leadership Quotes on Priorities

Former Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer emphasized the importance of the OVA concept as "a step change in what we do in veterans' care in this country,“ though he stressed the need to ”empower it properly“ and ensure it has adequate resources and authority. Mercer stated he was ”totally focused on delivering what I said we would for veterans“ and emphasized making ”the right changes which will benefit all veterans across the UK, step by step."

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are submitted through different portals depending on the programme:

For Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust Programmes (most OVA grants):

  1. Work with Local Partnerships: Engage with Local Covenant Partnerships to ensure projects respond to recognized need and avoid duplication
  2. Submit Online: Applications through the Trust's online portal

For Health Innovation Fund:

  • Administered through the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA)
  • Available to UK academic institutions, charities, micro/medium enterprises, and large companies
  • Applications via GOV.UK when funding rounds are open

Key Application Requirements:

  • Demonstrate connection to Armed Forces community
  • Show project is not duplicating other provision
  • Evidence collaboration with other local organizations
  • Demonstrate value for money and deliverability
  • Outline sustainable outcomes
  • For housing programmes: show adaptability to different veteran support needs (high, medium, low)

Decision Timeline

Major Capital Grants Programme:

  • Expression of Interest deadline to notification: approximately 3 months
  • Full application to award decision: additional 2-3 months
  • Total process: 5-6 months from EOI to final decision

Reducing Veteran Homelessness Programme:

  • Rolling basis with multiple funding rounds
  • Typical timeline: 2-3 months from application to decision

General Timelines:

  • Expressions of Interest reviewed within 2-3 months
  • Full applications typically decided within 2-3 months of submission
  • Notification methods: Email and formal letter

Success Rates

Specific success rate data is limited, but available evidence suggests:

  • The Major Capital Grants Programme awarded funding to 12 projects totaling almost £4.5 million in the first round (8 awards under the major grants, 4 under refurbishment)
  • The Trust notes that “many applications are rejected each year that would have been better served looking elsewhere for funding”
  • They emphasize that “funding is limited, so they will only be able to fund the very best projects”
  • Success is measured on merit, programme priorities, geographical balance, deliverability, and value for money

Reapplication Policy

Unsuccessful applicants may reapply in subsequent funding rounds. The Trust assesses each application independently, so previous applications do not negatively impact future submissions. Organizations are encouraged to review assessor feedback and strengthen subsequent applications based on guidance provided.

Application Success Factors

Direct Advice from the Funder

“Work with Local Covenant Partnerships: All applicants should work closely with their Local Covenant Partnerships to ensure that their project is properly connected locally, responds to recognised need and does not duplicate other provision.”

“The grants team produces an assessment from your application, which provides a level playing field, a standard approach to decision making, which means groups are not measured by their ability to complete an application form.”

What Makes Projects Stand Out

Collaborative Approach: Projects demonstrating strong partnerships with other organizations score highly. For homelessness programmes, showing connection to Op FORTITUDE (the government's central referral pathway for homeless veterans) is essential.

Avoiding Duplication: The Trust emphasizes that “your project must not be doing the same thing as other local projects or initiatives that are taking place; instead, your work should complement other local work.”

Sustainable Outcomes: Projects must show long-term impact - particularly for homelessness initiatives, demonstrating "sustainable outcomes so veterans don't return to being homeless in future."

Adaptability: Housing projects should show they can support veterans with varying needs (high, medium, and low-level support needs).

Value for Money: Trustees consider “the relative strength and value for money of the project when viewed as part of a national portfolio of projects.”

Recently Funded Project Examples

  • Combat Stress: £195,643 for military sexual trauma awareness and training
  • University of South Wales: £249,154 for preserving life stories of British nuclear test veterans
  • Launchpad: £132,986 to increase capacity at Hollyacre House in Durham
  • Anglia Ruskin University: £115,698 for qualitative research on female veterans' lived experiences
  • James Lind Alliance/University of Southampton: £40,850 for veterans research priorities

Common Reasons for Rejection

  • Poor fit with programme objectives
  • Projects better served by other funding sources
  • Duplication of existing local services
  • Lack of collaboration with local partnerships
  • Insufficient evidence of need
  • Projects benefiting too few veterans or only one individual
  • Weak value for money propositions
  • Unrealistic deliverability plans

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Prioritize Local Partnerships: Engage with Local Covenant Partnerships early - this is not optional and significantly strengthens applications. The Trust explicitly requires projects to be “properly connected locally.”
  1. Use the Eligibility Checker First: Complete the online eligibility checker before investing time in a full application. Many rejected applications could have been identified as unsuitable at this stage.
  1. Focus on Collaboration and Complementarity: Show how your project works with others and complements (not duplicates) existing provision. The Trust values projects that build on local ecosystems rather than operate in isolation.
  1. Demonstrate Sustainable Impact: Particularly for housing and homelessness programmes, show how outcomes will be sustained long-term and prevent veterans from returning to crisis situations.
  1. Read Programme Guidance Thoroughly: Each programme has specific criteria - generic applications are unlikely to succeed. Tailor your application to the specific programme priorities and language.
  1. Prepare for a Competitive Process: The Trust is explicit that “funding is limited, so they will only be able to fund the very best projects.” Applications must be exceptionally strong, with clear evidence of need, impact, and value for money.
  1. Consider the National Portfolio: Trustees assess applications considering geographical balance and how projects fit within a national portfolio. Highlight any unique aspects of your project or how it addresses gaps in current provision.

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