Department of Veterans Affairs awards record $106.5 million in cemetery grants for fiscal 2026

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VA awards record cemetery grants 2026

Highlights

Department of Veterans Affairs awards record $106.5 million in fiscal 2026 cemetery grants, funding new sites, expansions, and maintenance nationwide.
Largest allocations include $18.1 million for Alabama Veterans Memorial Cemetery-North and $16.7 million for Carlsbad State Veterans Cemetery in New Mexico.
Since 1980, the VA has awarded over $1.2 billion to more than 120 cemeteries, ensuring 94% of U.S. veterans live within 75 miles of a cemetery.

Funding scope and project allocations

As reported by VA News, citing the Department of Veterans Affairs, the fiscal 2026 awards support construction of new veterans cemeteries, expansion of existing sites, and operations and maintenance work needed to sustain interments. The department says the program is designed to strengthen local burial access for veterans and their families through partnerships with states, territories and tribal nations.

The largest awards include $18.1 million for Alabama Veterans Memorial Cemetery-North in Huntsville, $16.7 million for Carlsbad State Veterans Cemetery in New Mexico, $14.7 million for Northern Utah Veterans Cemetery in Washington Terrace, and $13.6 million for the Georgia Memorial Veterans Cemetery at Augusta. Several projects also include additional reimbursement for fabrication and delivery of pre-placed crypts, including sites in Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, the Northern Mariana Islands, New Mexico, Utah and Wisconsin.

The funding list spans a mix of new cemetery development and expansions. New establishments include projects in Huntsville, Augusta, Rota, Tinian, Cherokee in North Carolina, Carlsbad, Upper Cumberland in Tennessee and Washington Terrace in Utah, while expansion grants go to sites in states including Arizona, Connecticut, Iowa, Missouri, North Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Access goals and program reach

The department says it has awarded more than $1.2 billion in grants to more than 120 cemeteries since 1980, covering 47 states, 14 tribal nations and three territories, Guam, Saipan and Puerto Rico. Those investments help ensure that more than 94% of veterans living in the United States have access to a veterans cemetery within 75 miles of their home.

VA Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Sam Brown says each cemetery grant reflects the agency's commitment to honor veterans and expand local access to burial benefits. The latest round of awards indicates continued federal investment in memorial infrastructure as demand for regional access remains a long-term operational priority for the veterans affairs sector.

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