45.82 (2) The department of veterans affairs shall award a grant annually to a county that meets the standards developed under this section if the county executive, administrator, or administrative coordinator certifies to the department that it employs a county veterans service officer who, if chosen after April 15, 2015, is chosen from a list of candidates who have taken a civil service examination for the position of county veterans service officer developed and administered by the bureau of merit recruitment and selection in the department of administration, or is appointed under a civil service competitive examination procedure under s. 59.52 (8) or ch. 63 elected or appointed under s. 45.80 (1). A grant for $11,688 shall be awarded for a county with a population of less than 20,000, a grant for $13,750 shall be awarded for a county with a population of 20,000 to 45,499, a grant for $15,813 shall be awarded for a county with a population of 45,500 to 74,999, and a grant for $17,875 shall be awarded for a county with a population of 75,000 or more. The department of veterans affairs shall use the most recent Wisconsin official population estimates prepared by the demographic services center when making grants under this subsection.