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Key Funders

Funding Trends for Veterans Causes

Grants for veterans and military causes address issues such as employment and career guidance for those transitioning back to civilian life, housing, awareness of military history, and mental healthcare in light of the alarming rates of suicide and PTSD among veterans. A small but dedicated group of philanthropic funders consistently gives for veterans and military families. The majority of private donors to veterans’ causes have served their country themselves, or have a family member who served, IP’s Liz Longley has reported. Others give in this area because their company employs veterans or has substantial engagement with military communities. 

Funding for veterans and military families addresses a range of issues, including veteran job training and other programs to smooth the transition to civilian life; mental health initiatives to address the high rates of suicide and PTSD among veterans; and veteran housing.

Some funders focus on veterans from particular wars or time periods. For instance, the Schultz Family Foundation makes grants to support post-9/11 veterans and their spouses, while the Streisand Foundation supports Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.

Billionaire Jennifer Pritzker, a retired Lieutenant Colonel, has supported veterans in the past through the Tawani Foundation. Pritzker now makes grants related to military history and the health and well-being of soldiers and veterans primarily through the Pritzker Military Foundation. Other major donors giving in this area include Craigslist founder Craig Newmark, Carlyle Group co-founder Daniel D’Aniello, and former hedge fund manager Steve Cohen, whose father and son have both served in the military. 

Corporate funders that fund veterans and military families include companies that employ veterans, were founded by veterans, or interface with military communities, such as the Home Depot Foundation, the USAA Foundation, the Call of Duty Endowment, and the Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman Foundations. Home Depot founders Arthur Blank and Bernie Marcus also both make grants for veterans’ causes through their respective foundations.


National & Regional Foundations for Veterans & Military

ADTALEM GLOBAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION

Adtalem’s veterans program broadly invests in organizations that work with veterans and military families. It does not name a particular strategy in this space; however, they’ve emphasized housing in past giving, among other interests.

AGUA FUND

Agua’s grantmaking for military and veterans focus on hunger relief and elder services.

ALBERTSONS COMPANIES FOUNDATION

Albertsons’ Veterans initiative focuses on “recent veterans for post-September 11th conflicts.” In this area, the foundation tends to invest in veterans’ employment, healthcare, mental health and family support.

AT&T FOUNDATION

AT&T supports military personnel, veterans, and their families by “advancing education, strengthening communities, and improving lives.” This foundation prioritizes veterans’ job training and other programs aimed at helping them transition into civilian life. AT& also makes grants for programs that help children and families of veterans complete high school and prepare for college.

BANK OF AMERICA CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

BofA’s grantmaking offers services such as career opportunities and advancement at Bank of America itself or its partners, financial education for veterans transitioning to civilian life, and partnerships with nonprofits and organizations across the country that provide services to veterans. It also supports veteran-owned businesses.

GEOFFREY BEENE FOUNDATION

The Geoffrey Beene Foundation’s Supporting Veterans focus area broadly funds organizations that provide “provide critical services and support to our Veterans.”

ARTHUR M. BLANK FAMILY FOUNDATION

The Blank Foundation supports military and veterans in Georgia.

BOEING FOUNDATION

Boeing supports work that addresses veterans’ rehabilitation, mental health and economic development.

BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB FOUNDATION

This foundation’s mental health grants focus on veterans.

CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT

This regional funder supports veterans causes, among other place-based issues, in Southern California.

CITIZENS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

The foundation supports Veterans and the military “to provide support to military veterans through internal and external programs designed to aid those who served” in the US military.

A. JAMES & ALICE B. CLARK FOUNDATION

The A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation supports engineering education, veterans and community needs, primarily in the Washington D.C. area.

STEVEN AND ALEXANDRA COHEN FOUNDATION

While Cohen support for veterans is not listed as a primary focus area, the foundation does make substantial grants in this area.

MARK CUBAN FOUNDATION

The Mark Cuban Foundation broadly funders veterans causes across the U.S.

FCA FOUNDATION

FCA prioritizes organizations that help veterans readjust to civilian life, especially those who have been wounded in action.

FORD MOTOR COMPANY FUND

Its grantmaking for Military and Veterans supports organizations that address issues like health, homelessness, and employment for returning veterans, especially female veterans.

GOLDMAN SACHS

The company runs a signature Veterans Integration Program that helps veterans prepare for careers in the financial industry.

GRAINGER

This funder prioritizes veterans across all of its focus areas.

HEXBERG FAMILY FOUNDATION

While the Hexberg Family Foundation does not have a website or any stated grantmaking priorities, the foundation’s tax filings indicate an interest in supporting veterans and military families. As well, the foundation especially supports efforts that improve access to healthcare for veterans.

HOME DEPOT FOUNDATION

Home Depot offers several types of grants for organizations that support Veterans. The primary focus areas of this program are combat-wounded veterans, homeless veterans, and aging veterans.

EUGENE M. LANG FOUNDATION

The Lang foundation broadly funds military members and veterans’ causes.

LOCKHEED MARTIN

Lockheed Martin maintains a deep commitment to the well-being of the U.S. military community; more than half of the company’s business is with the military and other U.S. agencies, and military-affiliated individuals comprise more than one-fifth of its workforce. Specific areas of interest for the company’s military- and veteran-related philanthropy include support for service members and families, helping veterans transition to civilian life, honoring the legacy of U.S. veterans and research and policy development for military and veteran’s services.

LOWE’S FOUNDATION AND CORPORATE GIVING

Veterans are a main priority of Lowe’s housing and work and opportunity grantmaking.

NEWMAN’S OWN FOUNDATION

The foundation funds organizations that offer “career training, support for higher education, and other critical assistance.”

NORTHRUP GRUMMAN FOUNDATION

This funder broadly gives to military and veterans.

PWC CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

A new area of funding for this foundation, grants for military and veterans tend to center on economic opportunity.

SCHULTZ FAMILY FOUNDATION

The Schultz Foundation’s Post 9/11 Veterans focus area aims to “ensure veterans can connect their skills, experience and community commitment to a new organization and a new mission.” It supports active duty military, National Guard and Reserve members, and military spouses.

GARY SINISE FOUNDATION

The Gary Sinise Foundation, formerly the Avalon Fund, supports military and veterans’ organizations, especially in the areas of mental health and human services. It also runs signature programs for disabled veterans and the families of fallen heroes. Funding also goes to fire fighting and other first response organizations across the U.S.

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES

Southwest Airlines supports Military and Their Families, including active duty, reservists, and veterans, by making grants to organizations that “provide a variety of valuable programs and services to support the men, women, and families who sacrifice for our country every day.”

MAY AND STANLEY SMITH CHARITABLE TRUST

The trust’s grants for military and veterans primarily focuses on mental health, education and job training, employment, housing stability and community integration.

THE STREISAND FOUNDATION

The Streisand Foundation’s broad grantmaking for veterans includes support for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, which “strives to build an empowered generation of veterans who provide sustainable leadership for our country and their local communities.”

TAWANI FOUNDATION

Veterans’ and military organizations have been major areas of focus in the past but giving in these areas has tapered off in recent years. The foundation also funds related issues through it’s grants for the LBGTQ community.

HARRY AND JEANETTE WEINBERG FOUNDATION

Weinberg supports veterans and the military through grants for projects supporting veterans’ mental wellness and to groups assisting veterans as they reintegrate into civilian life.

WILF FAMILY FOUNDATIONS

This group of foundations gives broadly to military and veteran needs.