Grants for felons in Virginia help you pay for basic expenses like rent, food, and utilities, and provide funding for education and job training. Second-chance grants also support the reentry services that help felons start over after prison, offering real, practical help with housing and employment.
Recommended Grants For Felons In Virginia
These are the most beneficial programs that provide free financial assistance for released prisoners in Virginia.
- Reentry Support Services
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Virginia Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- Housing Choice Voucher (HCV)
- Pell Grant
- Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
- WIOA Job Training
Second Chance Grants For Felons In Virginia
Second Chance grants provide funding to reentry organizations in Virginia. Reentry doesn’t primarily focus on putting cash in your pocket through handouts, but some providers offer small grants to participants who make good progress in their program. Because housing is such an important part of successful reentry, caseworkers can often help with initial housing expenses, too.
For example, the OAR (Offender Aid and Restoration) program in Northern Virginia offers returning citizens financial assistance for rent and utilities, along with help paying for work-related expenses like uniforms, tools, and transportation. Participants also receive job placement support, case management, and access to food and clothing.
Learn more: https://oarnova.org/services/reentry-family-services/
Many reentry programs offer support to felons that includes:
- transitional housing referrals
- clothing and necessities
- transportation passes
- job training and placement with employers
- addiction treatment programs
- mentoring and case management
To find local Virginia reentry providers and access services funded by second chance grants in Virginia for felons, call the free 2-1-1 helpline and ask for a referral or speak to your parole/probation service. The ReLink directory also has information about reentry programs you can contact: https://needs.relink.org/category/re-entry.
Food Assistance Grants For Felons In Virginia
These income-based programs provide grants that help Virginians (including felons) afford groceries every month. These programs are the most common grants for individuals.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Virginia allows people with past felony convictions to qualify for SNAP as long as they meet the standard program requirements. SNAP is a monthly grant that can only be spent on groceries.
Maximum benefits are around $200 to $300/month per person, with the amount you qualify for dependent on income and household size.
The main qualifiers are meeting the income limit and following the work requirements.
Work rules apply to able-bodied adults between 18 and 64, who are expected to work or participate in an approved job training program for at least 80 hours/month. You may be exempt from work requirements if you care for a young child or a disabled household member.
Can you get SNAP with a drug-related felony in Virginia? Yes, Virginia does not apply the federal ban, which stops people with drug convictions from being eligible for SNAP. Your record alone won’t disqualify you, and there are no special requirements such as drug testing or mandatory treatment tied to SNAP eligibility.
Virginia SNAP Income Limits and Benefit Amounts 2026
| Household Size | Monthly Gross Income Limit | Maximum Monthly Payment |
| 1 person | $2,608 | $298 |
| 2 people | $3,526 | $546 |
| 3 people | $4,442 | $785 |
| 4 people | $5,360 | $994 |
| 5 people | $6,276 | $1,183 |
Apply for SNAP: https://dss.virginia.gov/benefit/snap.cgi
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
Monthly grants worth $50 to $150 for each qualifying family member are available from the WIC program. This support allows you to buy nutritious food like fruits and vegetables, cereal, canned fish, eggs, milk, and cheese.
New moms and pregnant women are eligible for the program, and parents can also apply for their children under the age of 5.
You need to be under the income limits shown below, but if your income is too high, you can still get WIC if you already receive SNAP, TANF, or Medicaid benefits.
- 1 person – $2,413
- 2 people – $3,260
- 3 people – $4,109
- 4 people – $4,957
- 5 people – $5,805
Apply for WIC: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/wic/
Virginia Commodity Supplemental Food Program
Food banks in Virginia distribute free boxes of food to low-income seniors. If you’re a felon over 60 on a low income, you can qualify.
Visit your local food bank with proof of ID, address, and income to enroll in the program. Your monthly food box will contain items including meat, fish, cheese, milk, canned fruits and vegetables, soup, beans, rice, pasta, and peanut butter.
Income limits:
- 1 person – $1,955
- 2 people – $2,705
- 3 people – $3,415
- 4 people – $4,125
- 5 people – $4,835
Find your Virginia foodbank: https://vafoodbanks.org/
How To Get Cash Assistance And Hardship Grants In Virginia
Cash assistance grants can be used to pay for utility bills, fuel to get to work, general household expenses, medical copays, and more.
- General Relief (GR) Program
- Virginia TANF
General Relief (GR) Program
In Virginia, the General Relief (GR) program is a locally run cash assistance program designed for low-income adults who aren’t eligible for other public benefits such as TANF or SSI.
Eligibility rules for these hardship grants vary by county or city, but typically, applicants must be residents of the area, meet income and resource limits, and demonstrate a need for short-term basic support like food, housing, or utilities.
Because the program is optional, GR isn’t available in every area, and the level of assistance depends on local funding. To apply for one of these Virginia grants for individuals, contact your local Department of Social Services, which will verify eligibility and determine the type and amount of support available.
Virginia Temporary Assistance For Needy Families (TANF)
TANF issues cash grants to qualifying families with incomes close to the poverty line.
