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Annual Report 2024

About the Bob Woodru Foundation

The Bob Woodru Foundation was founded in 2006 a er reporter Bob Woodru was wounded by a roadside bomb while covering the war in Iraq. Since then, the Bob Woodru Foundation has raised awareness about the tough challenges veterans and military families are facing, and invested in solutions to help support them in the next chapter of their lives. To date, the Bob Woodru Foundation has invested more than $170 million to ensure that our nation’s veterans, service members, and their families — those who stood for us — have stable and successful futures. Visit the Bob Woodru Foundation for more information.

2024 Bob Woodru Foundation

Bob Woodru Co-Founder, Bob Woodru

Deepening Our Impact: Grants and Got Your

6 Network Partner

Engagement

In 2024, we provided more than $10 million in grants to 76 organizations—19 of which were first-time grantees. Through these e orts, we supported the lives of more than 19,000 veterans, service members, and their families. And we didn’t do this alone.

We accomplished this with longstanding donors like the NFL and Craig Newmark Philanthropies, many corporate and foundation partners, and our newest funding partner, Navy Federal Credit Union, who is working with us to enhance the financial security of service members and their families.

Through our grantmaking, we prioritized mental health care, housing assistance, legal services, education and employment, social connection, and wellbeing. Mental health care was our greatest focus—20 grants totaling over $3.5 million—with military children’s mental health remaining an especially urgent need.

Dollars invested in 2024:

$3,555,000 Mental Health Care

$1,347,000 Social Connection Programs

$2,802,4224 Housing & Case Coordination

$2,395,000 Basic Needs Assistance

$1,688,623 Legal Assistance $560,000 Employment $220,000 Education

$2,236,325 Recovery from Hurricane Ian $573,000 Disaster Relief $500,000 Emergency Relief

Providing grants is only one piece of our mission. We also work closely with our grantees and Got Your 6 Network partners to ensure that our national Got Your 6 Network of service providers collaborates with and learns from one another.

With support from Craig Newmark Philanthropies and in partnership with Got Your 6 Network partner, the United Way of Broward County’s Mission United, we hosted our third annual veteran support Summit. The event brought together more than 250 leaders from the public and private sectors, including elected o icials, military and veteran leaders, philanthropists, and service members. We explored the challenges veterans face, from military transition to housing costs and homelessness, to the lingering e ects of traumatic brain injury. We also traveled to Nashville for the Bob Woodru Foundation VetFest—our family-friendly event celebrating service members, veterans, and their families.

In addition to award-winning entertainment, the event connected attendees with Got Your 6 Network partners who reach more than 500,000 veterans and service members and provide access to services from health and wellness to housing, food and education.

To strengthen knowledge sharing across the Got Your 6 Network, we created opportunities for our Network partners to stay current on best practices in veteran support while ensuring they have the tools to respond to the evolving challenges veterans and their families face. Through our webinars, 702 attendees engaged with experts on housing, mental health care for military children, the needs of rural and aging veterans, and the importance of social connections. We awarded 53 scholarships for partners to attend three leading conferences focused on housing, mental health care, and VA innovation.

Webinar: Addressing the Needs of Rural Veterans

Honoring Service, Empowering Futures: Our NFL Partnership

620,000. That’s roughly the number of military-connected people—veterans, service members, and their families—who have improved their lives and their potential for a brighter future through the NFL’s partnership with the Bob Woodru Foundation. As an NFL Salute to Service partner, we grant NFL funds that support the NFL’s aim to honor, empower, and connect with our country’s veterans, service members, and their families.

Since 2018, we have worked with the NFL to expand the NFL’s Salute to Service initiative, which promotes healthy lifestyles and fosters greater community engagement within the veteran population.

Through the partnership, we invest NFL funds where they are most needed and we work with grantees to help them better advocate for service members and veterans in their community.

In that time, our partnership has had a measurable impact on the lives of veterans, service members and their families in more than 100 communities across the U.S. We have made 210 investments, including over 109 grants to best-in-class veteran non-profit organizations and 101 pandemic-related stipends to organizations addressing veterans’ urgent needs.

“We know a lot about football, but we also really do a great job of partnering with the best. And the Bob Woodru Foundation is that. They knew the right places to go.”

Roger Goodell NFL Commissioner

Gold Star Youth Mentorship

Funded by an NFL-BWF grant, wear blue: run to remember pairs youth who have lost loved ones in service with military mentors, fostering connection and wellness.

