---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 C.F.R. § 61.53"
title: "38"
number: "61.53"
heading: "Technical assistance grant application packages—rating criteria."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/38/61.53"
---

# §61.53. Technical assistance grant application packages—rating criteria.

- (a) **General.** Applicants that meet the threshold requirements in [§ 61.52](/cfr/38/61.52.md) will then be rated using the selection criteria listed in paragraphs [(b)](#b) and [(c)](#c) of this section. To be eligible for a technical assistance grant, an applicant must receive at least 600 points (out of a possible 800).
- (b) **Quality of the technical assistance.** VA will award up to 400 points based on the following:
  - (1) How the recipients of technical training will increase their skill level regarding the completion of applications;
  - (2) How the recipients of technical training will learn to find grant opportunities in a timely manner;
  - (3) How the technical assistance provided will be monitored and evaluated and changes made, if needed; and
  - (4) How the proposed technical assistance programs will be implemented in a timely fashion.
- (c) **Ability of applicant to demonstrate expertise in preparing grant applications and to develop and operate a technical assistance program.** VA will award up to 400 points based on the extent to which the application demonstrates all of the following:
  - (1) **Ability to find grants available for addressing the needs of homeless veterans.**
  - (2) **Ability to find and offer technical assistance to entities eligible for such assistance.**
  - (3) **Ability to administer a technical assistance program.**
  - (4) **Ability to provide grant technical assistance.**
  - (5) Ability to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the technical assistance program and to make adjustments, if necessary, based on those evaluations.
  - (6) **Past performance.** VA may use historical documents of past performance from both VA and non-VA, including those from other Federal, state and local agencies and audits by private or public entities in scoring technical assistance applications.

## Notes

### Authority

Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501, 2001, 2002, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2061, 2064.

### Source

Source: 78 FR 12604, Feb. 25, 2013, unless otherwise noted.