The Department of Veterans Affairs in fiscal year 2026 awarded to 21 cemeteries in U.S. states, territories and tribal nations a record-high $106.5 million in grants – the most single-year funding since the Veterans Cemetery Grant Program started in 1980.
Grants typically fund construction of new Veterans cemeteries and expansion of existing ones, improvements needed to maintain interments as well as operations and maintenance projects.
Since 1980, VA has awarded grants totaling more than $1.2 billion to more than 120 cemeteries in 47 states, 14 tribal nations and three territories (Guam, Saipan and Puerto Rico). These grants help ensure more than 94% of all Veterans living in the United States have access to a Veterans cemetery within 75 miles of their home.
“Every VA cemetery grant reflects our commitment to honor the lives of those who served our nation,” said VA Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Sam Brown. “Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Veterans Affairs is strengthening its partnerships with states, territories and tribal nations to ensure Veterans and their families have local access to the burial benefits they earned.”
The following cemetery grants were awarded in FY2026:
- $18,094,445 for the establishment of Alabama Veterans Memorial Cemetery-North in Huntsville. Additionally, VA will reimburse the cost of fabrication and delivery of pre-placed crypts up to $875,706.
- $283,200 for the expansion of Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery at Spanish Fort in Spanish Fort.
- $3,109,391 for the expansion of Southern Arizona Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery in Sierra Vista.
- $584,250 for the expansion of Connecticut State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown.
- $13,610,908 for the establishment of the Georgia Memorial Veterans Cemetery at Augusta. Additionally, VA will reimburse the cost of fabrication and delivery of pre-placed crypts up to $2,155,262.
- $6,132,225 for the operation and maintenance of East Hawaii Veterans Cemetery-2 in Hilo, Hawaii.
- $1,358,525 for the expansion of the Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Adel.
- $4,591,546 for the expansion of Missouri State Veterans Cemetery at Springfield Additionally, VA will also reimburse the state for the cost of fabrication and delivery of pre-placed crypts up to $1,472,850.
- $3,506,037 for the establishment of Rota Veterans Cemetery in Rota, Northern Mariana Islands. Additionally, VA will reimburse the cost of fabrication and delivery of pre-placed crypts up to $269,300.
- $3,110,550 for the establishment of Tinian Veterans Cemetery in Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands. Additionally, VA will reimburse the cost of fabrication and delivery of pre-placed crypts up to $269,300.
- $3,739,379 for the establishment of the Burgess-Oocumma Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Cherokee, North Carolina.
- $2,613,394 for the expansion of Eastern Carolina State Veterans Cemetery in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Additionally, VA will reimburse the cost of fabrication and delivery of pre-placed crypts up to $2,878.
- $1,457,620 for the expansion of Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery in Black Mountain, North Carolina.
- $16,711,624 for the establishment of Carlsbad State Veterans Cemetery in Carlsbad, New Mexico. Additionally, VA will reimburse the cost of fabrication and delivery of pre-placed crypts up to $625,670.
- $963,433 for the expansion of South Dakota Veterans Cemetery in Sioux Falls.
- $7,073,800 for the establishment of Upper Cumberland Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery in Upper Cumberland, Tennessee.
- $14,740,955 for the establishment of Northern Utah Veterans Cemetery in Washington Terrace, Utah. Additionally, VA will reimburse the cost of fabrication and delivery of pre-placed crypts up to $920,700.
- $1,911,000 for the expansion of the Utah Veterans Cemetery and Memorial Park in Bluffdale.
- $243,467 for the expansion of Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Dublin, Virginia.
- $1,504,104 for the operations and maintenance of Washington State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake.
- $1,208,114 for the expansion of Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Spooner, Wisconsin. Additionally, VA will reimburse the cost of fabrication and delivery of pre-placed crypts up to $330,000.