WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Veterans Affairs awarded a record $106.5 million in fiscal 2026 grants to 21 veterans cemeteries across the United States and its territories, financing new burial facilities, expansions and maintenance projects to preserve access to veterans’ burial benefits.
The funding represents the largest annual allocation in the Veterans Cemetery Grant Program’s history since its establishment in 1980. Seven grants support the establishment of new cemeteries, while others finance expansions and improvements at existing facilities.
The largest individual award, $18.1 million, will fund the establishment of Alabama Veterans Memorial Cemetery-North in Huntsville. The VA also authorized reimbursement of up to $875,706 for prefabricated burial crypts.
New Mexico received $16.7 million to establish Carlsbad State Veterans Cemetery, while Utah secured $14.7 million for Northern Utah Veterans Cemetery in Washington Terrace.
Georgia received $13.6 million to establish Georgia Memorial Veterans Cemetery at Augusta, and Tennessee was awarded $7.1 million for Upper Cumberland Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery.
The program also allocated $3.5 million for a new veterans cemetery on Rota and $3.1 million for another on Tinian, both in the Northern Mariana Islands. North Carolina received $3.7 million to establish Burgess-Oocumma Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Cherokee.
Additional reimbursements for the fabrication and delivery of pre-placed burial crypts were authorized for several projects, including up to $2.2 million in Georgia, $1.5 million in Missouri and $920,700 in Utah.
The VA also directed funding toward existing cemeteries, including $4.6 million to expand Missouri State Veterans Cemetery at Springfield and $3.1 million for Southern Arizona Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery in Sierra Vista.
North Carolina received $2.6 million to expand Eastern Carolina State Veterans Cemetery in Goldsboro and $1.5 million for Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery in Black Mountain.
Utah received an additional $1.9 million to expand its Veterans Cemetery and Memorial Park in Bluffdale, while Iowa was awarded $1.4 million for its veterans cemetery in Adel.
Other expansion grants included $1.2 million for Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Spooner, $963,433 for South Dakota Veterans Cemetery in Sioux Falls and $584,250 for Connecticut State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown.
Smaller awards included $283,200 for Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery at Spanish Fort and $243,467 for Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Dublin.
Operations and maintenance funding included $6.1 million for East Hawaii Veterans Cemetery-2 in Hilo and $1.5 million for Washington State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake.
“Every VA cemetery grant reflects our commitment to honor the lives of those who served our nation,” said Sam Brown, the VA’s under secretary for memorial affairs.
The Veterans Cemetery Grant Program provides federal funding to states, territories and tribal nations for cemetery construction, expansion and improvements, supplementing the VA’s national cemetery system.
Since 1980, the department has awarded more than $1.2 billion through the program to more than 120 cemeteries in 47 states, 14 tribal nations and three territories: Guam, Saipan and Puerto Rico.
According to the VA, the combined network of burial facilities places a veterans cemetery within 75 miles of the homes of more than 94% of veterans living in the United States.
The fiscal 2026 awards will support additional burial capacity and facility maintenance as the department works with state, territorial and tribal governments to provide veterans and eligible family members access to burial benefits.
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