How We Can Help: IDVA & Partner Programs for Iowa Vets
Visit your County Veterans Service Office for personal help with any of the following programs
Located in Marshalltown, Iowa, the home is available to honorably discharged veterans and their spouses or widows for long-term care needs. IVH is dedicated to providing professionally managed health care for veterans of all ages.
The cemetery is located near Van Meter and is available to all veterans, their spouses, and dependent children for burial. Honorably discharged veterans will be interred at no charge and spouses/dependents will be buried for a $300 fee.
Your County VSO can help you apply for IVTF Assistance.
The State of Iowa has established a multi-million dollar fund to provide certain services to veterans. Beginning in December 2007, interest from this fund has been available to provide relief for Iowa veterans and their families. Currently, funds are used for unemployment or underemployment assistance due to service-related causes, assistance with vision, hearing, dental care, durable medical equipment, and prescription drugs; counseling and substance abuse services; vehicle repairs; housing repair; and transitional housing in an emergency. Trust fund expenditures are approved through the Iowa Veterans Commission.
Funds help with (1) unemployment assistance due to to service-related causes; (2) assistance with vision, hearing, dental care, durable medical equipment: (3) prescription drugs; (4)counseling and substance abuse services; (5) vehicle repairs; (6) housing repairs; and (7) transitional housing in an emergency.
Service members or veterans who were seriously injured in the line of duty in a hazardous area after September 11, 2001 may be eligible and can apply for up to $10,000.
Helps children of deceased military service members who died in active military status after September 11, 2001 pay for a college education.
This $5000 grant is available to service members who actively served after September 11, 2001 and purchased a home after March 10, 2005. Members who actively served for 90 days between August 2, 1990 and April 6,1991 may also apply.
Learn more about Military Service member Homeownership Assistance
This benefit drops the assessed value of a veteran's home for property tax purposes up to $4,000. To qualify, a service member must have served on active duty for a minimum of 18 months.
This tax credit provides 100% exemption of property taxes for 100% disabled service-connected veterans and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) recipients. Ask your County Assessor and VSO about your property and limitations.
Learn more about the Disabled Veteran's Homestead Tax Credit
Under this exemption, federal retirement pay for military service and survivor benefits are not taxable state income.
Honorably discharged veterans may ask for the “Veteran” designation on their driver’s license or state issued identification card. The designation can be added anytime they want a new card. A duplicate DL or ID costs $10.00.
Veterans need to provide a copy of their DD214 or discharge document to the Iowa DOT and fill out the Iowa DOT Veteran License Application to add the designation to their DL or ID.
Veterans can receive a lifetime hunting or fishing license for a $7.00 fee. In order to qualify, the Iowa resident must have served on active federal service.
Specialty license plates are available to honorably discharged veterans as defined in Iowa Code, Section 35.1.
See the Iowa DOT Military License Plates. (Scroll to the 'Military Service Plates' section near the bottom.) Different options are available based on branch of service .
Apply for an Iowa Veteran's License Plate. (Scroll to the 'How to apply section.) A personalized plate fee will apply.
“Operation Recognition” gives an honorary high school diploma to qualifying honorably discharged veterans who did not complete high school due to armed service enlistment.
The Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs is a repository for information about military discharges, veterans’ grave registrations, and state service compensation records.
Visit the IDVA Iowa Veterans Benefits Office for assistance with records; or
Visit the Find Veterans Services page to search for Guard and Reserve Records Contacts; or
The Iowa Department of Education is the State Approving Agency for the GI Bill program. The Department approves programs for veterans and other eligible persons.
The Iowa Department of Education has been designated by the governor of the state of Iowa as the location for the Iowa State Approving Agency. The State Approving Agency is responsible for approving all GI Bill programs in Iowa for veterans and other eligible persons. Military education staff provides educational and career assistance for veterans and other eligible persons. For more information, call the department: 515.281.3317 or visit IDVA’s webpage for a link to programs approved by the Veteran and Military Education Unit for Iowa veterans and information regarding educational support for children of military personnel.
Learn more about Department of Education Veterans Programs, or
Home Base Iowa links Iowa businesses with qualified veterans and their spouses looking for career opportunities. The program also helps connect veterans and their families with education opportunities and to transition into a new community.
Iowa Workforce Development Veteran Employment Services has 15 regional offices around Iowa. Each regional center has staff to help coordinating specific services provided to veterans within the Iowa Workforce system. This includes helping clients of VA Vocational Rehabilitation.
Veterans Project Assistance Grants (License Plate Fund) (270.21 KB) .pdf are approved through the Iowa Commission of Veterans Affairs, and funded through the veterans license fee fund. Approved projects help the mission to educate, inspire, support, and remember. Uses include:
- Provide marketing materials, resources, books, and updated manuals to keep the veterans community updated on benefits.
- Ensure community and nonprofit organizations receive funds to promote public initiatives that honor military service and inspire esprit de corps amongst service branches.
- Provide funding support to nationally accredited veteran service organizations within the state of Iowa that aid and assist service members within communities.
- Fund community and nonprofit programs that remember and honor Iowa’s fallen heroes to keep the memory of their sacrifices and service alive for generations.
Funds can vary by availability, so check in with IDVA (515) 252-4698 or a Commissioner before submitting.
Rules and instructions are on the application form.
Funeral directors must file an Armed Forces Grave Registration (Form 582-1002) (116.72 KB) .pdf for every veteran buried or cremated in the state.
The legislative intent of these state County Allocation Grant funds is to help the county VA offices to reach veterans who have not been connected with their benefits. These are the current rules for their use.