2024 Veterans' Donation Fund Large Grant Winners
PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services (ADVS) is thrilled to announce the 2024 Veterans’ Donation Fund (VDF) Large Grant winners!
The Arizona Legislature created the VDF in 1999 to fund programs that benefit Arizona Veterans and their families. Arizona law specifies that VDF donations are held in an account that can never revert to the State General Fund and can only be used to benefit Veterans in the State of Arizona through small ($4,999.99 or less) and large grants ($5,000 - $75,000).
“The Veterans' Donation Fund is such an important grant opportunity because it gives critical support to programs within the Veteran community, that they otherwise may not receive. This funding helps those organizations provide the care, support and community that our Veterans deserve,” said Natasha Orduno, ADVS Grants Project Specialist.
Congratulations to these 21 Arizona organizations awarded 2024 VDF large grants!
Arizona Pet Project (awarded $40,000): Keeps pets with the people who love and need them most by connecting vulnerable community members and families in crisis with services and resources to prevent the unnecessary surrender of their companions. For more information, visit their website at https://azpetproject.org/
Ayuda Smiles for Veterans (awarded $75,000): Provides Veterans with dental care. Visit their website https://smilesforveterans.org/
Central Arizona Shelter Services, Inc. (awarded $75,000): Works to prevent and end homelessness among individuals and families while advancing compassionate community solutions. For more information, visit their website at https://www.cassaz.org/
CGA, Inc. (awarded $75,000): Helps address substance misuse with Veterans through education and awareness services, treatment resource information, coalition mentoring and administrative support. For more information, visit their website at https://casagrandealliance.org/
City of Tempe, Safe at Home (awarded $25,000): Assists Veterans who are not eligible for VA services to participate in the Strength At Home program at no cost, which helps Veterans who struggle with conflicts in their relationships.
City of Tempe, Digital Equity (awarded $75,000): Support honorably discharged veterans of Tempe and Guadalupe through the distribution of veteran technology kits, 1:1 in-person tech support, and hands-on digital literacy classes at no cost.
Coconino Community College's Veterans Center (awarded $20,000): Provides guidance to further the educational goals for service members and Veterans. For more information, visit their website at https://www.coconino.edu/veteran-services
Duet: Partners in Health & Aging (awarded $15,000): Partnering with the Arizona Caregiver Coalition, Unlimited Potential, and the So’Tsoh Foundation to help Arizona Veterans and their families regain hope and build resilience when confronting the complexities of caring for individuals with dementia, traumatic brain injuries, or other cognitive challenges. For more information, visit www.duetaz.org
Houck Veterans Organization (awarded $46,200): Provides assistance and much-needed home repairs for Navajo Veterans living in substandard housing.
It's Bigger Than Me (awarded $40,000): Helps restore hope to those who have fought for us by providing supportive services to them. For more information, visit https://itsbiggertm.org/
Jerry Ambrose Veterans Council of Mohave County, Inc (awarded $50,778): Partners with organizations across Mohave County to provide a voice and resources for Mohave County Veterans. For more information, visit https://javc.org/
Law College Association of the University of Arizona (awarded $55,000): The Veterans’ Advocacy Law Clinic at Arizona Law provides pro bono legal services to Veterans. The only law school clinic in Arizona whose clientele are exclusively Veterans and service members. The only non-profit program in Arizona that focuses exclusively on the legal needs of Veterans. For more information https://law.arizona.edu/clinics/veterans-advocacy-law-clinic
Luke Chapter MOAA Community Fund, Inc. (awarded $25,000): Helps provide funds for scholarships for high school seniors enrolled in JROTC and the children, grandchildren and siblings of active duty service members and Veterans. they also help provide funds to active duty military, Veterans and their families in financial distress. For more information, visit https://www.luke-fund.org/
Merging Vets and Players (awarded $69,805) – Supporting the mental health of Veterans in the greater Phoenix area and Maricopa County through our unique peer-to-peer programming. Visit https://vetsandplayers.org/locations/phoenix
Motorcycle Relief Project (MRP) (awarded $6,000): Provides relief to veterans and first responders with PTSD and other related issues by taking them on structured week-long adventure motorcycle relief rides. For more information, visit https://www.motorelief.org/
Quality Resilience Fitness (awarded $39,988): Helps fund veteran gym memberships from various community based gyms to be able to get Veterans into a physical fitness environment, to re-instill the motivation, accountability, and team camaraderie that they once cherished while in the service.
Soldier's Best Friend (awarded $17,000): Pairs Veterans living with combat-related PTSD or a Traumatic Brain Injury with service or companion dogs rescued from local animal shelters. For more information, visit https://soldiersbestfriend.org/
Valley Housing Partners (awarded $66,500): Assists more than 50 homeless Veterans in the Tucson and Phoenix areas by addressing the pressing and urgent needs of the Veterans, including shelter and crucial mental health services.
Veterans 5-9 (awarded $72,000): Helps connect Veterans with support and resources between 5-9 PM and on weekends, including emergency services assistance, for Veterans who are homeless, incarcerated, currently in the military or exiting the military. For more information, visit https://veterans5-9.com/
Veterans Furniture Center (awarded $75,000): Fights Veteran homelessness by providing new furniture and household goods to help Veterans transitioning from homelessness to a furnished home. For more information, visit https://veteransfurniturecenter.org/
VMLC Charities (awarded $75,000): Advocates initiatives that enhance the quality of Veteran’s health care and services in Arizona, and to raise funds to primarily assist Arizona Veterans in crises at the Phoenix VA Health Care System and the Arizona State Veteran Home that fall outside federal and state funding guidelines. For more information, visit https://arizonavmlc.org/
Total VDF large grants awarded: $1,038,271
The Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services would also like to thank the VDF large grant review team who evaluated grant applications from nearly 60 Arizona organizations. To learn more about the Arizona Veterans’ Donation Fund visit https://dvs.az.gov/services/financial-assistance/donation-fund