MICHIGAN       Our vision is to be a proud military and veteran's organization, characterized by excellence and integrity for the fulfillment of our duties to our nation, state and to one another. Our values include integrity, excellence, teamwork and accountability.          Tuition Grant Procedure Brief        Public Act 248 of 2005 (Michigan Compiled Law 390.1341-1346) provides an annual undergraduate tuition grant of up to $2,800 for the eligible children of certain deceased military personnel or totally and permanently disabled veterans.      The Michigan Higher Education Assistance Authority administers the program.          Please contact:     Michigan Department of Treasury Office of Scholarships and Grants Michigan Higher Education Assistance Authority PO Box 30462 Lansing, MI  48909-7962 517.373.7120          Emergency Grants         Temporary assistance granted by the Michigan Veterans Trust Fund (MVTF) for emergencies or hardships is available to eligible wartime veterans, and their families, residing in the state. Under the authority of Public Act 9 of 1946 (as amended), the MVTF cannot provide assistance for long-term problems or chronic financial difficulties. Those eligible for the MVTF temporary grant program must apply through the MVTF county committee serving their county of residence. All applications are investigated, deliberated, and decided in confidence. Any applicant may request a personal hearing before the county committee at the meeting when his/her application is considered. If the county committee denies an application every applicant has the right to appeal that decision to the  MVTF Board of Trustees (with the opportunity to appear before the board to present information and answer questions.) The MVTF does not provide loans under the temporary assistance program. Applications for assistance are submitted in the veteran's county of residence.        General Definition of Need      When an eligible applicant is unable to temporarily provide the basic necessities of life in our society without causing a hardship, a situation for a possible MVTF grant exists. The assistance must be essential and not for the relief of an inconvenience, or the purchase of a want/desire. The key factor in determining whether or not a grant is justified is the ability of the applicant to manage the obligation for which aid is requested after a grant is made. If there is no reasonable expectation that the MVTF grant would enable the applicant to resume his/her responsibility, then aid is not appropriate or wise. Since the MVTF only has the yearly earnings of the trust to provide grants and administer its operations, care must be taken to insure that the resources are expended wisely and where they will help the most. If, by experience with the MVTF or through other means, an applicant's financial situation creates repetitive "emergencies" or appears chronic in nature, the county committee and/or the board must refer that person to other resources designed to address those lingering needs. In addition, the applicant should have attempted to resolve the emergency or hardship through every reasonable means available prior to asking the MVTF for assistance. (Often the willingness to take responsibility for one's difficulties is demonstrated by the ability to pay a portion of the debt). In other words, the applicant should have tried to resolve the problem, but is apparently unable to do so without MVTF aid.       Basic Eligibility To be eligible for a grant from the MVTF, a veteran or dependent must be a legal resident of the State of Michigan at the time of the application. The veteran must have been discharged under honorable conditions, with at least 180 days of active wartime service (90 days for WWI veteran), or have been separated as the result of a physical or mental disability incurred in the line of duty (or aggravated by active duty). Service during the following periods (or an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, plus 180 days of honorable active duty, for service between periods in places such as Grenada, Lebanon, Berlin, Persian Gulf, Mayaguez Operation, or Desert Storm) is required:  (1) WW I - April 6, 1917, to November 11, 1918 (If service in Russia, then to April 1, 1920)  (2) WW II - December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1946 (3) Korea - June 27, 1950, to January 31, 1955 (4) Vietnam - February 28, 1961, to May 7, 1975 (5) Persian Gulf - August 2, 1990, to present If a veteran has less than 180 days of active duty during these eras, duty in more than one period may be combined. Evidence of separation or discharge with less than 180 days of wartime service due to a physical or mental disability is required to determine eligibility.          Documentation      The following items are required when filing an application for trust fund assistance:Discharge papers, separation report, or DD-214 (showing the dates of active duty and the character of the release)Proof of residence (driver's license, voter registration, state I. D.)Bills or account statements regarding the items for which you are seeking a MVTF grant One or more of the following items may be required when filing an application for trust fund assistance:  (1) Marriage certificate; birth certificates for minor children (2) Death certificate of a deceased spouse or parent (3) Documentation of any disability rating (4) Proof of employment or other income (5) Evidence of efforts at other appropriate agencies        New Benefits Line      The state of Michigan on Wednesday, September 24, 2014,  formally launched a help line that military veterans can call at any time to get assistance about their government benefits and services. The Veteran Resource Service Center is a partnership between the state Veterans Affairs Agency and the United Way's 211 phone system. Veterans who want help navigating various government agencies are encouraged to call 1-800-MICH-VET during business hours and 211 after hours and on the weekends.          Connecting Veterans to Their Benefits   Created in 2013, the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) serves as the central coordinating point for Michigan veterans, connecting those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces and their families to services and benefits throughout the state.  Veterans and their family members can call 800-MICH-VET (800-642-4838), anytime 24/7/365 and have access to thousands of federal benefits, state programs and local services and discuss their questions with live call center agents who are veterans themselves or related to a veteran. If veterans are not up to date on their federal VA claims, they are referred to a local county veteran’s service office, so they don’t have to navigate the claims process alone.

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