Game-Changing Impact in 2024

USA Wheelchair Football League

300+ veterans competing in the League since 2019, the 2024 season included the USA Wheelchair Football Championship Game in Dallas during Super Bowl Week, and the inaugural Veterans All-Star Game during Dra Week.

Warrior-Scholar Project

A 2024 grant helped 200+ veterans transition to higher education through “academic boot camps” at top universities.

Super Bowl Ticket Giveaway

Supported an event to benefit U.S.VETS Las Vegas, which supports veterans experiencing housing instability, and gave Super Bowl LVIII tickets to veterans.

Bastion Community of Resilience

A Salute to Service grant improved food security for 75+ veteran households, strengthening Bastion’s pantry and cooking programs.

Celebrating Service Through Community Events

Player Care Foundation Career Summit

Helped former NFL players explore post-sports career opportunities, including military, civilian, and government roles.

USA Wheelchair Football League Veterans All-Star Game

Supported this inaugural game, reserved for veterans, that pitted Army against Navy & Marine Corps and was held in conjunction with the 2024 NFL Dra in Detroit.

Connecting Veterans to Support:

Sometimes service members, veterans, and their families need a little extra support to meet their basic needs. Recognizing this, in 2024, Craig Newmark Philanthropies helped the Bob Woodru Foundation connect more veterans, service members, and their families to programs and support, while allowing us to grow our nationwide Got Your 6 Network of boots-on-the-ground partners.

We welcomed more than 50 new partners into the Got Your 6 Network, provided mentoring and training to Network partners, supported their local programming, and strengthened their ability to serve the military community. Our work with Got Your 6 local partners includ ed initiatives aimed at:

• Veteran and military family readiness: We supported programs that address basic needs—including food and housing assistance, mental health care, employment, and education.

• Raising awareness: We reached more households than ever before, growing visibility of the Got Your 6 Network and helping more people understand and engage with veterans’ issues.

• Identifying needs and closing gaps: We used insights from our Network to spotlight gaps in services and highlight opportunities for people to take action.

Craig Newmark Philanthropies helped fund $4.5 million in grants to 34 organizations, including 11 first-time grantees. This means that more than 4,300 veteran and military family members were able to access services thanks to Craig Newmark’s generosity.

We also activated our Craig Newmark Philanthropies-supported Natural Disaster Fund following tragedies a ecting our military and veterans community, including Hurricanes Beryl, Debby, and Helene and flooding in the Gulf Coast region of Texas. The funding for local organizations helped military and veteran families meet basic needs—food, water, cleaning supplies, temporary housing, and home restoration equipment rental—and stabilize lives and communities in crisis. More than 1,100 veteran and military family members received $573,000 in 2024 aid connected to the Fund.

2024 Bob Woodru Foundation Annual Report

programs and services for years to come.

Birthday illustration for Craig Newmark from the Bob Woodru Foundation team.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CRAIG!

Enhancing Financial Security for Military Families: A Multiyear Commitment

Some military families face unique challenges that contribute to financial stress. Frequent relocations—a reality of military life—can be costly and make it di icult for a civilian spouse to find or keep employment. As a result, families may struggle to build savings, leaving them financially vulnerable to unexpected expenses.

Recognizing this and seeing an opportunity to provide greater support and stability for military families, in the fall of 2024, Navy Federal Credit Union and the Bob Woodru Foundation launched a multi-year partnership with the nation’s military Relief Organizations: Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, Air Force Aid Society, Coast Guard Mutual Assistance, and Army Emergency Relief. Together, we’re working to enhance the financial security of service members and their families—building on our shared commitment to support active-duty troops, veterans, and their families during times of need.

for urgent living expenses, medical costs, permanent change of station expenses, and unforeseen emergencies—allowing them to stay mission-focused while caring for their families.

Our partnership with Navy Federal Credit Union reflects a shared vision to upli , empower, and honor those who serve while building a stronger, more resilient support system for our nation’s military community.

Building Pathways from Military Service to Civilian Success

In 2024, as part of our commitment to helping veterans navigate each new chapter of their civilian lives, we partnered with Fordham's Gabelli School of Business to host our 13th annual VOWS Symposium. Military-connected job seekers were given the opportunity to network with corporate leaders, hiring managers, and veterans employed in a wide variety of industries. Attendees received career development guidance and support for making the transition into the civilian workforce.

