The VFW Foundation has released the parameters for the 2024-25 grants that are available to Posts, Districts, and their Auxiliaries. As in years past they are reimbursement grants and are funded on a first come first served basis. Once funding for a particular grant is exhausted that grant will be closed until next year, so I suggest you jump on these opportunities right away.
In particular, I think every Post should consider supporting the annual VFW Airlift by utilizing the Uniting to Combat Hunger & Homelessness grant (now known as UTCH2).
To support the VFW Airlift, have your Post or Auxiliary send a donation, up to $1500, to Department HQ as soon as possible. The Airlift organizers need time to purchase the non-perishable food that will be distributed throughout Colorado over the first weekend in December with the help of the Colorado Aviation Business Association (CABA). Once the airlift is completed a copy of the receipt will be provided to all who donated, to be included with the UTCH2 grant application.
If you are interested in also addressing veteran homelessness in your communities, use the same grant. Instead of pounds of food, anti-homelessness efforts can be measured by the value of the in-kind donations (or cash donations) you provide. Think, supplying hygiene gear for a stand-down, or organization a coat drive for a local homeless shelter. Get creative and partner with a local group, like Volunteers of America, to document your Post’s involvement.
Keep in mind, the UTCH2 grant is limited to a total of $1500 per Post OR Aux, not both. The minimum donation is $500 for either entity, but multiple requests can be submitted during the grant cycle. So, talk with your counterparts do make sure you are maximizing your efforts while maintaining your eligibility for reimbursement.
On the other hand, the #StillServing grant can be utilized by a Post and the Post Auxiliary, as well as a District and the District’s Auxiliary. The qualifications for this grant are more loosely defined but requires hands on participation in a community service project. You can’t just cut a check on this one. Also, each grant applicant must submit their own project to receive their own reimbursement. But I always encourage Post members volunteer to support an Auxiliary project, and vice-versa, so each side of the house can be successful. The #StillServing grants are also between $500 and $1500 per project, but the project cannot be used to support required VFW programs (like VOD/PP or Buddy Poppies) or for building repairs.
Luckily, if your Post is in need of repairs, the Foundation brought back the Post Assistance Grant (PAG), where qualifying projects can be reimbursed up to $2500 once every three years. What qualifies, you might ask? Well, either the purchase of materials or hiring of professionals to repair a defect or renovate a fixture on Post property, OR the purchase of equipment that enable a Post to better serve or sustain the service they provide to the community. Obviously, these purchases or repairs cannot be made to the canteen but are limited to the rest of the Post home.
All the above grants will be discussed in further detail during the 9 am training session on Saturday, October 19, during the COA weekend in Grand Junction. Refer to the Department website for the zoom link if you want to learn more but are not able to attend in person. For those who will be there, I look forward to seeing everyone and hearing your ideas on how to best utilize these funds. My class is also open to Auxiliary members, since they can participate in these grants, so the more the merrier.
Remember, this is free money. All that is required to access it is a little planning and effort. As always, feel free to contact me throughout the year if you have any questions or need help with the paperwork. I can be reached at 303-547-7578 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
In comradeship,
John Keene
Past State Commander