Bob Woodruff Foundation Grants

501(c)(3) executive directors running vet-serving programs with proven outcomes data. Mental health, employment, education, and peer recovery orgs. Best if you can point to a specific measurable program (participants served, outcomes achieved) rather than general operating support.

You are pre-501(c)(3), have no operating history, or your program does not specifically serve post-9/11 veterans and their families. BWF funds acceleration of what works, not seed-stage program development. Also skip if you cannot commit 30-80 hours to a proper LOI plus full proposal.

Clear Theory of Change, program outcomes data (last 12-24 months), 501(c)(3) determination letter, most recent Form 990, current board list with expertise mapping, letters of support from partner organizations, and a specific ask (dollar amount, use of funds, milestones). Have a follow-up plan for what happens after the grant ends.

The Bob Woodruff Foundation is one of the top post-9/11 veteran-serving foundations in the country. Founded in 2006 by ABC News anchor Bob Woodruff and his wife Lee after Bob's injury covering the Iraq War, the foundation has awarded more than $130 million in grants to over 700 organizations. BWF funds through multiple concurrent programs. The flagship Standing Together program funds direct-service organizations addressing mental health, employment, education, and financial resilience. Peer Recovery Initiative funds substance use recovery programs. Special initiatives target emerging needs each year (recent examples: financial independence, women veterans, caregiver support). The application process is disciplined. Letters of Inquiry (LOI) open on published cycles. Invited applicants then submit a full proposal. Committee selection is competitive and evidence-focused: BWF prioritizes programs with measurable outcomes and clear theories of change over broad mission-alignment statements. Grants pair well with follow-on support: BWF alumni often build lasting relationships with program officers, and past grantees are more likely to be invited into new initiatives. Editorial rule: apply with a specific ask, not a general operating budget request. Recent grantees include Team Rubicon, Wounded Warrior Project (specific initiatives), Warrior Canine Connection, The Mission Continues, and dozens of regional direct-service organizations. Full grantee list is published on bobwoodrufffoundation.org.