Clallam County veterans office wins two-year WDVA grant extension as staff report large claim wins for local veterans

County veterans program staff told commissioners they had secured a two-year extension of a Washington Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) grant that funds the county’s veteran service officer (VSO) and related services.

Levi Douglas, Clallam County veteran program coordinator, told the board the amendment adds two years under the WDVA contract from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2027. Douglas described the grant-funded VSO work as “the single most productive thing in our office” and shared program outcomes: “since July 2022 to February 2025, over 1,200 veterans have had their VA disability claims processed and received payments every month. That results in, over $500,000 a month coming in directly to veterans, and overall, $50,000,000,” Douglas said.

Douglas told commissioners the continuing grant will sustain a high level of service but cautioned capacity limits. He said the office has seen its busiest year ever—“last year, we’ve seen 2,311 people,” he said—and expects pressure on staff. He also said the county lost its VetCorps position because AmeriCorps “is no longer an organization,” and that the office is reapplying for a VA work-study position run through a nonprofit to provide additional front-desk support.

Why it matters: the VSO program helps veterans secure VA disability payments and other benefits; county staff described direct budgetary and service impacts, including reduced demand on the county’s Veterans Relief Fund. Douglas told the board the grant activity has reduced Veterans Relief Fund dependency for a set group of clients—he described six surviving spouses and 13 veterans who no longer require county relief, with an estimated annual savings of $34,200 to the relief fund.

Commissioners and staff discussed workforce and referral partnerships. Douglas said the county works with WorkSource Sequim and Olympic Workforce/Connect to help veterans seeking reentry to the workforce and noted the county also partners with Jefferson County and other local providers to deliver services.

Next steps: commissioners signaled support for the grant extension and asked staff to provide a written summary for the record and to circulate a concise set of program metrics to the commissioners.