The Virginia Caregivers Grant Program provides annual grants of up to $500 to caregivers who provide care to a needy relative without reimbursement. Checks are issued on or before Dec. 31 of the year in which applications are received, pending funding by the General Assembly. By the Code of Virginia, there is no appeal process. Decisions by VDSS regarding this grant are final.

Caregiver Requirements

• Must be related to the person receiving care by blood, marriage or adoption
• Must provide unpaid care for a relative who has a mental or physical impairment
• Must have an annual Virginia adjusted gross income of not more than $50,000
• Must provide care to the relative for at least six months of the previous calendar year
• Must reside in the Commonwealth of Virginia

Relative Receiving Care Requirements

• Must be related to the caregiver by blood, marriage or adoption
• Must require assistance with two or more activities of daily living:
  • Eating
  • Dressing
  • Bathing
  • Hygiene
  • Transferring
  • Bowel continence
  • Bladder continence
• Must require assistance for at least six months out of the previous calendar year
• Must not be receiving Medicaid-reimbursed long-term care services, except on a periodic or temporary basis