VA announces $112M grant opportunity to strengthen community-based suicide prevention efforts

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has opened applications for $112 million in Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grants. Nonprofits, tribal governments, and community organizations have until June 12, 2026, to apply for funding to provide life-saving suicide prevention services.

These grants are designed to reach Veterans who aren't currently using VA healthcare—a critical group, as 60% of Veterans who die by suicide have not seen a VA doctor in the two years prior to their death. In 2025 alone, this program helped over 17,000 people, with nearly 92% of high-risk Veterans reporting a decrease in risk factors after receiving support. This includes nearly 9,000 Veterans with an elevated risk for suicide, 91.8% of whom reported a decrease in risk factors after getting help from Fox grant recipients.

“These grants invest directly in communities that know Veterans best and are often the first to recognize when someone is struggling,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins. “They have been successful in connecting Veterans, service members, and their families — especially those not yet engaged with VA — to services that help reduce suicide risk and promote well-being.”

Sixty percent of Veterans who die by suicide were not in VA care during the two years before their death. This is the gap the VA is determined to close. Through the Fox Grant program, agencies are meeting Veterans where they are—connecting them to the life-saving care they’ve earned before a crisis hits.

Since 2022, VA has invested $210 million into 111 community organizations across 46 states, territories, and tribal lands. The impact is clear: in 2025 alone, grantee outreach brought 2,500 new Veterans into VA health care—a massive 43.7% increase over the previous year. This momentum continues into 2026, with over 76,000 Veterans already enrolled in the care they deserve.

For details about eligibility, priorities and application requirements for this year’s Fox grant awards, visit www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361498

The VA also offers technical assistance and application resources, including webinars and guidance materials at www.MentalHealth.VA.gov/ssgfox-grants