801—14.5 (35A) Application procedure. Applications for benefits from the veterans trust fund may be obtained at any county veterans affairs office. The county director of veterans affairs shall date-stamp the application and submit it to the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs, Camp Dodge, Bldg. A6A, 7105 NW 70th Avenue, Johnston, Iowa 50131-1824.
	 14.5(1) Application process. A person who wishes to apply shall complete an Application for Veterans Trust Fund form and provide such documentation or other evidence as the commission may require in order to determine the awarding or denial of the benefits available under this chapter.
	 14.5(2) Date of application. The date of the application shall be the date the signed application and written verification are received by the county director of veterans affairs.
	 14.5(3) Eligibility determination.
	  a.   	 The county director of veterans affairs or members of the county commission shall make a recommendation to the Iowa commission of veterans affairs as to whether to approve or deny the application. The Iowa commission of veterans affairs or a subcommittee appointed by the chair shall approve or deny all applications.Applications that are denied by the subcommittee will be forwarded to the Iowa commission of veterans affairs and will be processed at its quarterly meetings as set forth in 801—paragraph 1.2(2)“a” or during a conference call for the sole purpose of voting on a trust fund expenditure. Applications must be approved by a majority vote of the commission membership. The director of the Iowa department of veterans affairs shall notify an applicant within 15 days of the commission’s decision. An explanation of the reasons for rejection of an application will accompany denials.
	  b.   	 Applications for honor guard reimbursements under subrule 14.4(11) shall be processed solely by the Iowa department of veterans affairs and do not need commission approval for expenditure of trust fund interest balance funds for this purpose.
	 14.5(4) Waiting list. After all veterans trust fund moneys have been obligated, the commission shall deny pending applications.
	  a.   	 The denial notice shall state either that the applicant meets eligibility requirements but no funds are available and the applicant will be placed on the waiting list or that the applicant does not meet eligibility requirements.
	  b.   	 Applicants not awarded funding who meet the eligibility requirements shall be placed on a statewide waiting list according to the order in which the completed applications and verification were received by the county commission of veteran affairs. In the event that more than one application is received at one time, the applicant shall be entered on the waiting list on the basis of the day of the month of the person’s birthday, the lowest number being first on the waiting list. Any subsequent tie shall be decided by the month of birth, January being month one and the lowest number.
	  c.   	 When funding allows additional applicants to be approved, their names shall be taken from the statewide waiting list, and their need and eligibility shall be redetermined at that time. An application packet, which includes instructions and necessary forms for verification of continuing eligibility, shall be sent to each applicant for completion. Packets shall be returned to the Iowa department of veterans affairs within time lines specified by the department. If the signed application and verification of continuing eligibility are not received by the time line specified by the department, the applicant shall not be considered for funding.