As a condition of receiving TANF cash benefits, recipients are required to participate in the Virginia Initiative for Education and Work (VIEW), which helps unemployed and underemployed participants get ready for work and find jobs. Felons who meet program standards can receive TANF.
The income limits shown below are for countable income, which is your household income after program deductions have been applied.
Income Limits And Maximum Benefits: Virginia TANF 2026
| Household Size | Monthly Income Limit | Maximum Monthly Payment |
| 1 person | $631 | $316 |
| 2 people | $842 | $442 |
| 3 people | $1,017 | $508 |
| 4 people | $1,178 | $589 |
| 5 people | $1,403 | $701 |
Apply for Virginia TANF: https://dss.virginia.gov/benefit/tanf/
Virginia Energy and Utility Bill Grants
Having a felony isn’t a barrier to accessing grants that help offset annual heating costs. Households that are overdue on their utility bills or facing disconnection could also qualify for extra help through a crisis grant.
On top of that, utility providers often have their own programs in place to assist customers struggling to keep up with energy payments.
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Grants (LIHEAP)
Virginia’s LIHEAP issues grants worth $181 – $634 to help pay for winter heating costs. Summer electricity bills are also made more affordable with grants worth $50 – $700.
Winter crisis grants have a maximum value of $4,200. The grant amounts you qualify for depend on your household size and income.
Income Limits For Virginia LIHEAP Grants 2026
| Household Size | Gross Monthly Income Limit |
| 1 person | $1,956 |
| 2 people | $2,644 |
| 3 people | $3,331 |
| 4 people | $4,019 |
| 5 people | $4,706 |
Apply for LIHEAP grants: https://dss.virginia.gov/benefit/ea/
Virginia Housing Grants And Rent Assistance
Housing programs provide rent assistance grants and housing support for low-income residents in Virginia.
Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8)
The HCV Program makes housing more affordable by reducing the amount tenants have to pay out of pocket. Most participants contribute roughly 30% of their income toward rent, with the remaining portion subsidized through the program.
Eligibility depends on income and the specific policies of your local public housing authority (PHA). While background checks are required for all adult household members, having a criminal record does not automatically mean denial.
Many applicants with older or less serious offenses are still approved after a certain period. However, federal rules mean that individuals convicted of manufacturing methamphetamine in public housing or those subject to lifetime sex offender registration are permanently banned from the program.
Applications are handled through local housing authorities, which also manage waitlists and determine availability.
Find your PHA: https://www.hud.gov/contactus/public-housing-contacts
Emergency Rental Assistance
Emergency grant-funded rental assistance programs can step in if you’re facing eviction.
These programs often provide financial assistance for:
- overdue rent
- security deposits if you have to move
- several months of rent payments
Residents can find local programs by calling 2-1-1 or contacting a local housing agency.
Rapid Rehousing Program Grants
Rapid Rehousing focuses on getting homeless people into stable, long-term housing quickly, and it often comes with financial help to make that possible. That help includes grants for deposits, application fees, and even ongoing rent assistance for up to 12 months.
Your criminal background won’t block you from getting approved, and neither will a current substance abuse issue.
Applications are handled through your area’s Continuum of Care network. Calling the free 2-1-1 helpline or asking at a local homeless shelter is the best way to get a referral.
College Grants Felons Qualify For
Many felons have been able to use these free grants in Virginia to cut the cost of getting a degree or trade school certification.
Eligibility is based on income, so your criminal record won’t count against you. Felons currently serving a sentence can also qualify for grants; the Federal Pell Grant is available to felons enrolled in an approved Prison Education Program (PEP).
Federal Pell Grant: Low-income students qualify for up to $7,395 per year to help pay for college.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG): Worth up to $4,000 each year, this grant for students with exceptional financial need is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until funds run out. Apply early.
Both grants are available after completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa.
Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant (VTAG): This non-income-based grant is based on enrollment status. Full-time undergraduate students receive $5,250 per year, while full-time graduate students get $5,000. Students attending Hampton and Virginia Union Universities are eligible for higher awards of $12,500 or $12,750.
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Programs
Training grants and employment services for unemployed and underemployed Virginia residents are funded by the WIOA. Felons qualify for these programs.
Participants receive:
- career, job search, and interview counseling
- job training, including paid on-the-job training if available
- certifications or trade school funding
- support to find felon-friendly employers
- help with transportation costs, uniforms, and tools and equipment
Training grants typically cover programs costing $3,000 – $10,000, depending on the type and length of the program.
Applications are handled through Virginia Career Works Centers
Find your nearest center: https://virginiacareerworks.com/career-centers/
Modest Needs Grants
Low-income households facing an unaffordable emergency expense can qualify for small grants to help cover costs like a car repair or a broken home appliance. Only households with at least one employed member can qualify.
Grants are paid directly to the service provider, and you’ll need to submit proof of the expense when you apply.
Learn more and apply online: https://www.modestneeds.org/mn/for-applicants/grants/self-sufficiency-grants