The start of each new year brings with it feelings of excitement, productivity, and hope. We set financial goals, personal goals, and professional goals for the upcoming year. But do we set goals to be of service? Are we taking the time to evaluate the communities we’re living in and making it a priority to address the needs where we live and work every day? Make 2023 your year of service by applying for a Veteran Projects Fund grant and help the veterans in your community not only live better lives but thrive. 

The American Legion Auxiliary Foundation will award grants up to $10,000 to units and departments addressing a new, one-time need for veterans in their community. Is there transitional housing for veterans in your area? Do they need a washer and dryer set or patio furniture? Is there a food pantry nearby that serves veterans and their families? Do they need walk-in refrigerators or other appliances? Is there a state veterans’ home, VA medical center, or VA outpatient clinic nearby? Do they need equipment that’s not provided by the facility, but enhances the lives of its residents? For example, blanket warmers, tablets, or an outdoor recreational space? These are all examples of projects funded by the American Legion Auxiliary Foundation. Veteran Projects Fund grants are an easy way for your unit or department to make a big impact on the lives of veterans in your neighborhood. 

To qualify for funding, the applicant must be an ALA entity (unit, district/county, or department) and be able to provide 20% of the project cost. The ALA Foundation will provide the other 80% to fund the project, up to $10,000. One grant per grantee will be awarded in a 12-month period, and the funds may not be used to reimburse expenses paid prior to grant approval. 

There are several options for funding, but the Veteran Projects Fund does have some limitations. Projects that are not applicable through Veteran Projects Fund include those that benefit a single individual, funding for memorial projects, day-to-day operating expenses of the grantee, maintenance, or construction costs of any type for a building owned by The American Legion or Auxiliary, or government-owned facilities, and scholarships.

The application for a Veteran Projects Fund grant can be found at www.ALAFoundation.org by clicking on the “Grants” tab in the top toolbar and then selecting “Veteran Projects Fund Grants.” From there, you will have two options to submit your application; you can select the “Submit Online Application” option and you will be redirected to an electronic application, or you can select “Download Application” and a fillable PDF will appear. You can complete that version and email it to ALAFoundation@ALAforVeterans.org or mail it to ALA Foundation, 3450 Founders Road, Indianapolis, IN 46268. 

A Veteran Projects Fund grant will provide your unit or department with an opportunity to create a new funding stream that does not need to be repaid. In addition, securing grant funding can result in a domino effect with more organizations seeing the value in the ALA’s goals and mission and forging new partnerships in your community.

Organizations and businesses collaborating tend to be stronger than one entity going at it alone. When your objectives perfectly line up with the intended projects and goals established with a grant, applying is a no-brainer. Oftentimes, finding grant objectives in alignment with the ALA’s mission is one of the most challenging aspects, so when a grant opportunity like the Veteran Projects Fund comes along, you do not want to miss it. A Veteran Projects Fund grant could enable your unit or department to do work you might never do otherwise. In the spirit of Service Not Self, let’s make it a priority it set service goals this year. And next year at this time, who knows what you will have accomplished. 

To learn more about the Veteran Projects Fund grant opportunities, visit www.ALAFoundation.org or call (317) 569-4500 to speak with our Development Division and discuss your application today!