; and (B) may provide consideration to institutions or consortia that meet 1 or more of the following criteria: (i) The institution or consortium is located in a region or community that has a significant population of veterans. (ii) The institution or consortium carries out programs or activities that assist veterans in the local community and the spouses of veteran students. (iii) The institution or consortium partners in its veteran-specific programming with nonprofit veteran service organizations, local workforce development organizations, or institutions of higher education. (iv) The institution or consortium commits to hiring a staff at the Veteran Student Center that includes veterans (including veteran student volunteers and veteran students participating in a Federal work-study program under part C of title IV, a work-study program administered by the Secretary of Veteran Affairs, or a State work-study program). (v) The institution or consortium is willing to consider providing veteran students with academic credit for comparable subject-area training received while serving in the Armed Forces and commits to dedicating resources to helping its student veterans navigate their way through the transfer credit process. (vi) The institution or consortium commits to using a portion of the grant received under this section to develop an early warning veteran student retention program carried out by the Veteran Student Center. (vii) The institution or consortium commits to providing mental health counseling to its veteran students and their spouses. (c) Use of funds (1) In general An institution or consortium that is awarded a grant under subsection (a) shall use such grant to establish, maintain, improve, or operate a Veteran Student Center. (2) Other allowable uses An institution or consortium receiving a grant under subsection (a) may use a portion of such funds to carry out supportive instruction services for student veterans, including— (A) assistance with special admissions and transfer of credit from