Causes: Military & Veterans Organizations, Veterans

Mission: Organized in 1986, the DAV (Disabled American Veterans) Charitable Service Trust is dedicated to one single purpose: empowering veterans to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity. In an effort to fulfill that purpose, the Trust awards grants to nonprofit organizations with programs that benefit service members of every era. Through financial assistance grants, the Trust carries out its mission by supporting: programs ensuring quality health care for veterans; assistance to veterans suffering from PTSD, TBI, military sexual trauma, substance-abuse issues and related conditions; programs enhancing mobility for veterans with amputations, spinal cord injuries and other physical afflictions; and additional initiatives addressing the needs of veterans and caregivers or families.

Results: The DAV (Disabled American Veterans) Charitable Service Trust has administered a nation-wide grant program to ensure that other not-for-profit entities have the resources to provide a number of services and programs for ill and injured veterans and their families. As a well-known grantmaker to an increasing volume of recipients each year, the Trust has been able to support programs that meet a wide variety of needs among the military community. Notably, a full 96% of our 2019 total expenses went directly to service programs for our ill and injured veterans and only 4% was expended for fundraising and administrative costs. Such responsible management is crucial in fulfilling our mission of empowering veterans to lead high quality lives with respect and dignity. The Trust will continue to proactively search for new and innovative ways to serve veterans, their family members, and caregivers.

Target demographics: Just as our troops provide cover for the wounded on the field of battle, we must provide cover for those who come home sick and injured.

Direct beneficiaries per year: Thousands

Geographic areas served: Nationwide

Programs: DAV leaders formed the Trust in 1986 to advance programs and services that cater to the nation’s veterans as well as their caregivers and families. By supporting the work of the charitable organizations that offer these services, the Trust plays an essential role in ensuring that America fulfills its promises to those who make such significant sacrifices for national safety and security. It is critical that these efforts include recognition and respite for the families and/or caregivers involved. To carry out its responsibility of empowering veterans to lead high quality lives with respect and dignity, the DAV (Disabled American Veterans) Charitable Service Trust supports the following:
• programs ensuring quality health care for veterans;
• assistance to veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), military sexual trauma (MST), substance-abuse issues and related or co-occurring conditions;
• programs enhancing mobility for veterans with amputations, spinal cord injuries and other physical afflictions; and
• additional initiatives for addressing the needs of veterans and caregivers or families from each era of conflict. To date, funded programs and projects aid in providing a number of necessities to veteran clients and/or their families in each service region. Grants are typically distributed to offer:
• food, shelter and other necessary items for homeless or at-risk veterans and their families;
• mobility items or other assistance specific to veterans with blindness, vision loss, hearing loss or amputations;
• qualified evidence-based therapeutic or recreational activities for veterans and/or their families;
• physical and psychological rehabilitation projects;
• education, training and career readiness; and
• other forms of support as appropriate for short- or long-term relief for veterans, caregivers and/or their families. The Trust continues to seek effective ways to improve the lives of ill and injured veterans and their families.