Here are five benefits Texas veterans can take advantage of right now! What other benefits are out there?

With roughly 1.7 million former service members residing in Texas, the Lone Star state is second only to California as the place with the largest number of veterans. And just like veterans nationwide, you have earned benefits you can use right now. Take advantage of these Texas-specific programs and live life to the fullest after your military service:

1. Connect with your Texas Veterans County Service Officer (VCSO). If you haven’t done so already, a good place to start is meeting with your county VCSO. VCSO services are free, and they know the ins and outs of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits and services. Work together to apply for VA compensation and pensions, the GI Bill, health care, home loans and more. VCSOs may also help you access Texas-based assistance for child care, dental care, housing and job placement (see below).

Learn more: Find your local VSCO by calling [login to see] or visiting https://rly.pt/2E2N1f0

2. Get assistance through a state fund. As mentioned, state-based assistance may also be available to you as a Texas veteran. The Texas Veterans Commission administers the Fund for Veterans’ Assistance (FVA), which supports a wide range of benefits for Texas veterans and your families. The catch is knowing how to access these dollars: Local governments, veterans’ service organizations and nonprofits first apply to receive a share of the annual funds. Veterans then apply for assistance from the organizations, based on eligibility rules. You may receive support in areas such as clinical and nonclinical counseling; direct financial assistance, including for child care, dental care and transportation; employment, family, legal, mental health and supportive services; and support for home modifications and prevention of homelessness. Since 2009, the commission has distributed $168 million from the fund to assist over 300,000 veterans and families.

How to apply: Texas veterans can visit the 2020-2021 Grants Assistance webpage (https://rly.pt/2FCceNN) and follow the directions.
(https://rly.pt/32uZXUi) for finding assistance in your region.
Eligible Texas organizations have until Nov. 5, 2020, to apply for the $30 million available under the 2021-2022 FVA; see https://rly.pt/3c12Q2h.

Learn more: Visit the Texas Veterans Commission Grants page, https://rly.pt/3itLJsq.

3. Explore loans to buy land. Billed as a one-of-a-kind benefit for Texas veterans and service members, you can get a favorable interest-rate loan to purchase land with just a 5% down payment from the Texas Veterans Land Board. The Veterans Land Loan program (https://rly.pt/35AqW2V) lets you borrow up to $150,000 to own a “piece of Texas.”

How to apply: Review available tracts at https://rly.pt/2RvZgDU, and determine your eligibility and apply at https://rly.pt/35AqW2V.

Learn more: https://rly.pt/3iC3CWe.

4. Look into your state’s home loan program. You may know about the VA home loan guarantee (https://rly.pt/2GTP467). But Texas also has a home loan program called the Veterans Housing Assistance Program. If you’re a veteran, service member or a spouse of either one, you may qualify for a low-interest, fixed-rate loan of up to $510,400 with little or no down payment. According to the program website, current base rates are 2.48% for Texas veterans with a VA service-connected disability rating of 30% or higher and 2.98% for all others. To refinance an existing loan, check out VA’s program, as that’s not an option under Texas’s program.

How to apply: Find a participating lender by searching online at https://rly.pt/2ZDhQ1o.

Learn more: https://rly.pt/2E6tJWc.

5. Start a business. After the military, you may choose a career in health care, high tech, service or something else. Or you can choose to start a business. At the Texas Veterans Commission, “we can help develop business plan(s), organize financing and more,” said Kevin Barber, commissioner, in a recent VA blog about state-based benefits. The Veteran Entrepreneur Program offers free business consulting services in areas like business plan writing and financing. It also coordinates with other government agencies and nonprofits to make sure your business starts off well. You can also:

• Consult with one of Texas’s Small Business Development Centers. This is a nationwide business assistance network partly funded by Congress through a partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Get free and at-cost training to start, grow and expand your small businesses at https://rly.pt/33Ldx5F. Find SBDC centers in Texas here: https://rly.pt/33qMXhS. Also check out SBA’s Boots to Business training offerings for transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses at https://rly.pt/2ZBUTvp. Local, no-cost business advisers can also be found at https://rly.pt/2E3xICV. https://rly.pt/33A6Xi0 or https://rly.pt/3hy2eTc.

• Get verified as veteran-owned. Once your veteran business is set up, get help getting verified from VA’s Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization (https://rly.pt/3kheSZ6) and start doing business directly with VA, the second largest federal agency.

Learn more: https://rly.pt/3koXTU9.

More resources for Texas veterans

• Download the 2020 booklet, “Texas State Veterans Benefits,” which covers both VA and Texas benefits: https://rly.pt/2Rqeevk

• Get The Texas Veterans app: for Android (https://rly.pt/32v4aHA) or iOS (https://rly.pt/2ZDSP6r).

• Search the Texas Veterans Portal: https://rly.pt/3ccLvDX