The Symposium also featured a resume-building workshop and discussions on veteran leadership, corporate interviewing best practices, and guidance on how to e ectively translate

NextOp’s

Veterans Employment Program

Through this program, veterans work one-on-one with employment coordinators to explore career paths, translate their military experience into civilian roles, build resumes, grow their networks, and prepare for interviews. Candidates are placed with employment partners and receive starting salaries 60% higher than the median income of their peer group. This grant supported career program placements for 75 veterans.

NPower’s Military Spouse Project

Citi, VOWS raised $926,000 in 2024. Staying true to our commitment to workforce development for veterans and military families, we used these funds to provide grants to organizations focused on veteran employment, including the following:

NPower o ers free technology training and job placement services for military spouses. Our funding enabled 400 military spouses to take a Tech Fundamentals program leading to industry-recognized certifications, professional development, peer support, and access to a active alumni network. With a 92% graduation rate and 79% of them employed or continuing their education within one year, this program provides a proven path to financial stability.

Services for the UnderServed: Veterans Housing & Employment Support (NYC & Long Island)

Services for the UnderServed (S:US) supports veterans experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges, substance use disorders, or legal issues—many of whom are ineligible for government assistance. This grant allowed S:US to expand its reach, o ering case management, employment support, and financial assistance to 125 veterans.

From the Fairway to the Stage: Supporting Veterans

Our corporate partner PMI US proudly supports U.S. veterans and recognizes the importance of giving back to our nation’s brave men and women—during and a er their service. This commitment was on full display at our signature golf and VetFest events, which raised vital funds to support veteran wellbeing.

For the third year, the Bob Woodru Foundation Veterans Golf Classic: Westhampton raised funds for mental health care initiatives. In partnership with PMI US, the event generated over $250,000 in support of mental health programs and care for military children. PMI US’s support was also instrumental to the success of 2024’s inaugural golf event in Orchard Lake, Michigan.

munity for a free event filled with music, camaraderie, and appreciation. This PMI US-supported event honored veterans and active-duty service members through live performances, while connecting military families to important local services. PMI US’s sponsorship helped make the event possible, reinforcing the company’s longtime commitment to those who have served.

PMI US continues to create opportunities for connection, healing, and success within the veteran community. We are grateful for their partnership and ongoing support of our mission and we look forward to building on our collaboration in the years to come.

VIVA: Making the Dream of a Family a Reality

Unfortunately, service members experience infertility at nearly twice the rate of the rest of the population. The physical and emotional wounds of war can a ect both intimacy and fertility, and the journey through fertility treatment can be expensive and overwhelming.

But there is hope. Our VIVA program is designed to ensure that military service does not prevent anyone from starting a family.

VIVA supports wounded, ill, and injured veterans facing fertility challenges. We provide financial assistance and connect veterans to resources to help them start and grow their families. In 2024, VIVA awarded grants to 63 veterans, totaling more than $330,000. VIVA celebrated the births of 20 babies connected to our program. Since VIVA’s inception we have helped veteran families welcome 95 babies and provided VIVA grants totaling $1.5 million.

This extraordinary work was made possible by the generous support of biotechnology company EMD Serono and specialty pharmaceutical company Ferring Pharmaceuticals.

EMD Serono has been a pioneer in the fertility space for 25 years, helping families along every step of their fertility journeys. The organization was there for the world’s first IVF baby and more than five million since then.

Ferring is at the forefront of reproductive medicine with fertility products, programs and services that support patients on their fertility journeys. They are committed to serving as a collaborative catalyst by partnering with the fertility community to make the dream of having a child possible.

Bob Woodru

Stand Up for Heroes: A Record $29 Million Raised for Veterans

In November, we welcomed a sold-out crowd to David Ge en Hall at New York’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Our 18th annual Stand Up for Heroes event, held in partnership with the New York Comedy Festival and hosted on Veterans Day, raised an incredible $29 million for our nation’s veterans and their families.

An unforgettable lineup—including Jim Ga igan, Norah Jones, Mark Normand, DJ Questlove, Jerry Seinfeld, Bruce Springsteen, and Jon Stewart—took the stage to pay tribute to those who have served. It was a night filled with laughter, music, and heartfelt moments, and it served as a powerful reminder of the debt we owe those who have worn the uniform.

Since 2007, Stand Up for Heroes has raised $110 million to fund our mission. With this money we have helped more than 12 million veterans and their families by investing in programs and services that provide physical and mental health care, food and housing assistance, job training, and disaster relief.

We are especially grateful to Bread Financial, our presenting sponsor, for their fourth consecutive year of support. Our partnership underscores their deep commitment to improving the lives of veterans by supporting initiatives that promote financial security